Art has always been a symbol of hope and free expression which has been highlighted and showcased in Filipino excellency. Whether it is through performing arts, fashion design, or traditional art, Filipinos have always both strived and been at the forefront of this industry. In the age of digitalization and cryptocurrency, a new form of digital art emerges that not only allows artists to have a new medium of expression but a way to monetize themselves through NFTs. This display of Filipino excellency in art continues to be present even in the digital form.

In this article, a well-deserved recognition is due as these Filipino NFT artists have used their talents not only to excel but also to inspire other Filipino artists and bring the Philippines to a greater stage.

Kevin Icabales

Kevin Icabales is an award-winning international photographer from Bacoor, Cavite, Philippines. His street photography works were exhibited in various countries such as the Philippines, Italy, Germany, Romania, India, France, Ukraine, & the US. He is the 1st Place winner of the Italian Street Photo Festival 2019 (Single Photo category) and his works can be seen in known publications such as The Year Time Stopped: Global Pandemic Photos (Harper Collins), China Asia Daily book, World Street Photography Book 5, World Street Photography Book 6, Eyeshot Magazine, Street Sweeper Magazine, Street Photography Magazine, and ProgressivE-zine.

He ventured to Web 3.0 last January 2022 as one of the first creators showing Street Photography NFTs and was blessed to have his works collected by collectors across the globe and he continues to contribute his art in multi-chain platforms like ETH, SOL, and XTZ. 

His distinctive style of candid storytelling has tongue-in-cheek humor. Daily, he does event shoots, and real estate photography, and is also a singer-songwriter. The biggest lesson he learned as a photographer is that the value of every photograph is priceless. In addition, it helped him develop his patience, discipline, and integrity when waiting for the right moment of capture.

You can support Kevin on his various platforms: Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and Spotify

Kat Garcia

Kat Garcia, better known as Katzy in the Web3 community. Katzy is a digital artist, designer, and web developer from Cebu. For fun, Katzy decided to submit a piece she had never published before which was accepted for NFT NYC 2023. Due to the sudden news of her acceptance to NFT NYC 2023, she was unable to attend but was adamant to give another attempt for NFT NYC 2024.

She decided to once again submit another piece from the same "secret" collection, which she was chosen again to be featured for NFT.NYC 2024. This time, they selected her work to be part of the General Admission & NFT Tickets which was displayed near the entrance of the exhibit, granting her even more exposure.

Support Katzy by following her works and journey as an NFT artist on X (formerly Twitter).

Hero Granada

Hero is a digital illustrator and designer hailing from La Union, Philippines. His artistic prowess shines through a unique fusion of surrealism and animation, breathing life into his creations using Augmented Reality. Guided by personal experiences, emotions, and a unique perspective on the human condition, Hero's work resonates with depth and meaning.

He first entered the NFT space in June 2021 and has been progressively working to establish his name in the art scene. Since then, he became involved in different NFT projects in NEAR, Solana, and Ethereum blockchain mainly focusing on product design and development.

He is an experienced NFT artist that had multiple entries in NFT NYC. His artwork called "Emergence" has  made it to the billboard in Times Square, New York City. In March 2023, his artwork “Radiance” was made which was featured in a Philippine newspaper. 

Fast forward to 2024, Hero has yet again had his artwork exhibited on the big screen of Times Square. Hero seeks to have a positive impact through his art. He believes his talent and skills are a gift from God which he aims to not only resonate, but also transform people’s lives for the best.

Support Hero by following his story on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Dexter Marlon Jebunan

Dexter Marlon Jebunan has been an artist as he delved into the craft since his elementary days. He entered digital art and NFTs in 2020 as the pandemic enabled him to hone his creative skills outside of traditional methods. This has allowed him to both freely express his creativity and enable monetization as an artist through NFTs and Web3. His works have been featured in both NFT NYC 2023 and 2024, making him a back-to-back artist to be present in the biggest NFT event in the world.

His works have been dedicated to God as he looks to be an inspiration to other artists. Dexter continues to promote Filipino culture by incorporating Baybayin, a Philippine script popularized in the 16th and 17th centuries in the Philippines, in his artwork.

Support Dexter Marlon by following his story as an NFT artist on X.

Remster Bautista

Remster Bautista is a disciplined artist based in Bulacan, Philippines. He is known for creating captivating and thought-provoking works of art that explore spirituality, metaphysics, fictional creatures and the origin of the soul. His works are considered lowbrow art or neo-surrealism evolves along this age of technology art movement.

Remster uses surreal and mematic imagery to convey these complex concepts using multiple mediums. Aside from oil and acrylic paint, he also uses tablet and computer to integrate simple animation to achieve an augmented reality experience. He believes that whatever medium is used, an artist will be able to convey his message with the aid of sufficient study, discipline, dedication, and constant practice of his chosen mediums.

Today, he actively participates in gallery shows, crypto art events in the Philippines, and has had opportunities to showcase his art internationally. Some of his works were selected to be part of the Bitcoin Conference 2022 (Bitcoin Renaissance Art Gallery, Miami Beach, Convention Center Florida USA), 2023 Dank Show (Avon Valley, Keynsham, England UK), and in an upcoming exhibit at Walls and Halls Gallery, New York and NFT NYC.

Support Remster Bautista by visiting his website and following his platforms on X and Instagram.

Shill Water

Shill Water is a Filipino artist that started out as a traditional artist over 15 years ago then moved to digital illustration 5 years ago. Since March of 2021, he has been creating NFTs on different chains such as Ethereum, Tezos, Solana, and Wax and hasn’t looked back since. His work with NFTs has enabled him to be monetized and showcased in more than 20 countries, something he believes wouldn’t be achieved without Web3.

His works, especially related to those made in NFT NYC 2024, are not tied to any specific criteria, granting him true creative expression in his work. The pieces shown at NFT NYC 2024 are from a collection called “Tales of Orange” which are monochrome works with the theme focusing on eyes and how there’s a world of stories in and around them.

You can support Shill Water on X and check out more of his works here.

These Filipino NFT artists have greatly contributed to the reputation of the greatness of Filipino art. Art is not only limited to what’s being made on a canvas or through fashion, but also digitally where artists are able to share and monetize their work instantly and seamlessly. These artists continue to nurture their craft as they relentlessly inspire millions of Filipino artists to pursue art digitally through NFTs.

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