Lani Maestro facts for kids

Lani Maestro, born in 1957, is a talented artist. She is from both the Philippines and Canada. Lani spends her time living and working in France and Canada.

She creates many types of art. This includes large art installations, sound art, and videos. She also makes special books and writes. Her art often explores ideas like memory and forgetting. It also looks at language, quietness, and how we care for others. From 1990 to 1994, Lani helped start and edit a magazine. It was called HARBOUR Magazine of Art and Everyday Life. This magazine shared art and writings by artists and thinkers.

About Lani Maestro's Life and Learning

Lani Maestro was born in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. She studied art at the University of the Philippines. There, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Her childhood in the Philippines greatly influenced her art. For example, her textile art piece called Cradle showed this influence.

Lani lived in Manila until 1982. Then, she moved to Canada. She continued her art studies at a famous art school. This was the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design in Halifax. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree there. Later, she taught art at this college. She also taught at the University of Lethbridge. From 1990 to 2000, she led special art classes. These were for graduate students at Concordia University.

Important Art Shows

Lani Maestro is known for her very large art installations. These are often made for specific places. For example, in 2013 and 2014, she created "Paysage Industriel" in France. She built parts of it in old factories. These factories used to make jewelry and shoes.

In 2010, her work "L'oublie de l'air" (which means "The Forgetting of Air") was shown. It was at the Darling Foundry in Montreal. She worked with American composer Malcolm Goldstein on this. That same year, her art piece "No Pain Like This Body" opened. It was shown in Vancouver, Canada. Bigger versions of this art were later shown in Winnipeg and Manila. In 2006, an art show called "sing mother (twilight eats you)" featured her work. In 2005, her show "je suis toi." (meaning "I am you.") opened in France.

Group Art Shows

Lani Maestro's art has also been part of many group exhibitions. These are shows where several artists display their work together.

• Shrines (2023) in New York, USA
• The Spectre Of Comparison (2019) in Manila, Philippines
• Points of Ellipsis... (2011) in Hong Kong

Taking Part in Big International Art Events

Lani Maestro has also been invited to show her art at major international art events called Biennales. These are large art exhibitions that happen every two years.

• Singapore Biennale (2019)
• She represented the Philippines at the Venice Biennale (2017)
• Busan Biennale, Korea (2004)
• Shanghai Biennial, China (2001)
• The Third Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Australia (1999)
• The 11th Biennale of Sydney (1998)
• The Fifth Istanbul Biennial (1997)
• The Segunda and Quinta Bienal dela Habana (Havana Biennial) (1986, 1994)
• The Canadian Biennial of Contemporary Art (1989)

Awards and Honors

Lani Maestro has received many important awards for her art.

In 1985, she won an award at the Segunda Bienal de la Habana in Cuba. In 2012, she received the Hnatyshyn Award. This award celebrates excellent Canadian artists in visual arts. In 2018, she was given an Honorary Doctorate from NSCAD University in Canada. This is a special degree that honors her achievements.