October 15, 2025

OCAD University announces 2026 Ateneo Art Award Resident Jel Suarez

Photo of woman with dark hair, dressed in black, smiling in front of her artwork
Photo of Jel Suarez

OCAD University is pleased to announce that Filipino artist Jel Suarez has been selected as the 2026 Ateneo Art Award Resident. This residency is part of OCAD U’s ongoing partnership with the Ateneo Art Gallery at Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines. The program supports emerging artists whose practices demonstrate creativity, critical engagement and innovation.

OCAD U welcomed its first Ateneo Art Award Resident, Doktor Karayom, in 2024. Known for his large-scale installations that merge folklore, everyday life and social critique, Karayom presented No One’s At Home (Walang Tao Sa Bahay) during his Toronto residency.

Building on that experience, Karayom has created a limited-edition shirt inspired by his time at OCAD U. Proceeds from shirt sales will directly support Jel Suarez’s upcoming residency in Toronto.

When you purchase a shirt, you help offset costs for the visiting artist’s stay and contribute to strengthening the ongoing cultural exchange between OCAD University and the Ateneo Art Gallery.

Visit Shop OCAD U to purchase a shirt and support Jel’s residency.

Students wearing matching red tshirt in front of Butterfield
OCAD U x Doktor Karayom limited-edition T-shirts, modeled by OCAD U students Natalia Lim and Simerneet Singh. Photographs by Brian Medina

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