Dexter CINCO

Bio

Dexter Cinco is a transgender surrealist visual artist based in Tagaytay City, Philippines. Born and raised in Catubig, Northern Samar, she has been engaged in artistic practice for over seventeen years. Her work explores surreal imagery and symbolic narratives shaped by lived experience, identity, and emotional introspection. Cinco is a recipient of the International Donatello Prize, awarded in Florence, Italy on January 21, 2023. Her artistic practice has also been recognized through various national and international competitions. In 2014, she won First Place in the National Collage-Making Contest during the National Science Quest, and in 2018, she received First Place in the Poster-Making Category of the International Robotics Olympiad Prelims. She was also a semi-finalist in the Metrobank Art & Design Excellence Awards (Painting Category), as well as in the GSIS, Shell National Students Art Competition, and the Padayan National Poster-Making Contest. She has actively participated in numerous local and international exhibitions and art platforms, including the International Art Caravan, the Biennale in Cali, Colombia, Nuzen Art Gallery, Xavier ArtFest, Arala Artist, ArtLover Philippines, and Art Show Philippines. Internationally, her work was featured in an International Art Exhibition in Xiamen, China (2025). In recognition of her contributions to the arts, Cinco received a commendation from the Provincial Capitol of Northern Samar. She was also honored with the Artist of the Year Award and the Malikhain Award at Tagaytay City Science Integrated High School, where she completed the Arts and Design track. Currently working as a full-time artist, Dexter Cinco continues to explore a wide range of media, including graphite, pastel, painting, and digital art. Through disciplined practice and professional engagement, she remains committed to developing her artistic voice while sustaining her practice through exhibitions, commissions, and collaborative projects.