Martha Atienza

Bio

Martha Atienza (b. 1981, Manila, Philippines; lives and works in Bantayan Island Philippines) is a Dutch-Filipino video artist exploring the format’s ability to document and question issues related to the environment, community, and development. Born to a Dutch mother and Filipino father, Atienza has navigated between these cultures throughout her life, and the oscillation between the two significantly influence her approach to observation, documentation, and the concept of the gaze. Her video is rooted in both ecological and sociological concerns as she studies the intricate interplay between local traditions, human subjectivity, and the natural world. Frequently examining her immediate surroundings, she excels in exploring the potential of art as a catalyst for societal transformation.

She won the Baloise Art Prize in Art Basel for her seminal work Our Islands in 2017. Prior to this, she was twice awarded the Ateneo Art Awards in Manila (2012/2016) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines Thirteen Artist Award (2015). Recent biennales and triennials include the 17th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul (2022), Bangkok Art Biennale: Escape Routes, BACC, Bangkok (2020), Honolulu Biennial: To Make Wrong / Right / Now, Oahu, Hawaii (2019); and the 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, QAGOMA, Brisbane (2018). Recent group exhibitions include An Ocean in Every Drop at the Jameel Arts Center, Dubai (2022), Breaking Water at Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati (2022), and Animal Kingdom at Âme Nue Artspace, Hamburg (2021). Her solo exhibition The Protectors inaugurated Silverlens New York in 2022.

Martha Atienza (b. 1981, Manila, Philippines; lives and works in Bantayan Island Philippines) is a Dutch-Filipino video artist exploring the format’s ability to document and question issues related to the environment, community, and development. Born to a Dutch mother and Filipino father, Atienza has navigated between these cultures throughout her life, and the oscillation between the two significantly influence her approach to observation, documentation, and the concept of the gaze. Her video is rooted in both ecological and sociological concerns as she studies the intricate interplay between local traditions, human subjectivity, and the natural world. Frequently examining her immediate surroundings, she excels in exploring the potential of art as a catalyst for societal transformation.

She won the Baloise Art Prize in Art Basel for her seminal work Our Islands in 2017. Prior to this, she was twice awarded the Ateneo Art Awards in Manila (2012/2016) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines Thirteen Artist Award (2015). Recent biennales and triennials include the 17th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul (2022), Bangkok Art Biennale: Escape Routes, BACC, Bangkok (2020), Honolulu Biennial: To Make Wrong / Right / Now, Oahu, Hawaii (2019); and the 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, QAGOMA, Brisbane (2018). Recent group exhibitions include An Ocean in Every Drop at the Jameel Arts Center, Dubai (2022), Breaking Water at Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati (2022), and Animal Kingdom at Âme Nue Artspace, Hamburg (2021). Her solo exhibition The Protectors inaugurated Silverlens New York in 2022.

Gilubong Ang Akong Pusod Sa Dagat (My Navel is Buried in the Sea)
2011
778
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3-channel HD video installation, Visayan audio, English subtitles
00:31:00 min. loop
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Edition of 6
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Anito 1
2011-2015
779
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single-channel HD video, audio
00:08:57 min. loop
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Edition of 6 + 2 Artist's Proof
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Endless Hours at Sea
2016
780
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video projection, sound and light installation, water, stainless steel, aluminum, mechanics, LED light, air compression, single-channel video documentation
installation dimensions variable
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From the 2016 Singapore Biennale: An Atlas of Mirrors
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Study In Reality No.3
2015
781
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3 plants with servo motors and audio track
variable dimension
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Atlantic 58°43'21.3"N 31°17'20.6"W
2016
782
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single-channel HD video, no audio
00:55:00 min. loop
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Edition of 6
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Our Islands 11°16'58.4 N 123°45'07.0 E
2017
783
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single channel HD video, no audio
01:12:00 min. loop
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Equation of State II (Rhizophora stylosa)
2019
784
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24 mangroves, water, steel, seabul, plywood, nylon, rope, pulleys, filter, pump, arduinos, trapal, transformers, relays, car wipers, wood, pvc, zinc, led lights, wiring, cement
dimensions variable
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Panangatan 11°09'53.3"N 123°42'40.5"E 2019-10-24 Thu 6:42 AM PST 1.29 meters High Tide 2019-10-12 Sat 10:26 AM PST 1.40 meters High Tide
2019
785
1
single channel HD video, no sound, shown as a single projection
05:07:00 min. loop
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Edition of 6
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Tarong 11°16’12.0”N 123°45’23.4”E 2019-08-06 Tue 2:27 PM PST 1.50 meters High Tide
2019
786
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single channel HD video, no audio
00:44:03 min. loop
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Selected Exhibitions

Selected Videos

Selected Press

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