Bhen Alan (b.1993) was raised in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Philippines. He grew up dancing traditional folk and cultural dances to preserve their culture. He immigrated to Toronto, Canada when he was 17 years old before settling in the United States.
Bhen is a visual artist, dancer and educator. In 2019, he received his BFA in painting at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, where he was a full scholar. In the same year, he pursued a Business Accelerator Certificate from the Entrepreneurship For-All in South Coast Massachusetts. He earned his MFA in Painting and Certificate in Collegiate Teaching in Art and Design at RISD and was a US Fulbright scholar from 2022–23 in the Philippines, where he researched and worked alongside master weavers of Indigenous tribes in 14 different islands.
He has exhibited in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Praise Shadow Gallery in Brookline, MA; 808 Gallery at Boston University; RISD; Hunter Gallery in Middletown, RI; EIK Gallery at Yale University; Culture Lab LIC in New York; the Providence [RI]. Public Art Library; St. Botolph Club Foundation in Boston; John B. Aird Gallery in Toronto, Canada; Shockboxx Gallery in California; Providence Art Club; Bowersock Gallery in Provincetown, MA; the New Bedford National Historical Park and many more. He organized the first Filipino Heritage Festival during the 2022 PVD Fest in Providence.
Bhen has received awards such as the Emerging Artist Award and Mary Shannon Award for Public Art at St. Botolph Club Foundation, Boston, MA; the Emerging Artist Award from Real Arts; and a 2021–22 RISD Graduate Commons Grant.
Courses
Summer 2024 Courses
IDISC 1517-01 / PAINT 1517-01 - *PHILLIPPINES: TULDOK, LINYA, ANYO - POINT, LINE, PATTERN. DRAWING AND WEAVING IN THE PHILLIPPINES
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting; Experimental and Foundation Studies
Subject Painting
Interdisciplinary Studies
Period Summer 2024
Credits 3
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
IDISC 1517-01 / PAINT 1517-01
*PHILLIPPINES: TULDOK, LINYA, ANYO - POINT, LINE, PATTERN. DRAWING AND WEAVING IN THE PHILLIPPINES
“The Spanish conquistador called the natives of the Visayas, the first locals they encountered, pintados (painted people) because their bodies conveyed zigzags, diamonds, circles, lines, and other geometric configurations. They appeared to be dressed in a kind of handsome armor engraved with very fine work, a dress so esteemed by them they take it for their proudest attire…By their own resplendence, tattoos project a sense of heightened physical beauty, though they’re worth much more than that. Never just skin-deep, they reflect the Filipino soul.” -Who is the Pintados, Anita Feleo
The Philippines is a country full of diverse artistic traditions. This course will focus on the history and practices of tattooing and weaving through the lens of drawing. These traditional practices are important art forms that have survived long waves of colonization and global trends. By using drawing as a medium that allows for close investigation and different methods of inquiry, students will learn the drawing techniques involved in historical practices of tattooing and weaving. This immersive travel abroad course is designed to provide RISD students with a rich understanding of Filipino arts, culture, and traditions through tattoos and mat weaving– both a reflection of the nation’s rich history, beliefs, and a testament to the resilience of indigenous tribes who continue to pass down these traditions today. Students will travel to three regions: Manila, The Cordillera, and Cebu Province. Through a combination of museum/gallery visits, cultural site visits, interviews with locals, workshops, hands-on learning mat weaving techniques, students will gain insights into the vibrant patterns of skeins, mats, and tattoos that represent some of the artistic traditions in the Philippines.
Students must complete an application through RISD Global to be added to this course. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required, good conduct standing, and permission of the instructor. GPA, Student Conduct Standing, and standing with Equity and Compliance will be verified and may preclude a student from participation, either before or during the term. Most courses are open to first year students with approval from the Dean of Experimental and Foundation Studies.
Elective
IDISC 1517-01 / PAINT 1517-01 - *PHILLIPPINES: TULDOK, LINYA, ANYO - POINT, LINE, PATTERN. DRAWING AND WEAVING IN THE PHILLIPPINES
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting; Experimental and Foundation Studies
Subject Painting
Interdisciplinary Studies
Period Summer 2024
Credits 3
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
IDISC 1517-01 / PAINT 1517-01
*PHILLIPPINES: TULDOK, LINYA, ANYO - POINT, LINE, PATTERN. DRAWING AND WEAVING IN THE PHILLIPPINES
“The Spanish conquistador called the natives of the Visayas, the first locals they encountered, pintados (painted people) because their bodies conveyed zigzags, diamonds, circles, lines, and other geometric configurations. They appeared to be dressed in a kind of handsome armor engraved with very fine work, a dress so esteemed by them they take it for their proudest attire…By their own resplendence, tattoos project a sense of heightened physical beauty, though they’re worth much more than that. Never just skin-deep, they reflect the Filipino soul.” -Who is the Pintados, Anita Feleo
The Philippines is a country full of diverse artistic traditions. This course will focus on the history and practices of tattooing and weaving through the lens of drawing. These traditional practices are important art forms that have survived long waves of colonization and global trends. By using drawing as a medium that allows for close investigation and different methods of inquiry, students will learn the drawing techniques involved in historical practices of tattooing and weaving. This immersive travel abroad course is designed to provide RISD students with a rich understanding of Filipino arts, culture, and traditions through tattoos and mat weaving– both a reflection of the nation’s rich history, beliefs, and a testament to the resilience of indigenous tribes who continue to pass down these traditions today. Students will travel to three regions: Manila, The Cordillera, and Cebu Province. Through a combination of museum/gallery visits, cultural site visits, interviews with locals, workshops, hands-on learning mat weaving techniques, students will gain insights into the vibrant patterns of skeins, mats, and tattoos that represent some of the artistic traditions in the Philippines.
Students must complete an application through RISD Global to be added to this course. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required, good conduct standing, and permission of the instructor. GPA, Student Conduct Standing, and standing with Equity and Compliance will be verified and may preclude a student from participation, either before or during the term. Most courses are open to first year students with approval from the Dean of Experimental and Foundation Studies.
