Nikki Luna
Published August 20, 2020
Nikki Luna is a filipino artist, acclaimed for being a female voice in Philippine contemporary art. She creates arcane sculptures and installations oftentimes resembling everyday objects and materials that through her process acquire a sharper focus, meanings that emerge from grappling with the identity, history, and struggles of women.
For instance, intimate stories of vulnerable and marginalized Filipinas and the structures that perpetuate oppression against them interweave with her process. The words, "lady of the house" are embroidered unto cowhide with strands of hair gathered from Filipina migrant workers in Egypt. The words are nearly invisible as they blend with the stretched skin of a domestic labor animals, suggesting the inhumane conditions of these workers whose rights and passports are stripped away in subservience to their mistresses.
Working with NGOs, government agencies, academe, international women partnerships, and art institutions, Luna has channeled her expertise into programs that assist women and children who are victims of gender-based violence and displaced by armed conflict.
Luna has had several solo exhibitions and has participated in international art festivals, including the Aichi Triennale, Singapore Biennale, Beijing Biennale, and Le Festival International des textiles Extra Ordinaires.
