b. 1981, Manilla, Philippines; lives and works in Bantayan Island, Philippines.

Oscillating between the two cultures of The Netherlands and The Philippines has had a profound influence on Martha Atienza's focus as an artist. Her practice documents issues around environment, community, and development but crucially, it questions many of the dominant or hegemonic narratives that stratify such discourse. Through installation and video, which take on a sociological nature, she is able to study her direct environment. Often utilizing technology in the form of mechanical systems, Atienza explores the immersive capacity of installation in generating critical discourse. Her work also tends to be collaborative in nature, working with people from different backgrounds and expertize as well as residents of Bantayan Island, where her family is from, whose narratives are intricately woven into issues such as environmental change, displacement, cultural loss, governance, and socio-economic disparities.

Martha Atienza's recent projects include The Coconut Tree Methodology, Silverlens, Manila (2026); Spirits of Maritime Crossing, 61st Venice Biennale (2026); Manifesta 15, Barcelona (2024); Transformative Currents: Art and Action in the Pacific Ocean, curated by Cassandra Coblentz, Oceanside Museum of Art, California (2024); Our Ecology, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (2023); Myth in Motion, Sa Sa Art Projects x KADIST, Phnom Penh (2023); The Protectors, Silverlens, New York (2022); An Ocean in Every Drop, Jameel Arts Center, Dubai (2022); Fair Isles, Nassauischer Kunstverein Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden (2018); Martha Atienza, Mind Set Art Centre, Taipei (2017) and Endless Hours at Sea I, Artesian Gallery, Singapore (2014). Recent biennials and triennials include 17th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul (2022); Bangkok Art Biennale: Escape Routes, BACC, Bangkok (2020); Honolulu Biennial: To Make Wrong / Right / Now, Oahu (2019); and the 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, QAGOMA, Brisbane (2018).

For further information about this artist please click here.

For Martha Atienza's entry on Asia Art Archive's website please click here.