ARTIST PROFILE


Katrina Pallon is a visual artist whose strong imagery and conceptual vocabulary inform her distinctive paintings and drawings that utilise a variety of mediums. She has actively exhibited under private art galleries and public group exhibitions in Manila, New York, Singapore, and Japan. She also works as an illustrator and muralist. Pallon has carved a name for herself in the Philippine art scene for her creative pieces that embody the beauty of Pan-Asian culture. 

A Magna Cum Laude graduate from the University of the Philippines- Diliman, Katrina Pallon holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Visual Communication. Known for her maximalist style, Katrina's paintings and illustrations reflect her strong affinity for elaborate designs and love for elevating even the simplest of subjects through her meticulous attention to detail. She specializes in portraying cultural hybridism that weave into her telling (and retelling) of folktales spread across the cultures of Asia, which are as vast and diverse as the textures of her paintings. Katrina's works focus on amplifying the voices and truths of women, bridging the time and geography that separate the women in these tales from the present. Her female subjects stand unashamed to recount their stories amidst a backdrop of stunning Asian motifs and exquisite blooms crafted in warm and vivid tones. 

Residing in Sta. Ana, Manila, Katrina Pallon shifts from becoming a hermit in the studio and a relentless driver braving the streets of either Manila or an obscure Asian town to search for the perfect cup of coffee. She is an avid martial arts enthusiast with training in Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, and Chen Taijiquan. Recently, she has developed a love for pole fitness.


“As far as her art is concerned, life is a jungle of intense experiences glossed over by bright colors, including primary ones, and voluptuous images of beautiful women – her subjects look a lot like a certain Katrina Pallon – but who can blame her? She’s telling us that it is no accident that women – Eve’s daughters – happen to be the most attractive of the flora and fauna in that mysterious jungle.

There are peacocks in her world (as there are skulls), exotic blossoms blooming in the thick of the forest’s loveliest foliage, as well as on the coats of the women; there are pink flamingos and white cockatoos; and the most recent addition, silken lanterns glowing with an incandescent light, as if in an attempt to help the onlooker look for those hidden messages. Those large and lush flowers are also the painter’s way of hiding the wearer’s silhouette, forcing the viewer to trace where the blooming background ends and where the robe begins.”

(Jullie Yap Daza, Philippine Panorama, 2013)

Using Format