Dalena, Kiri

Born in Manila in 1975, Kiri Dalena comes from a prominent lineage of socially committed Filipino artists. She graduated from the University of the Philippines Los Baños with a degree in Human Ecology, a background that heavily informs her deep understanding of communities and systemic environments. She later formalized her cinematic toolkit by studying 16mm documentary filmmaking at the prestigious Mowelfund Film Institute.

Dalena’s uncompromising works have positioned her as a defining voice of Southeast Asian contemporary art. Her films and multi-channel installations have been showcased across the world's premier art biennales and international film festivals. She actively splits her time, living and working between Manila and Mindanao, Philippines.

Major Awards & Accolades:

2012: Thirteen Artists Award – Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)

2009: Winner – Ateneo Art Awards (Ateneo de Manila University)

Global Biennials & Triennials:
Dalena has served as a primary representative of Philippine contemporary art across major global art surveys:

2016: The Busan Biennale, South Korea

2015: 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT8) – Brisbane, Australia

2014: 5th Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale – Fukuoka, Japan

2014: Yokohama Triennale – Yokohama, Japan

2013: Singapore Biennale – Singapore

Selected Film Festival Screenings:

Visions du Réel – Nyon, Switzerland (2014)

Naqsh Short Film Festival – Bahrain (2014)

Sharjah Biennale 11 Film Program – United Arab Emirates (2013)

Permanent Institutional Collections:

Singapore Art Museum (SAM)

Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), Brisbane, Australia

Ateneo Art Gallery (AAG), Manila, Philippines

UP Vargas Museum, Manila, Philippines