“In my works I always celebrate the women of the Philippines. I regard them with deep admiration and they continue to inspire me—their movements and gestures, their expressions of happiness and frustration; their diligence and shortcomings; their joy of living. I know very well the strength, hard work and quiet dignity of Philippine women, for I am one of them.”
– Anita Magsaysay-Ho
Anita Magsaysay-Ho (1914–2012, Manila, Philippines) is widely considered one of the most important modern painters to emerge from the Philippines. Applying a post-Cubist style to scenes of everyday Filipino life and culture, her work especially focuses on female labourers and the strength, resilience and quiet dignity they represent.
In contrast to the dominant Social Realist depictions of Filipino women in the 1950s, Magsaysay-Ho’s figures are stylised through more angular, abstracted forms, with bold, brisk lines that evoke rhythm and vitality. They are often depicted at work in the farm, field, market and home. In In the Marketplace (1955), a large group of figures jostle and engage with one another within a tightly cropped frame. With vivid expressions and animated gestures, Magsaysay-Ho captured the lively atmosphere of the local market—an environment that was crucial in shaping the nation’s cultural identity and community life.
Magsaysay-Ho received her art education at the School of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines, (city); the Cranbrook Academy, Bloomfield Hills; and the Art Students League of New York. Her works can be found in numerous collections including the Ateneo Art Gallery, Quezon City; Lopez Memorial Museum and Library, Pasig; Metropolitan Museum of Manila; Yuchengco Museum, Makati City; and Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art.
Notable exhibitions include Material Inspirations (2024), Metropolitan Museum of Manila; and CONTRAST (2024), Museo ni Ramon Magsaysay, Castillejos.
Magsaysay-Ho had her residency at the STPI Workshop in 2007.