About
Woman Create, also known as Marika Callangan, is a collage artist, muralist, and maker who explores themes such as identity, transformation, surrealism, and feminism to express perspectives of the female experience through femininity and feminist concerns.
Recently, this has led to an inquiry on the iconic toy figure Barbie with intent to analyze and critique how her influence has shaped identity and beauty standards for most colored women. This inquiry has led to a series of handmade earrings, collage works, and dioramas - all remaking Barbie dolls into cut-outs, assemblages, and functional pieces made for women.
Before transitioning as a full time artist, she self-produced a local yearly creative planner, 365 Wonders from 2015 - 2019. She also pioneered producing pro-women events that engage deeply on women issues through art, such as the HeforShe campaign initiative, a breast cancer awareness campaign, and a feminist art exhibition called, “Edition: Feminism.” In 2020, she first participated in a group exhibition with Arts Talk PH entitled, “Hindsight is 20/20.” During the pandemic, she spearheaded an #ArtforMedPH fundraiser, using collage commissions as a means to raise funds for frontliners in public hospitals in the metro. This led to her first solo virtual exhibition in 2021 with ArtDrop PH, “Coming Again: Returning to Creativity, Steps to Courage.”
During the same year, she joined Manila Collage Collective, a group of Philippine-based collage artists, which allowed her to participate in her first major art fair, Art in the Park PH. She was then selected by the Bonifacio Arts Foundation, Inc. to be a mural artist in Bonifacio Global City, the heart of public art in Metro Manila, with her mural work “Nurturing Ubuntu” in support of their public art campaign, "Rolling Out a Better World."
In 2022, she collaborated with with local Philippine government agency, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), for a major mural project along the Pasig River entitled, “Girls Generation: Filipinas on the River”
Today, Woman Create continues to create collage works and murals inspired by the feminine for various clients and personal projects.
Collages x Collaboration
Woman Create x H&M Philippines (2022)
Collaboration between Woman Create & H&M Philippines to produce limited edition sustainable tote bags available in select H&M stores nationwide.
Therapist Oracle, mental health oracle card deck (2022)
Collaboration with therapists from the US to create a 44-card deck dedicated to mental health.
Malayang Diwa, GAWA cards (2021)
Collaboration with Malayang Diwa to create a 7-piece card deck as part of a 32 card deck.
Coming Again: Returning to Creativity, Steps to Courage (2021)
A narrative series about revival and returning home, in collaboration with Artdrop PH.
"Filipinas," MONKI Philippines x Woman Create collaboration (2021)
A Woman Create illustration representing Filipina identities which was produced into limited edition tote bags and shirts
Murals
Woman Create x Booth & Partners Philippines mural (2023)
An 8-meter high office mural made for Booth & Partners new headquarters
"Filipinas on the River" (2022)
A 500+sqm Woman Create mural along Pasig River in partnership with MMDA
"Nurturing Ubuntu" (2021)
A Woman Create mural seen at The Flats BGC (in collaboration with Bonifacio Arts Foundation, Inc and Bonifacio Global City)
Personal Initiatives
365 Wonders Creative Planner (2015 - 2019)
A self-published annually released creative planner that featured works of artists and writers across the Philippines with a portion of profits given to various foundations
#ArtforMedPH Campaign for Frontliners (2020)
A series of commissioned works with profits sent to frontliners in target hospitals
VIEW MY WORKS IN FULL HERE >
The Story
Woman Create explores themes such as identity, transformation, surrealism, and feminism to express perspectives of the female experience through femininity and feminist concerns.
This tale in Art begins in darkness.
In 2015, I grappled with being diagnosed of Endometriosis, a chronic gynecological disease in the reproductive system, which made me question my very value as a Woman. As life happened, my identity fell into an abyssal vortex, which somehow led me to Art. This was how Woman, Create was birthed.
Woman Create began with an intention to meet a need - specifically the need for women to express, to create, but ultimately, to take the next step into courage. In the process of making Art, a discovery was kindled: that art could be a beacon of hope, a means to connect and an invitation to story. Our selfish act of creating becomes communal, shared to the point that the making and giving of art is, at its core, a selfless act.
Woman Create aspires to tell and reclaim the stories of women through collages, murals, and functional design wear. Intrinsic in each work are deeply rooted feminist values and ideals, hinged on the divine.
