PH Artists Soar At Nakanojo Biennale 2025
“If You Can See the Wind” installation art by Filipino artist Samm Occeno.
NAKANOJO, 21 October 2025 – Five (5) Filipino artists showcased their creativity and craftsmanship at the 10th Nakanojo Biennale 2025 contemporary art festival from 13 September to 13 October 2025 at Nakanojo, Gunma Prefecture, which celebrated the town’s cultural heritage through artistic expression.
The participating Filipino artists captured the Biennale’s essence through evocative installations and works that explore the intricacies of human emotion, memory, and spirituality. Focusing on the theme “Mountain of Light” (Hikari no Yama), the Biennale reflected Nakanojo’s transformation from a quiet sericulture community into a vibrant contemporary hub for multidisciplinary artists.
“Drifting Threads and Topographies” textile art by Filipino artist Josephine Turalba.
“I am very proud of our artists’ participation in the Nakanojo Biennale as they not only showcased Philippine culture and ingenuity, but also immensely contributed to the growth of creative spaces that will benefit Philippine and Japanese communities,” Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene J. Garcia-Albano said in lauding the artists.
A contingent from the Philippine Embassy in Japan visited one of the 50 exhibition venues of the Nakanojo Biennale that housed the works of the Filipino artists, where they were warmly welcomed by its General Director, Mr. Tetsuo YAMASHIGE. Japanese visitors of the Biennale were visibly awed by their creations, with some of them experiencing elements of Philippine culture for the first time.
The contingent of the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo meeting with Nakanojo Biennale General Director Tetsuo Yamashige.
“Through the power of art, we hope to illumine the town with a new light and paint a landscape of hope and creativity leading to the next generation,” Mr. Yamashige said in describing the Biennale’s significance to Nakanojo’s flourishing artistic community.
Among the featured Filipino artists at the Biennale were:
- Ms. Mervy Pueblo, who presented an interactive installation and video art piece that captures the silent thoughts of Filipino migrant workers in Japan and their shared experiences of loneliness and belonging;
- Mr. Samm Occeno, whose collaborative work with high school students from Manila and Nakanojo imitates the flow of the wind intertwined with childhood memories, dreams, and aspirations;
- Mr. Noëll EL Farol, who introduced the Filipino amulet (anting-anting) to new audiences by upcycling discarded items into a spiritual space where prayers and wishes are offered;
- Mr. Lexygius Sanchez Calip, with his thought-provoking audiovisual pieces featuring quiet encounters that delve in the human experience; and
- Ms. Josephine Turralba, who transformed dyed piña silk fabrics into a vivid tapestry embroidered with motifs of the Philippines’ maritime heritage that not only underscored the importance of maritime security, but also bridged the country’s piña tradition with Nakanojo’s sericultural roots.
“Mountain of Light” collaborative work by the children of Cebu Province.
A total of 147 artists participated in the Nakanojo Biennale, in which vacant houses, abandoned schools, and other locations were repurposed into interactive exhibits. The Biennale also showcased the collaborative works of students from Nakanojo high school and Cebu Province who took part in international art exchange programs in 2025.
