Charlie Co ^(PH)

CHARLIE CO is a dedicated and incisive artist, recognized for his unique ability to translate his experiences into compelling visual narratives. He masterfully captures his life, surroundings, and the world through his art, creating vibrant canvases abundantly imbued with allegories and symbols. His art gracefully balances personal and socio-political themes, showcasing the sensitivity and sensibility of a true artistic visionary.

Charlie Co has held over 40 solo exhibitions across the past four decades, showcasing his work in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, and the Philippines. His notable awards include the CCP Thirteen Artists Award (1990), the Juror’s Choice Award at the Philip Morris ASEAN Art Awards (1999), the Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan (Pintura, 2003), and the Dr. Jose Rizal Award for Excellence (2007). Charlie has represented the Philippines in significant regional exhibitions, such as the 23rd São Paulo Biennale (Brazil) and the 2nd Asia Pacific Triennial (Australia) in 1996, and the “Asian Modernism” traveling exhibition in Tokyo Japan in 1995. His work is also in some of the most prominent private and public art collections around the world, including the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in Japan, the Singapore Art Museum, the Queensland Art Gallery in Australia, the Metropolitan Museum and Lopez Museum in Manila, and the BenCab Museum in Baguio City, Philippines.

In 2005, Charlie Co and businessman-artist Victor Benjamin Lopue Ill founded Gallery Orange, the first professionally managed space in Bacolod City focused on showcasing and supporting emerging Visayan visual artists. Now known as the Orange Project, it continues to offer a vibrant platform for innovative creative developments and impactful artistic presentations.

Charlie is also a key figure in the founding of the Visayan Visual Art Exhibition and Conference or VIVA ExCon, in 1990, which is considered the longest-running biennial in the Philippines.

This profile was last updated on 3 March 2025.