Victor Balanon

b. 1972, Quezon City, Philippines
Lives and works in Quezon City, Philippines

Victor Balanon is a self-taught artist and has worked as an illustrator creating storyboards, album covers and posters for film, independent comics and alternative music labels and later as an animator for a major Japanese animation company. He has participated and supported various local artist run initiatives in the 90’s, particularly with the collective “Surrounded by Water”. He had his first solo exhibition in 2011 and had more than ten exhibitions to date. His works have been featured at the Jakarta Biennale, the Jewish Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, the University of the Philippines’ Vargas Museum and the Singapore Art Museum.

With ink drawings and animated films, Victor Balanon probes the nature of man’s collective memory by reinterpreting images from old films and news reels to create a strange yet familiar representation of reality. In a more subtle manner, he also attempts to reconcile his ethnic roots with global/colonial influence by his distinct handling of ink to mimic images from popular media. In his animated video art projects, he also employs the paradox and ironies that are inherent in art-making practices.

Currently, he co-organizes a moving-image centred artist-run initiative called Lost Frames, where programmes focus on providing a platform for screening video works, discussions and artist talks.

BIOGRAPHY FROM MIND SET ART CENTER AND GAJAH GALLERY, NOVEMBER 2023