Renato Habulan is an artist born in Tondo, Manila and grew up in the slum community of Sunog Apog (the first smokey mountain in Manila). This is where Renato Habulan draws inspiration for his works and his narrative as an artist. According to the artist, it was not being poor that had a great impact on him, it was living in fear of the political life in that dystopic community, where money, guns and goons prevailed. He was driven by the inequality and poverty he experienced in his community and the situation he grew up in and this attracted him to join the Kaisahan Art Group. It is a group of young artists that espouse social realism in art. He then became one of the pillars of the Kaisahan Art Group. 

 

During 1982, He painted “Dulang Bayan” which he considers one of his magnum opuses. To him it was a premonition of what would happen in the days to come. Another masterpiece of Renato Habulan is “Kagampan” a 72-figure painting of workers and peasants holding machetes amidst a backdrop of a fire red sky. Both paintings were part of a solo show at Hiraya Gallery in 1983.

 

Among his many achievements were, being one of the 13 artist awardees during the 90’s. Most of Renato Habulan’s works can be viewed at different museums locally and abroad. He was invited to exhibit at Gwangju Museum, South Korea for the anniversary exhibit of the Gwangju Massacre. He was commissioned to paint “The Massacre of The Lasallite Brothers” for the Saint Joseph Institution in Singapore and he also took part at Art Stage Singapore together with his son who is also a known visual artist in the Philippines, Guerrero Habulan. One of his biggest exhibits to date is his “Semblance / Presence” exhibit at National University of Singapore together with another known visual artist in the Philippines, Alfredo Esquillo.