Directory of Fil-Am artists coming out in 2018

The Filipino American Artist Directory is scheduled to be launched in February 2018.

The directory is a living archive and annual publication dedicated to artists of Filipino heritage living and working between the United States and the Philippines, with particular focus on artists based in the Midwest and South, according to St. Louis-based artist Janna Añonuevo Langholz, the book’s editor and publisher.

 

Inspired by the book, “The Decolonized Eye” by Sarita Echavez See, the project was founded in 2015 by Langholz. In the past two years, she has traveled to at least 12 states to find and meet other artists, but most have found the project through the website or social media.

“I was born and currently live at the site of the World’s Fair in St. Louis, where 1,200 Filipinos were imported and put on display in the early 1900s,” Langholz told The FilAm. “I wanted to find the same number of visual artists who are actively displaying their work, as symbolic of our empowerment and agency as a community. Needless to say, I didn’t realize how difficult that would be!”

It’s also been largely a personal project for Langholz “to find my own community.”

“I’ve never met another Filipino artist until after completing graduate school when I was 27 years old,” she said.

Langholz received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fibers from Truman State University in Missouri in 2011 and received a full fellowship to attend graduate school at SMU Meadows School of the Arts in 2013. She received her MFA in 2015 with a concentration in photography.

Her work has been shown throughout the U.S. in solo and group shows in St. Louis, Dallas, San Francisco, Portland, Taos (New Mexico), and Hilo (Hawaii). She received a fellowship from the artist program Signal Fire to participate in “unwalking” the Lewis & Clark trail from Oregon to Eastern Montana during summer 2016.

The directory is an independent, artist-run initiative that aims to:

• Increase the visibility and recognition of Filipino American visual artists and promote our inclusion in museums, galleries, collections, and publications
• Serve as an educational resource for students and teachers
• Create community between artists, curators, and writers

It features 60 artists, curators, and writers representing 28 cities in 12 states, as well as the Philippines and Canada.

Featured are artists Pacita Abad, Adrian Alarilla, Brandon Alvendia, Angel Alviar-Langley, Janna Añonuevo Langholz, Bennie Flores Ansell, Kimberley Acebo Arteche, Kristoffer Ardeña, Don Artamas, Daniel Ballesteros, Katrina Bello, Gigi Bio, Grace Bio, Jose Johann Bitancor, Kelvin Burzon, Francis Calimlim, Crystal Z. Campbell, Cesar Conde, Marissa Sean Cruz, Mel Vera Cruz, Isabel Cuenca, Ashley Dequilla, Sammay Dizon, Raychelle Duazo, Ulysses Duterte, Jana Ercilla, Tristan Espinoza, John Yoyogi Fortes, Nicole Gervacio, Alvin Pagdanganan Gregorio, Rea Lynn de Guzman, Christine Hipolito, Venancio C. Igarta, Regin Igloria, Jeanne F. Jalandoni, Roberto Jamora, Dennis Madamba, Matt Manalo, Cyril Maza, Lorna Maza, Maryrose Cobarrubias Mendoza, Ged Merino, Christine Morla, Kimo Nelson, Justin Pastores, Jill Paz, Bong Redila, Carlo Ricafort, Sherwin Rio, Lordy Rodriguez, Yumi Janairo Roth, Eliseo Art Silva, Juvana Soliven, Sherwin Rivera Tibayan, Cianna Valley, Jean Vengua, Jeremy Keith Villaluz, Melanie Gritzka del Villar, and Pamela Ybañez. —The FilAm

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Artwork by Venancio C. Igarta