Mercado, Celline

Born in San Fernando, Pampanga, Celline Mercado is a rapidly rising name within the global circuit of ultra-contemporary art. She established her academic foundations in fine arts, information design, and art management in Manila before traveling internationally to pursue advanced postgraduate research.

Mercado’s practice operates on a fluid, transnational axis, dividing her time and creative output between the Philippines and Melbourne, Australia. Her labor-intensive installations and installations have quickly captured institutional attention, earning her critical recognition from major university programs, alternative spaces, and foundational modern art galleries across Southeast Asia and Australia.

Education & Academic Foundations
2024: Master of Fine Art (with Distinction) – Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

2019: Bachelor of Fine Art (Double Major in Information Design and Art Management) – Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines

International Exchanges: Completed advanced seasonal and seminar studies at Waseda University (Tokyo, Japan, 2018) and the University of San Francisco (California, USA, 2017)

Major Institutional Awards & Research Projects
2024: Dean’s Award Winner – RMIT School of Art Graduate Exhibition

2022–2024: Between the Lines – Practice-led research project focusing on sculptural installation, textile properties, and spatial boundaries at RMIT University, Melbourne

2020: Finalist / Nominee – Marciano Galang Acquisition Prize, Ateneo Art Gallery

Exhibition History
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2025: The Heart of the Matter – Trocadero Projects, Footscray, Victoria, Australia

2022: Somehow I Can't Stop Eating – Galleria Duemila, Pasay City, Philippines

2022: A Soft Place to Land – Pintô Art Museum, Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines

Selected Group Surveys & Collaborative Projects
2025: DEBUT XXI – Blindside Gallery, Melbourne, Australia (An annual curated showcase spotlighting labor-driven processes and artisanal contemporary value)

2025: Featured Spatial Works Showcase – West Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines (Highlighting fiber items such as After-hours (lavender))

2024–2025: Mirrored Worlds – Transnational group survey hosted across the Macau University of Science and Technology and the Museum of Chinese Australian History, Melbourne

2023: Illuminations – Pintô Art Museum, Antipolo, Philippines

2023: Object Orientations – Gravity Art Space, Quezon City, Philippines

2023: The Wild Garden of Childhood – Collaborative feature with the Empty Scholar collective at Modeka Art Space, Makati City, Philippines

2022: First Edition – Cartellino, Mandaluyong City, Philippines

2021: Hitherto IV: Lamentations – Project Space Pilipinas, Lucban, Quezon Province, Philippines