A country’s culture truly shines due to the output of its artists. To mold a unique identity, we owe it to those who form and craft narratives of our nation through a different lens. The Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Thirteen Artist Awards (TAA) helps shed light on promising talents who could very well mold the future identity of our country.

This year’s awardees include Catalina Africa, Denver Garza, Russ Ligtas, Ella Mendoza, Henrielle Baltazar Pagkaliwangan, Issay Rodriguez, Luis Antonio Santos, Joshua Serafin, Jel Suarez, Tekla Tamoria, Derek Tumala, Vien Valencia, and Liv Vinluan. Currently, their works can be seen on display at the Sandiganbayan Reception Hall of the National Museum of Fine Arts. Here’s a glimpse at some of the few pieces that stood out in the exhibit.

There are multiple styles and executions to go through, and you can tell each artist has given their all in creating their works. Portions of the room are converted into a dark space to watch video exhibits that can leave you in a trancelike state upon viewing. Other pieces, such as Denver Garza’s “Tagabitbit ng Alinlangan,” have an interactive element to them. You can write on a piece of paper, attach it to the installation, and take home a keychain in exchange afterward. Liv Vinluan’s “Flora de Filipinas de Funeraria x Frankensteinii y Renacimiento” has watercolor pieces hung up on a wall that you can view even closer using the provided magnifying glasses. There are large sculptures like Ella Mendoza’s “Meat Paradox,” using items like stones and bricks to craft their narrative, and Catalina Africa’s “Earth Spirit Body Portals and Dreaming,” where viewers are invited to wander through their installation to see how they feel about it.

The TAA exhibit will be on display at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila until Jan. 12, 2026.