Sam Penaso

Sam Penaso is a multi-disciplinary artist whose works include traditional painting, sculpture, performance, and hybrid works which straddle these disciplines. He has held 30 solo exhibitions in Japan, Thailand, Austria, Germany, Singapore, New York, Abu Dhabi and Berlin. He also represented the Philippines in the 8th Beijing Intl. Art Biennale, Exhibition Exchange in Hanoi Vietnam, and the Nippon International Performance Art Festival in both 2005 and 2011. 

Sam has participated in the Asian International Art Exhibition in Bandung, Indonesia, ArTriangle in Malaysia, Young Art Philippines Europe Tour, and the Asia Performance Art in Seoul Korea with his “Stripewalker” performance. Penaso received several art grants, including Don Papa Rum residency in London in 2019, Art Hub Art Residency in Abu Dhabi 2014, Asian Cultural Council (ACC) International Studio and Curatorial Program in New York in 2013. After being a finalist in the 2006 Beppu Asia Biennale of Contemporary Art in Japan, Penaso won the first place in the 2012 Art Association of the Philippines Annual Art Competition, and a string of other wins thereafter, including the 2013 finalist at the Winter Grand Salon Show in New York, First Prize in the 2014 and 2016 GSIS Art Competition.  In 2018, the Philippine Art Awards gave him an award of merit.  In the same year, he was awarded the Metrobank Awards for Continuing Excellence and Service (Metrobank ACES). The grand prize for the Don Papa Rum Arts competition, Excellence Award 6th Geoje Intl. Art Festival, South Korea is his most recent win.  

Penaso is one of the core members of Tupada Action and Media Art (TAMA), a group of performance artists.