iACADEMY alumni, Joshua Villena back to Manila for his homecoming.
Joshua Villena’s artistic journey started at an early age admiring his father and grandfather’s art hung on the walls of his childhood home. Instead of the pictures we watched on the television when we were young, he was watching the pictures painted and sketched by his father and grandfather, their art as his first medium of expression and storytelling.
By the age of eight, he started developing his own art style, in turn clinching national art competition wins. By 12, he entered Batangas Province High School to immerse—live and breathe— the art scene. With painting, music, and theater around him, he further his development with the discipline of art-making.
The turning point
As he entered his college years, he went through financial hardships and had to make the decision to leave college. But this didn’t stop his dreams of becoming an artist. He sent his portfolio to iACADEMY and earned a coveted presidential scholarship. At iACADEMY, he studied Animation, merging classical techniques with digital tools. Despite setbacks— including failing a thesis course and the challenges of online learning without reliable internet during the pandemic— he graduated with honors and won Best Thesis Award.
After graduation the pandemic hit. Instead of searching for his first job oftentimes bound to one role, he decided to manage five freelance jobs, building a reputation for relentless creative hustle. He managed working digital illustrations, NFT projects, and fashion design— all in service of one goal; to make his art global.
By 22, he had flown to New York, showcasing his work as a designer and artist, culminating in a solo exhibition by 24. His dark, raw, and multilayered style explored themes of longing, religion, mental health, and hope— a chiaroscuro of human experience rendered in jagged lines and layered textures.
Returning to his roots
Joshua Villena flies back to Manila and caps off another chapter with his solo exhibition, HOMECOMING last July 19, 2025. And who wouldn’t support him more than his second home, at iACADEMY. The highly anticipated event was held at iACADEMY Nexus Gallery. The exhibition fused fine art and runway fashion, delivering an immersive experience that was both deeply personal and universally resonant.
Now 25, Villena returned to the place where his transformation began. Villena’s HOMECOMING at iACADEMY Nexus Gallery was more than just an exhibition— it was a powerful statement. Villena shared a compelling synthesis of local roots and global vision. The show featured his latest paintings alongside a fashion runway presentation of his own designs, reflecting an ethos of art without boundaries. Audiences experienced a narrative of growth, resilience, and reinvention that transcended traditional gallery walls. Among the distinguished guests was Special Envoy to the Kingdom of Thailand, Bran Reluao, who attended in support of Filipino artistry and cross-cultural exchange.
iACADEMY’s Raquel Wong, artist Joshua Villena, and Special Envoy Bran Reluao
Villena’s work has been shown in studios and exhibitions across the Philippines, Italy, Paris, New York, and beyond. Yet this return to iACADEMY was especially meaningful. In his own words during the event:
“This wasn’t just an exhibition. It was a return to purpose. A ‘thank you’ to the community that believed in me. And a message to anyone who feels stuck; if you’re driven by passion and defined by excellence, you can go anywhere.”
The HOMECOMING exhibition underscored Villena’s commitment to art without borders and reaffirmed iACADEMY’s role in nurturing creative talent ready to take on the world.
