MARTHA ATIENZA

Practice

Atienza’s work centres on documenting and interrogating the interplay of tradition, labor, identity, migration, and environmental change. Raised by a Dutch mother and Filipino sea captain father amidst a family of seafarers, her projects often address maritime histories, the effects of climate change, and collective resilience. Notable for her participatory approach, she works closely with local communities, using art as a catalyst for empowerment, social dialogue, and transformative action.

Video is Atienza’s primary medium, manifesting as both immersive installations and documentary projects. Her practice is described as almost sociological, combining observation and collaboration to foreground community voices and concerns. Video works such as Gilubong Ang Akon Pusod Sa Dagat [My Navel is Buried in the Sea] (2012) provided searing insight into the realities of Bantayan’s fisherfolk, while her ongoing project ‘Goodland’ underscores a vision for ecologically balanced, culturally vibrant, and resilient local futures.

Key Works and Recent Projects

• Our Islands 11°16’58.4″N 123°45’07.0″E” (2017): A subaquatic video installation that reimagines the traditional Ati-atihan procession underwater, drawing attention to the impacts of climate change, migration, and labor. This work was awarded the Baloise Art Prize at Art Basel and exhibited internationally, including the 9th Asia Pacific Triennial (APT9) and New York‘s Times Square in 2024.
• Gilubong Ang Akon Pusod Sa Dagat (2012): Explored the hazardous lives of local compressor divers and bridged generational gaps within fishing families through community screenings.
• Para Sa Aton (For Us) (Ongoing): Engages women in Bantayan to address food insecurity and collective agency through participatory documentation and agro-ecological initiatives.
• The Protectors (2022): Solo show at Silverlens New York, expanding her advocacy to environmental concerns inland, particularly watershed and farmland issues.
• GOODLand (Founded 2020): A community platform co-founded with her brother Jake Atienza focusing on ecological and social sustainability in Bantayan, exemplifying Atienza’s fusion of social practice and contemporary art. The fundamental question Atienza is asking through Goodland is how art can tackle social, environmental, and economic issues. Her methodology is inherently collaborative, forging partnerships with the LGU, NGOs, and knowledge keepers.

Selected Exhibitions & Awards

• Biennales & Triennials: 2nd Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale (2024), 17th Istanbul Biennial (2022), Bangkok Art Biennale (2020), Honolulu Biennial (2019), 9th Asia Pacific Triennial (2018)
• Awards: AFIELD Fellowship (2024), Baloise Art Prize at Art Basel (2017), Ateneo Art Awards (2012, 2016), Cultural Center of the Philippines Thirteen Artists Award (2015)
• Solo and Group Exhibitions: Silverlens New York (2022), Jameel Arts Center, Dubai (2022), Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati (2022), Art Fair Philippines (2015)284.

Methodology and Impact

Atienza’s process is inherently collaborative and rooted in lived experience and local knowledge—her methodology frequently involves co-creating, filming, and writing with Bantayan’s inhabitants to foster self-reflection and community discovery. Her works transcend conventional art spaces, directly impacting the communities they engage by enabling new forms of dialogue and collective action to address critical issues such as environmental degradation, livelihood loss, and cultural change.

Education

• Bachelor of Fine Arts, AKI Academy of Art and Design, Enschede, Netherlands (2006)
• Art program at Kuvataideakatemia, University of the Arts Helsinki, Finland (2005)

Selected Publications and References

Martha Atienza’s practice and its social impact have been explored in international publications, including Vogue Philippines, ArtReview, and institutional platforms such as QAGOMA, Silverlens, and AFIELD.

Ocula | 2025