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.

Tiyanak

Tiyanak

Decolonial Minimalism Founding Work - Filipino Legends

Size: 1400 x 1400 pixels

Medium: Digital Art

Artist: IJWBAA

Year: 2025

Description:

IJWBAA’s Tiyanak artwork embodies decolonial minimalism, reinterpreting the eerie Philippine folklore creature through geometric abstraction and restrained composition. The piece simplifies the Tiyanak’s distorted infant form, emphasizing its unsettling presence with sharp, angular features and a stark color palette. By stripping away excessive detail, the artwork resists colonial horror aesthetics, reclaiming indigenous Filipino visual storytelling.

The Tiyanak is deeply rooted in pre-colonial animistic beliefs, where spirits and supernatural beings were seen as part of the natural order. Traditionally, it was believed to be the soul of an unbaptized child, wandering the earth in search of vengeance or belonging. Spanish colonization reframed the Tiyanak as a demonic entity, reinforcing religious narratives that demonized indigenous spiritual traditions.

IJWBAA’s minimalist approach rejects these colonial distortions, presenting the Tiyanak in a stripped-down yet deeply cultural frame. The bold, simplified composition shifts the focus from fear to reflection, allowing the creature’s tragic origins to take center stage. This reinterpretation reclaims Filipino folklore, proving that tradition can evolve while remaining deeply connected to its historical roots.

Featured On

Website:

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Social Media:

Filipino Mythology, Art Future Club Hong Kong, Instagram, Jan 25, 2025. https://www.instagram.com/p/DFOxgVmsNYq.

Publications:

Collect Artwork Org - Men Art (Special Edition), Vol 61,? Tbilisi Georgia, March 13, 2025, https://www.collectartwork.org

IJWBAA. Artells Magazine (digital and print) - Fine Art and Visual Arts, Vol 3194, New York USA, May 14, 2025. https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/3073196

IJWBAA. Manananggal. 365 Art+ Magazine, no. 76, 15 Mar. 2025, p. 36, https://ko-fi.com/s/225b940ddd.

IJWBAA. Decolonial Minimalism. Photobook, mm/dd/yyyy, p. #. - coming soon

Exhibitions:

IJWBAA. Filipino Folklore and Identity: What Makes a Filipino? The Wrong Biennale – 7th Edition, Open Pavilion, 1 Nov. 2025 – 31 Mar. 2026, LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/ijwbaa-eej-wah.

What Makes a Filipino? VR Exhibit, OncyberIO, 1-30 Apr. 2025. https://oncyber.io/what-makes-a-filipino.