In developing her films and video installations, Martha Atienza engages in a process that has a sociological dimension, investigating the potential of contemporary art as a tool for affecting social change and development. Atienza grounds her practice in her home on Bantayan Island in the Philippines, working from within her local community and initiating dialogue on the impact of climate change.

Previously shown in Silverlens Manila, ‘Equation of State’ (2019/2024) addresses the questions surrounding the ownership and privatization of Bantayan Island’s land and coastline in the context of rising water temperatures and sea levels. Fundamental to the island’s ecology are the mangrove plants that populate the brackish tidal waters of the coast but are threatened by development. Mangroves are the most ‘natural’ disaster risk reduction and management structure and effective long-term carbon sinks. 

On view in Diriyah is a streamlined version of the initial construction, which was built using found materials and programmed with an Arduino mechanism. The mangroves themselves were provided by KAUST, which is home to a thriving mangrove forest spanning over 110 hectares along the Red Sea.

Installed nearby are two silent films focusing on the human inhabitants of Bantayan island. One, shot in black and white, traces the decay of Bantayan’s coastal communities, and another portrays three fishermen, submerging and reemerging from the water as they look into the camera—portraits of survival and resilience.

‘Equation of State’ was created in 2019, the same year that Congress of the Philippines voted to withdraw Bantayan Island’s Wilderness Status. The question Atienza ultimately asks is: Who has control over the future of the island and its residents?

The 2024 Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale is an international showcase and celebration of Saudi Arabia’s contemporary art scene in dialogue with global artists, as well as Saudi Arabia’s evolving position as a major global art hub. The title, After Rain, opens up a moment of revitalization and renewal, introducing the 2024 Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale as a nurturing entity, filled with life, while acknowledging the necessity of water for all forms of life that dwell and seek shelter on our planet.

Unfolding as a combination of practices such as inhabiting, cultivating, harvesting, searching, and sharing, this Biennale presents works that engage with the human-nature continuum, examine the built environment, observe the state of our surrounding landscapes, recount histories, and encourage us to listen more closely. Conceived as a vital entity rather than a static framework, the Biennale welcomes processes, dialogues, performances, and communal meals. The Biennale is a process shaped by first-time meetings and collaborations

The Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale runs through 24 May 2024 in the JAX District of Diriyah.

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.