IJWBAA [eej-wah] is a Filipino digital artist and the first Filipino recognized in the Techspressionism movement. He is a neologist and the originator of Decolonial Minimalism—an art movement that reclaims minimalism through ancestral memory and cultural reawakening. His works, compiled in two volumes of I Just Wannabe an Artist, have been recognized, officially archived, cataloged, and made available in the collections of the Gallerie degli Uffizi, Museo Reina Sofía, the National Museum of the Philippines, Getty Research Institute, and other prominent cultural institutions worldwide.
Publication & Featured On
Type: Publication (art magazine)
Location: Berlin, Germany
Publisher: D.Wonder Magazine (print & digital)
Date Published: coming soon
Artist's Featured Piece
Title: Decolonial Minimalism: The First Pieces
Type: Digital Art
Size: 2550 x 3300 pixels
Year: 2025
Description: These artworks are the starting point of Decolonial Minimalism - a movement I created to give minimalism a deeper, more culturally rooted meaning. Instead of stripping things down just for style, each piece quietly speaks of identity, resistance, and pride. The works I’ve shared - Manananggal, Anitun Tabu, Barong Tagalog and Baro’t Saya, Alamat ng Sampaguita, and Fiesta - are simple but powerful. They carry stories, traditions, and quiet strength, using less to say more.
Type: Publication (art magazine)
Location: Milan, Italy
Publisher: Figgi Magazine Fantasy & AI September Vol 1793 (print and digital)
Date Published: September 22, 2025
Artist's Featured Piece
Title: Filipino Deities
Type: Digital Art
Size: 2550 x 3300 pixels
Year: 2025
Description: In IJWBAA’s Decolonial Minimalism series, the Filipino deities—Bathala, Lihangin, Magwayen, Mayan, and Tala- are reimagined as minimalist embodiments of ancestral power, cosmic rhythm, and cultural resistance. Bathala anchors creation and sky; Lihangin channel wind and rain’s volatility; Tala and Mayan illuminate celestial guidance; and Magwayen bridges life and death. Each figure is rendered not as mythic relic but as living archive, haunting Western aesthetics with indigenous sovereignty.
Type: Publication (art magazine)
Location: New York, USA
Publisher: Artells Magazine - Sense.View.Style July (Vol 3412)
Date Published: July 28, 2025
Artist's Featured Piece
Titles: Manananggal, Apolaki, Anitun Tabu, Sarimanok, and Alamat ng Sampaguita
Type: Digital Art
Size: varies
Year: 2025
Description: These artworks by IJWBAA—Manananggal, Apolaki, Anitun Tabu, Sarimanok, and Alamat ng Sampaguita—bring old Filipino stories and legends to life using bold colors and simple shapes. Manananggal, with her haunting split-body form and nocturnal wings, channels the eerie allure of Visayan folklore, turning fear into fascination. Apolaki and Anitun Tabu show powerful forces like the sun and storms. Sarimanok is a magical bird full of color and meaning, while Alamat ng Sampaguita tells a love story through soft flowers and gentle sadness. Together, they turn Filipino myths into modern art that’s easy to feel, even if you don’t know the full story.
Type: Publication (Zine + Charity Show)
Location: Victoria, Australia
Organization: Satellite Foundation in partners with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation
Publisher: All the Coloured Glasses
Date of Publication: coming soon
Date of Exhibition: coming soon
Artist's Entry Piece
Title: The Red Thread
Media: 3D art on WOMP
Sizes: 1240 x 1730 pixels
Year: 2024
Description: Ever felt like the only one in the room who didn’t quite fit? This piece captures that exact feeling. A single red figure stands out in a sea of neutral-toned bodies—bold, alone, and unapologetically different. It’s not just about being unique; it’s about the ache that sometimes comes with it. The tension. The discomfort. The quiet power of refusing to blend in. Through minimalist shapes and striking color, The Red Thread speaks to the emotional weight of standing apart—and the courage it takes to stay red in a world of grey.
Type: Publication (Online Press Release)
Location: Wyoming, USA
Publisher: IssueWire
Date Published: July 6, 2025
PR Note: I Just Wanna Be an Artist: Book 3 – A Manifesto in Motion
Type: Publication (online dictionary)
Location: Arizona, United States
Publisher: Definitions.net by STANDS4 Network
Date Published: June 28 and July 2, 2025
Words/Meaning: Decolonial Minimalism, Decolonial Minimalist, canonfold, and IJWBAA
Type: Publication (art magazine)
Locations: Lancaster, Georgia
Publisher: Porridge Magazine (online & print)
Date Published: June 27, 2025
Artist's Entry Piece
Title: Family
Media: digital art
Sizes: 1400 x 1400 pixels
Year: 2024
Description: "Family" by IJWBAA is a heartfelt tribute to the Filipino concept of family, portraying it as the foundation of cultural identity rooted in unity, respect, and unconditional support. The minimalist design captures the purity of familial bonds, with larger figures symbolizing revered elders and smaller ones representing children as bearers of hope and continuity. Warm gradient tones of yellow and red evoke the joy, resilience, and loving spirit of Filipino households, while the earthy brown background anchors the piece in heritage and tradition. Subtle red accents hint at the individuality within each family member, emphasizing the Filipino value of personal identity within collective unity. As a visual metaphor for bayanihan—the spirit of communal effort and solidarity—the artwork reflects the deep emotional and cultural significance of kinship in Filipino life.
Type: Publication (art magazine)
Location: Milan, Italy
Publisher: Figgi Magazine – Sense View Style June (Vol 1608) (print & digital)
Date Published: June 25, 2025
Artist's Featured Piece
Titles:
Type: Digital Art
Size:
Year: 2025
Description:
Type: Publication (online dictionary)
Locations: New York USA and London United Kingdom
Publisher: Collins Dictionary by HarperCollins Publisher
Date Published: June 15 & 20, 2025
Words/Meaning: Decolonial Minimalism and Decolonial Minimalist
Type: Publication (online dictionary)
Location: San Francisco California, United States
Publisher: Urban Dictionary
Date Published: June 15, 2025
Words/Meaning: Decolonial Minimalism, decolonial minimalist, canonfold and IJWBAA
Type: Publication (online dictionary)
Location: Arizona, United States
Publisher: Abbreviations.com by STANDS4 Network
Date Published: June 16, 2025
Abbreviation/Meaning: IJWBAA - I Just Wanna Be an Artist
Type: Publication (online magazine)
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Title: Filipino artist IJWBAA redefines minimalism with a decolonial lens
Publisher: The Global Filipino Magazine
Date Published: May 27, 2025
Artist's Featured Piece
Titles: Decolonial Minimalism (founding works)
Media: Digital Art
Size: 1400 x 1400 pixels
Year: 2025
IJWBAA said, “Minimalism is often associated with sleek design, white spaces, and emotional detachment—concepts shaped by Western art history. But I’ve chosen to reclaim and redefine that language. My minimalism isn’t cold or empty; it’s rooted, grounded, and full of ancestral memory. Every line, shape, or color I use carries weight—whether it’s a forgotten myth, a trace of colonial trauma, or a quiet homage to Filipino resilience.”
Type: Publication
Location: New York, USA
Title: Quiet Power: How I Elevate Filipino Art Through Decolonial Minimalism
Publisher: Digital Arts Blog
Date Published: May 26, 2025
Artist's Featured Piece
Titles: Decolonial Minimalism (founding works)
Media: Digital Art
Size: 1400 x 1400 pixels
Year: 2025
Interview (part of): I don’t exactly know my surname, but I have a name: IJWBAA—until the moment I reclaimed “Decolonial Minimalism.“ Minimalism is more than aesthetics—it’s a lens, a reclamation, a resistance. Stripped of colonial frames, it becomes a space for truth. A space where I exist, fully.
Type: Publication (art magazine)
Location: New York, USA
Publisher: Artells Magazine - Vol 3194
Date Published: May 14, 2025
Artist's Featured Piece
Titles: Filipino Folklore
Type: Digital Art
Size: 2550 x 3300 pixels
Year: 2025
Description: IJWBAA, a Filipino digital artist, reinterprets Filipino mythology through minimalist digital art, using bold colors and geometric forms to portray iconic figures such as the Malakas at Maganda, Tikbalang, Bathala, Sarimanok, Manananggal, Aswang, Kapre, Duende, and Tiyanak. Each artwork merges traditional folklore with contemporary design, employing symbolism and striking palettes to give ancient myths a fresh, modern voice.
Type: Publication (art magazine)
Locations: NYC, USA
Publisher: 6X Media - Fine Arts | Vol 119
Date Published: May 1, 2025
Artist's Entry Piece
Title: What Makes a Filipino?
Media: digital art
Sizes: 1400 x 1400 pixels
Year: 2025
Description: This vibrant digital art collection by IJWBAA captures the essence of Filipino culture, heritage, and traditions. Featuring powerful visuals of Barong Tagalog, Baro’t Saya, Fiesta, Street Foods, Tsinelas, Pamilya, Filipino Time, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, each artwork reflects the deep-rooted values, resilience, and colorful spirit of the Filipino people. Dive into this visual journey celebrating identity, history, and the everyday life that defines the Philippines.