Matt Manalo
Matt Manalo (b. 1984)
Matt Manalo was born in the Philippines. He received his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Painting and a Minor in Art History from the University of Houston. He makes work and resides in Houston, Texas.
Artist Statement
Matt Manalo creates work which involves elements of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and printmaking. He uses raw materials, found objects sometimes collected and often times donated... By doing this, he is making his practice environmentally conscious as well as understanding the idea of scarcity and abundance. He uses the grid as a foundation for most of his work to tackle geography, cartography, borders, and the idea of displacement while having a constant conversation of how “home” should be defined. Being a first generation immigrant, Manalo discusses his experiences navigating around the physical and social structures of society through his work. As he explores this, home becomes a two-part environment where the artist is split between the Philippines and Texas. The latter sits on the southern border of the US. It is also important to mention that colonization of the Philippines by Spain, Japan and the United States resulted in erasure, colorism and colonial mentality; a frequent topic in Manalo’s work. Manalo is the founder of Filipinix Artists of Houston, a collective of visual, performing, literary, culinary, and multidisciplinary artists. He also runs an alternative art space: Alief Art House.
Born
1984 Manila, Philippines
Live/Work
Houston, Texas USA
Education
2011 University of Houston - Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting, Art History Minor
Selected Exhibitions
2020 Texas Emerging: Volume 1, Foltz Fine Art, Houston, Texas, co-curated with Jonathan Paul Jackson
The Ways They Are: Carris Adams, Sebastien Boncy, Matt Manalo, San Jacinto South Campus Gallery, Houston, Texas, curated by Bradly Brown
Solo Show: Deconstructing Lines by Matt Manalo, Lone Star College North Harris Campus Gallery, Houston, Texas
Lumikhâ by UniPro Texas, Winter Street Studios, Houston, Texas, curated by Christian Toledo
Reaching For The Horizon, Antenna Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana, curated by Jan Christian Bernabe of FLXST Contemporary
2019 Project Freeway Fellowship: Alief Art House with DiverseWorks
Trabaj/ho: Resistance of a Colonial Imprint, Carnegie Art Museum Studio Gallery, Oxnard, California, curated by Jennelyn Tumalad
SYNERGY: From Manila to Acapulco, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, Illinois, curated by Cesar Conde and Sergio Gomez
Overseas: Filipino American Artist Showcase, The Front Arte Cultura, San Ysidro, California, curated by Carmela Prudencio
THERE IS ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE, 5601 Navigation Blvd. Houston, Texas, curated by Mich Stevenson and J.Bilhan
Se Aculilló? PRIMXS/ES | MAG-PINSAN | COUSINS, The Center for Reconciliation, Providence, Rhode Island, curated by Benjamin Lundberg Torres Sánchez and Kat Chavez
Open Passages, Earl Francis Apartment Complex, El Paso, Texas, curated by Haley Treadwell
Walking In The Sun, Human Resources LA, Los Angeles, California, curated by Jennelyn Tumalad and Robben Muñoz
Kapatiran [brother/sister]: Matt Manalo and Isabel Cuenca, Damas Art Space, San Antonio, Texas
Samasama, Shopkeepers Gallery, Washington, DC, curated by Les Talusan and Seda Nak
Bayanihan: You, Us, and I: Matt Manalo and Isabel Cuenca, Inferno Gallery at the Rice University, Houston, Texas
Lumikha, Diverseworks, Houston, Texas
2018 Tropeycalia Club Collaboration, Skyline College Art Gallery, San Bruno, California
The Big Show, Lawndale Art Center, Houston, Texas curated by Evelyn C. Hankins
Samasama, Shopkeepers Gallery, Washington, DC
Empty Box, Box 13 Art Space, Houston, Texas
What's the New News collaboration with Nathaniel Donnett and Project Row House installation at Navy Seafood, Houston, Texas
2017 No Longer Negotiable, Nous Tous Gallery, Los Angeles, California
Solo Show: New Work by Matt Manalo, Salon Totally Pennzoil Tower, Houston, Texas
Solo Show: New Work by Matt Manalo, Kirk Hopper Fine Art Gallery, Dallas, Texas
The Big Show, Lawndale Art Center, Houston, Texas curated by Toby Kamps
(De)Centered, WAS Gallery, Washington, DC curated by Isabel Manalo and Janna Añonuevo Langholz
2016 Collector's Club Cycle V, Project Row Houses, Houston, Texas
Collector's Club Cycle IV, Project Row Houses, Houston, Texas
2015 WHERE ABOUT, Matt Manalo & Isabel Cuenca, Box 13 Art Space, Houston, Texas
BAHAY, works by Matt Manalo & Isabel Cuenca, Oak Cliff Cultural Center, Dallas, Texas
To and Fro, Carver Cultural Center, San Antonio, Texas curated by Raul Gonzalez
Solo Show: Made by Translation, No Future Projects, Online Temporary Space curated by Jeffrey Cortland Jones
Artifacts, El Rincon Social, Houston, Texas
2014 Draped Up & Dripped Out pt. 1, Oak Cliff Cultural Center, Dallas, Texas, curated by Gerardo Robles
Draped Up & Dripped Out pt. 2, Mountain View College Gallery, Dallas, Texas, curated by Giovanni Valderas
2013 The Empty Box, Box13 Contemporary Art Space, Houston, Texas
2012 "Mix N' Mash", Mexic-Arte Museum, Austin, Texas
Solo Show: "Black/White", Imperial Fine Arts, Rosenberg, Texas
Bank That Thang Up, The Joanna, Houston, Texas
OKLAHOMA: A Show About Texas/ Art Sandwiches & Burning Bones Press, Gallery M Squared, Houston, Texas
2011 Dis, Dat, Deez, Doz, The Joanna, Houston, Texas
Drawn to Death, Talento Bilingual de Houston, Houston, Texas
Solo Show: "Deconstractivism, Memory, Miscommunication/Disconnect", Imperial Fine Arts, Sugarland, Texas
"White Washing", Many Mini Residency, Skydive Art Space, Houston, Texas
ART SANDWICHES: "Marvin Zindler" Free Press Summer Fest, Houston, Texas
Masters Thesis Show, Blaffer Art Museum, Houston, Texas
Mixture, Skydive Art Space, Houston, Texas
"Museums of Tomorrow" American Association of Museums/ Houston Museum of African American Culture, Houston, Texas
PODA: Portable On Demand Art Project with The Joanna/American Association of Museums, Discovery Green, Houston, Texas
The Empty Box, Box13 Contemporary Art Space, Houston, Texas
Art From The Land of Cougars, Blue Star Contemporary Art Center - Blue Star Lab, San Antonio, Texas, curated by Wayne Gilbert
2010 Project Row House Summer Artist Residency Show, Project Row House, Houston, Texas
The Empty Box, Box13 Contemporary Art Space, Houston, Texas
Twestival Houston 2010, Caroline Collective, Houston, Texas
FotoFest Biennial How I Will Die Show, HCC Annex Gallery, Houston, Texas
Minority Men’s Initiative Show, HCC Main Building, Houston, Texas
Art Fairs
2019 Art Basel Miami, Bridge Red Studios
2016 Dallas Contemporary Art Fair, Kirk Hopper Fine Art
Selected Publications
2020 Live Blogging a Convening on Equity, Collaboration, and Sustainability in the Arts,
Jasmine Weber, Valentina Di Liscia, & Hakim Bishara for Hyperallergic
What's Up in Houston Galleries by Molly Glentzer for Houston Chronicle
Mixed Media Installation Showcases Multiple Art Forms by Maggie Habermas for San Jacinto Times
2019 Giving Art a Home in Alief, by Christina Autry for International Management District Filipino-American Artist Directory 2019 Edition
2018 Bourley, Fisher, Manalo, and Sayed Take Top Honors in Lawndale's Big Show by Susie Tommaney for Houston Press
Racial Commentary Through Textile Installation, by Nikolas Bhatti Henning for Blacklisted Copenhagen
Interview with Jella Roson, In the Heart Stories: Artist Matt Manalo
Filipino-American Artist Directory 2018 Edition
Selah Magazine, Vol. 1
{M}aganda Magazine, Reclamation issue
2017 Filipino-American Artist Directory 2017 Edition
2016 The Studio Visit Interview by Isabel Manalo
2015 Fil-Am Artist Directory Interview by Janna Langholz
Art Funk Podcast Interview with Ryan and Rachel Rushing
Residencies/Fellowships
2020 Insta11ations Fellowship in collaboration with Antonius-Tín Bui, Art League Houston, Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, HAA
2019 Project Freeway Fellowship, DiverseWorks, Houston, Texas
2017 OpenMFAHouston Digital Residency
2011 Many Mini Residency, Skydive Art Space, Houston, Texas
2010 Project Row House Summer Studio Houston, Texas
Collections
Edward Albee Foundation
Imperial Fine Arts Private Collection
North Fork Arts Projects Collection
V. Velasco Private Collection