Filipino artist and 2006 TOYM Awardee Michael Cacnio (b. 1969) is a world-class brass sculptor of the social realist genre.

Hailing from the town of Malabon in the Philippines, Cacnio is a product of the prestigious College of Fine Arts of the University of the Philippines in Diliman. He professionally debuted as a painter, but later found his true calling in the art of sculpting brass.

His body of work features tableaux of characters taken from traditional Filipino archetypes delivered in his distinct signature style, revealing enduring truths about human nature, family, and the community — sculpting scenes from everyday life, traditions, and children at play. Cacnio expounds on popular faith, folklore and fortuity through an arresting assemblage of characters. He has tackled broad topics — from “serious” themes to counter-discursive to the rhetoric of division and gloom, an act of creative visualization. All concepts, rendered nonetheless with Cacnio’s trademark playfulness and attention to detail.

After more than 50 well-received solo exhibits, his art has achieved critical and commercial success in Asia, Europe and the United States, his works frequently featured in broadcast media and in several reputable publications. In 2007, he became the first Filipino artist to be featured in a solo exhibit in the European Commission’s headquarters in Berlaymont, Brussels.

Michael Cacnio’s position at the forefront of the Philippine art scene may as well be cast in brass, as top corporations, dignitaries and private art collectors continue to treasure the craft of this brilliant master.