Kristone Capistrano is a Sydney and Manila based artist working across traditional and experimental drawing, including works on paper, film, performance, and community collaborations. He explores notions of mortality, transience and contemporary figuration; visualising paper as a metaphor for human skin, and mark-making as a symbol for human touch, a vehicle for generosity and care.
In a world of increasing AI and automation, Kristone creates works that are decisively tactile, hand-made and analogue; unique gestures of mark-making; shared moments, shared meals and live collaborations that are singular and unrepeatable. His early practice centred on large-scale portraiture, heavily rendered and realistic faces that couldn’t be ‘swiped’ away. Portraits that beckoned the viewer to stop and behold the face of the Other, a call towards human reciprocity: ‘Look at me. I am here. I am waiting’.
The death of his late grandmother led him to realise that physical reality does not hold still; and that observational drawing and ‘realism’, must also attend to the ephemeral and the intangible. He began using Filipino brooms and household tools as alternative means of drawing. A homage that brought together mark-making, sweeping and erasure with the shared memories of labour, sacrifice and hospitality embedded within the Filipino imagination. What began as grief became method. What started as an attempt to fix appearance through observation became a practice of drawing through movement and impermanence: first with dancers, then with tides, wind, germinating seeds and daylight; letting time itself enter the image.
Kristone has exhibited solo and collectively in Australia and Asia, and has completed residencies at Bundanon Art Museum (NSW), Emerging Islands (Philippines) and Tong Lau Space, (Hong Kong). He has been awarded the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture, the Royal South Australian Portrait Biennale and the Blacktown Local Artist Prize. He has recently been commissioned to create a major public artwork for the new Bradfield metro station, set to open in 2027; a multi-screen, dance, drawing and video work, in conversation with the land and skies surrounding the station.
His works are held by the Parramatta City Council, Blacktown City Council, The Lester Group, The Kennedy Art Foundation, King George V International School – Hong Kong, as well as in private collections in Australia, Singapore, Miami, New York, Manila and Hong Kong.
KRISTONE PAULO CAPISTRANO
Born in Olongapo City, Philippines
Based in Sydney and Manila
Current and Upcoming
2025 Artist Talk, – A SINGLE PIECE Gallery, Sydney (22 Nov 2025)
2025 MAC Yapang Art Prize, Musseum of Art and Culture, Lake Macquarie
2026 Unburnt, Group Exhibition, Northern Beaches Gallery
2026 Paper Feed, Solo Exhibition, First Draft, Sydney
2026 Where Light Falls, Solo Exhibition, Art Cube Gallery, Manila
2026 Permanent Public Art Commission, Aerotropolis Station, Sydney Metro
Solo Exhibitions and Presentations
2025 Waves Like Mountains, Solo Exhibition, Puzzle Art Garage, Sydney
2025 The Bridge Video Art Commission, Kingston Arts, Melbourne
2025 Double Vision, Digital Public Art Screen, Woollahra Municipal Council
2024 In the Making, Wentworth Point Community Centre, Sydney
2023 Sampayan Hangs, Emerging Islands, La Union, Philippines
2022 Dormition, Wedge Gallery, Sydney
2019 Out of the Depths, Art Cube Philippines, Manila
2019 Pop-Up Solo Exhibition, San Gennaro Festival, Soho NYC
2019 Homecoming, Ayala Harbour Point, Olongapo City
2018 His Eyes Looketh, Wedge Gallery, The Galleries, Sydney
2018 Forgotten Faces, Crowther Contemporary, Melbourne
Live Projects and Drawing Performances
2025 Prose Without Body, Wrong Institute, Tarzeer Pictures, Manila
2024 Counter Motion, S. Cua and Jao S. Pedro, Aug 18, Wrong Institute, Manila
2024 Movement Study, collab. with Aaron K Garcia, Aug 9, Annex House, Manila
2024 Movement Study, H. Poulet, C. Smith, S. Low; DRAW Space, Sydney
2023 Movement Study, Inaugural Performance, Jan 26, Emerging Islands, Philippines
2023 Transmutation, Jao S Pedro and & Aaron K Garcia, Emerging Islands, Philippines
Awards and Major Commissions
2024 Permanent Public Art Commission, Bradfield Station, Sydney Metro
2022 101 Graham Street, Permanent Public Art Commission, PHIVE, Parramatta Council
2018 Peoples Choice Award, Muswellbrook Art Prize
2017 Winner, Local Artist Prize, People’s Choice Award, Blacktown Arts Centre
2017 Highly Commended Prize, Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Award
2017 Winner, Royal South Australian Arts Society Portrait Biennale
2011 Winner, Black Swan Portrait Prize
Artist Residencies
2025 Alfred Street Artist Studios, Artist Residency North Sydney Council
2023 Artist in Residence, Bundanon Art Museum, Bundanon
2023 Emerging Islands, Artist Residency, La Union, Philippines
2022 Authority Creative, Studio 4our Artist Residency, The Rocks, Sydney
2020 Blacktown Main Street Studios Residency, Sydney
2019 Sheen Centre, Artist Residency, New York City
2018 Visiting Artist in Residence, King George V International School, Hong Kong
2018 Yet Thirtieth Experimental Art Space, Inaugural Artist in Residence, Hong Kong
2018 Tong Lau Space, Artist Residency, Hong Kong
2018 Liverpool Artist Studio Residency, Liverpool, Sydney
Talks, Panels and Presentations
2025 Architecture and Community in The Public Realm, Panel Presentation, PHIVE
2025 Exhibition Walkthrough, Artist Talk, Puzzle Gallery, Sydney
2024 Artist Development Presentation, Liverpool Powerhouse
2023 Residency Research Presentation, Artist Talk, Emerging Islands, Philippines
2019 Artist Talk, Art Cube Gallery, Philippines
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025 Lane Cove Art Prize, Gallery Lane Cove, Sydney
2025 4A A4, 4A Centre of Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney
2025 Prose Without Body, Wrong Institute, Tarzeer Pictures, Manila
2025 Gray City in a Blue Universe, Arcadia Projects, Artist Space, Manila
2025 Vuhklaan Sa Kalawakwahn, Kalawakan Space Time Gallery, Manila
2025 Muswellbrook Art Prize, Muswellbrook Arts Centre
2024 NPNR, Group Exhibition, Edoweird Gallery, Manila
2024 Of Echoes and Currents, Search Mindscape Foundation, Manila
2024 Spontaneous Order, Group Exhibition, Erehwon Centre for the Arts, Manila
2024 About the Patience of Ordinary Things, Group Exhibition, Altro Mondo, Manila
2024 Mandorla Art Award, Holmes à Court Gallery, Perth
2024 Buddies of Blank, Blank Gallery, Sydney
2024 Process(ed), Group Exhibition, Articulate Project Space, Sydney
2023 Sounds of Sumi, Group Exhibition, Blank Gallery, Sydney
2023 Emerging Islands Showcase, Art Fair Philippines 2023
2022 Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize, Campbelltown Arts Centre
2022 The 67th Blake Art Prize, Casula Powerhouse, Sydney
2022 Warehouse, Authority Creative, The Rocks Sydney
2022 Substratum, Group Exhibition, Woollahra Gallery, Sydney
2020 Terra Infirma, Blacktown Arts Centre, Sydney
2020 Basil Sellers Art Prize, Basil Sellers Exhibition Centre, Moruya
2020 Blacktown City Art Prize, Blacktown Arts Centre
2019 Dobell Drawing Prize, National Art School Sydney
2019 4A A4, 4a Centre of Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney
2019 Future Present 19, Mono8 Gallery, Manila
2019 Trasher Planet, Artspace by Natalie Wood, Singapore
2018 Asia Contemporary Art Show, Nido Gallery, The Conrad, Hong Kong
2018 Openings, Online Group Exhibition, Paddle 8
2018 Politics for Change, Live Drawing, 220 Creative Space, Sydney
2018 Tong Lau Space – August Residency Exhibition, Green Space, JCCAC, Hong Kong
2018 Near and Far, Narrandera Arts Centre, Regional NSW
2018 Salon, PACT Centre for Emerging Arts, Sydney
2018 Recent Acquisitions – Blacktown City Art Collection, Blacktown Arts, Sydney
2018 Enter The Picture: Emerging Sydney Artists, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney
2017 Future Selves, Woolmark Building, Hong Kong
2017 A&D Annual Graduate Exhibition, UNSW Galleries, Sydney
2017 Fisher’s Ghost Art Award, Campbelltown Arts Centre
2017 Tim Olsen Drawing Prize
Grants
2024 North Sydney Creative Grants
2022 Blacktown City Council Creative Arts Fund
2018 Blacktown City Council Creative Arts Fund
2018 ARC @ UNSW 2018 Art and Design Grant
2017 New Colombo Mobility Grant in support of my participation in the 2017 HIF Cloud Future Self Program, International Collaborative Project between Beijing, Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
Selected Media
2024 Belinda Yee, ‘How is He Going To Fit All Those Dancers In That Space’, Review, Dither, April
2024 Daniel Press, ‘In Conversation With Daniel Press’, Booker Magazine, Issue 02
2020 Christine Anu, Interview ‘Evenings’, ABC Radio National, 28 Feb
2020 Violi Calvert, Interview ‘Radio Tagumpay’, Tripple H, 15 March
2020 Erin Assur, ‘Charcoal 101 With Kristone Capistrano’, The Western, Jan 20
2019 Sara Grace Fojas, ‘The Darkness in His Hands’, Manila Bulletin, 21 Oct
2019 JT Nisay, ‘Mono8 Gallery asks: Has every possible artwork been created?’ Business Mirror
2019 Holly Yuan, ‘The Inaugural Dobell Drawing Prize: A Revitalised Bastion of Excellence’, Backyard Opera, April 15
2019 ‘Dobell Drawing Prize #21’, Exhbition Catalogue, National Art School, p30-31
2019 Annalyn Violata, ‘Beyond The Sleep of Convicts’ Kristone Capistrano Reconnects With His Culture, SBS Online, March 24
2018 Black Swan Portrait Prize 2018, Exhibition Catalogue – Alumni, p 28
2018 Lai Mei Ng, ‘The blooming art scene in Kwai Chung’, HK01, Dec 20
2018 Robert Tilley, ’On the Face and Presence: The Work of Kristone Capistrano’, online article, Nov
2018 Sophia Cai, ’Underneath the Mask’, online article, July 3
2018 Annalyn Violata, SBS Radio Weekend Edition, SBS Radio, February 17
2018 John Bilic, ’Room For Artist To Thrive’, Liverpool Leader, February 14, p 19
2017 ‘Dark Sculpture Wins 2017 Blacktown City Art Prize’, Bayanihan News, December 9
2017 ‘Blacktown Art Prize Winners Announced’, Artist Profile, December 5
2017 Katrina Vo, ‘Destruction, Life and Death’, Blacktown Sun, December 12
2017 ‘Measuring Loss’ wins the 2017 Blacktown Arts Prize, Art Almanac, December 3
2017 Liz Walsh, ’Sydney artist, Kristone Capistrano, wins SALA portraiture prize for his painting The Philosopher of famed thinker Emmanuel Levinas’ in The Advertiser, Adelaide, Jul 30
2017 Martha Azzi, ‘Artist Kristone Capistrano Wins Third Biennial Portrait Royal South Australian Society Art Prize’, in the Blacktown Advocate
2012 Sound Bytes, 1 Incubate Magazine, Issue 7, 2012
2011 Stephen Bevis, ‘Winning Artist Captures Life on Fringe’, The West Australian, Sep 23
2011 ‘Capistrano Wins Black Swan Prize’, Arts Hub, Sept 27
Collections
Blacktown City Council, Lester Group, Kennedy Art Foundation, King George V International School Hong Kong; private collections in Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, Manila, Miami and Hong Kong
Education
2019 Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours), University of New South Wales
2016 Masters of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame, Australia, (one year completed)
2010 Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) Australian Catholic University, Sydney
2009 Bachelor of Arts (English Literature) / Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting & Drawing) UNSW
Selected Teaching, Courses & Public Workshops
4a Centre of Contemporary Asian Art, Blacktown Arts Centre, Liverpool Powerhouse, PHIVE Parramatta, Puzzle Gallery, St Ignatius College Riverview, St Aloysius’ College Milsons Point, Pittwater House School, Killara Selective High School, Holy Cross College – Ryde, Loyola Catholic College – Mt Druitt, St Agnes Catholic High School – Rooty Hill, NSBC Balgowlah Boys, Wentworth Point Community Centre, Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre, Ayala Harbour Point – Olongapo, Philippines; KGV International School, Hong Kong.
KRISTONE CAPISTRANO 