Establishing and Reinforcing
a Community of Emerging Artists in NYC
IRENE FELEO
Irene Feleo (b.1989) is a Filipino Australian artist currently residing in Brooklyn, NY. Her art practice gravitates towards the seething and strange; working across the mediums of painting, writing, and digital media. Her work primarily takes form as bold and graphic paintings on canvas and paper, serving as a means for exploring the complex tapestry of symbols and iconography that pervade our cultural landscape.
As a Filipino-Australian artist based in the United States, she draws inspiration from the intersections of imagery across these worlds, integrating layers of meaning within her visual renderings.
Inspired by traditional folklore, superstition, tarot, tattoo flash, emojis, and nature, Irene is captivated by the fluidity and meaning of these symbols as they're shared across various mediums of communication and storytelling. Irene’s Filipino heritage surrounded her in superstition from a young age, as themes of fortune, luck, good, and evil surface constantly in her work. In weaving together timeless symbols with a contemporary edge, Irene’s artwork reveals her own personal folklore, as well as celebrates the vibrant symbolism that shapes our visual world.
IG: @irenefeleo | Website: irenefeleo.com
Acrylic on canvas 24 x 36 in. | $800
Acrylic on poster board 22 x 28 in. | $300
Acrylic on poster board 22 x 28 in. | $300
Acrylic on canvas 24 x 36 in. | $800
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Gulo, 2024
Gulo, meaning "mess" in Tagalog, celebrates the chaos and play that comes with life. In this image, a young dog is intertwined with a tangle of flowers. As a child, my protective parents were often overly cautious about everything. They feared dogs, they were wary of any outdoor play, and they hated getting dirt in the house.
This painting represents the amalgamation of their love, which sought to shield me from harm, and the autonomy I eventually embraced as I grew into my own.
Many Angry Moons Ago, 2023
A fluorescent dream that embodies the concept of family legends and bedtime stories. Initially vague and fragmented, the details gradually intensify with each retelling, adding drama to the chain of family folklore.
The Night Embraced Us, 2023
A tender love story between myself and the night. Buy yourself some flowers, tuck yourself in, and let the blankets embrace you.