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TikbalangDecolonial Minimalism Founding Work - Filipino FolkloreSize: 1400 x 1400 pixelsMedium: Digital ArtArtist: IJWBAAYear: 2025
Through decolonial minimalism, IJWBAA’s Tikbalang artwork reimagines the mythical being with bold geometric forms and a contemporary aesthetic. The piece simplifies the horse-headed guardian, emphasizing its towering presence while stripping away colonial artistic conventions. By presenting the Tikbalang in a minimalist form, the artwork resists Westernized depictions of supernatural beings, reclaiming indigenous Filipino visual storytelling.
The Tikbalang has long been a fixture in Philippine folklore, often described as a trickster spirit that leads travelers astray or protects sacred forests. Pre-colonial beliefs viewed it as a force of nature, embodying themes of transformation, deception, and guardianship. However, Spanish colonization reframed the Tikbalang as a malevolent entity, reinforcing narratives that demonized indigenous spiritual traditions.
IJWBAA’s approach rejects these colonial distortions, allowing the Tikbalang’s elongated form and stark contrasts to speak for itself. The restrained composition shifts the focus from fear to reverence, demonstrating that folklore can evolve without losing its essence. This reinterpretation reaffirms the power of Filipino mythology in contemporary spaces, proving that cultural identity can thrive without external influence or dilution.
The Tikbalang has long been a fixture in Philippine folklore, often described as a trickster spirit that leads travelers astray or protects sacred forests. Pre-colonial beliefs viewed it as a force of nature, embodying themes of transformation, deception, and guardianship. However, Spanish colonization reframed the Tikbalang as a malevolent entity, reinforcing narratives that demonized indigenous spiritual traditions.
IJWBAA’s approach rejects these colonial distortions, allowing the Tikbalang’s elongated form and stark contrasts to speak for itself. The restrained composition shifts the focus from fear to reverence, demonstrating that folklore can evolve without losing its essence. This reinterpretation reaffirms the power of Filipino mythology in contemporary spaces, proving that cultural identity can thrive without external influence or dilution.
Featured OnWebsite:coming soon
Social Media:Filipino Mythology, Art Future Club Hong Kong, Instagram, Jan 25, 2025. https://www.instagram.com/p/DFOxgVmsNYq.
Publications:Collect Artwork Org - Men Art (Special Edition), Vol 61,? Tbilisi Georgia, March 13, 2025, https://www.collectartwork.orgIJWBAA. Artells Magazine (digital and print) - Fine Art and Visual Arts, Vol 3194, New York USA, May 14, 2025. https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/3073196IJWBAA. Manananggal. 365 Art+ Magazine, no. 76, 15 Mar. 2025, p. 36, https://ko-fi.com/s/225b940ddd.IJWBAA. Decolonial Minimalism. Photobook, mm/dd/yyyy, p. #. - coming soon
Exhibitions:IJWBAA. Filipino Folklore and Identity: What Makes a Filipino? The Wrong Biennale – 7th Edition, Open Pavilion, 1 Nov. 2025 – 31 Mar. 2026, LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/ijwbaa-eej-wah.What Makes a Filipino? VR Exhibit, OncyberIO, 1-30 Apr. 2025. https://oncyber.io/what-makes-a-filipino.
Social Media:Filipino Mythology, Art Future Club Hong Kong, Instagram, Jan 25, 2025. https://www.instagram.com/p/DFOxgVmsNYq.
Publications:Collect Artwork Org - Men Art (Special Edition), Vol 61,? Tbilisi Georgia, March 13, 2025, https://www.collectartwork.orgIJWBAA. Artells Magazine (digital and print) - Fine Art and Visual Arts, Vol 3194, New York USA, May 14, 2025. https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/3073196IJWBAA. Manananggal. 365 Art+ Magazine, no. 76, 15 Mar. 2025, p. 36, https://ko-fi.com/s/225b940ddd.IJWBAA. Decolonial Minimalism. Photobook, mm/dd/yyyy, p. #. - coming soon
Exhibitions:IJWBAA. Filipino Folklore and Identity: What Makes a Filipino? The Wrong Biennale – 7th Edition, Open Pavilion, 1 Nov. 2025 – 31 Mar. 2026, LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/ijwbaa-eej-wah.What Makes a Filipino? VR Exhibit, OncyberIO, 1-30 Apr. 2025. https://oncyber.io/what-makes-a-filipino.
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