I often use painting and sewing to convey a message. In my piece "Mata sa Mata," I focus on eyes peeking through a cloth, symbolizing the act of being observant and aware of what is important to oneself.

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About the Artist:

Reen Barrera is a Filipino artist born in Paris, France, in 1990. Growing up in the Philippines with limited access to toys, he began creating his own from found objects—an early spark in his artistic journey. After studying Fine Arts, majoring in Advertising, he became a full-time artist in 2014, having previously worked in sculpting, graphic design, and illustration. Inspired by his "toy-deprived" childhood, Barrera's work repurposes materials into mixed-media sculptures and paintings. His signature Ohlala characters, adorned with expressive symbols and patterns, explore themes of fate, socio-economic challenges, and classism, embodying the phrase, “It’s written all over your face.”