Martha Atienza: ‘The Protectors 11° 02' 06 .4" N 123° 36' 24.1" E (2)’
Martha Atienza, The Protectors 11° 02' 06 .4" N 123° 36' 24.1" E (2), 2022. Edition of 6 + 2AP, single-channel, silent, 37 min 44 sec. All rights reserved by the artist
About the Work
Martha Atienza explores questions of land and sea ownership in Bantayan, Philippines. Focusing on Mambacayao Dako, home to fisherfolk for generations, Atienza documents the challenges faced by coastal communities owing to tourism expansion and climate change. Her work highlights the displacement of families like Antonio Turib’s, who are losing their ancestral homes. The series emphasizes the importance of remembering and preserving cultural knowledge. In the video, Atienza resists exoticization, presenting fisherfolk with reverence and capturing their deep connection to the land and sea.
About the Artist
Martha Atienza (b. 1981; based in Bantayan Island, Philippines) is a video artist exploring the format’s ability to document and question issues related to the environment, community and development. Born to a Dutch mother and Filipino father, Atienza has navigated between these cultures throughout her life, and the oscillation between the two significantly influences her approach to observation, documentation and the concept of the gaze. Her video is rooted in both ecological and sociological concerns as she studies the intricate interplay between local traditions, human subjectivity and the natural world. Recent exhibitions include 17th Istanbul Biennial (2022); Jameel Arts Center, Dubai (2022); Bangkok Art Biennial (2020); and 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, QAGOMA, Brisbane (2018).
About EMAP x FRIEZE FILM SEOUL
For the third year in a row, Frieze Film returns to Frieze Seoul 2024. This year’s programme is presented in partnership with Ewha Media Art Presentation (EMAP) and is on view from 2 – 6 September at Ewha Womans University and online at frieze.com.
Curated by Joowon Park and Valentine Umansky, this year’s programme is titled ‘All that Weaves the Universe: Of Quantum Entanglements’. It brings together time-based media works of 37 international artists, unfolding under eight chapters.
