Henri Cainglet

Henri Cainglet is best known for his “found-objects” art composed of paintings, sculptures, and soft pieces. Mr. Cainglet has created Art in Tacloban after Typhoon Haiyan and in his home town of Valencia. His exhibits have been seen in museums around the world. His unique flair is to incorporate an objects’ unrefined roughness into award-winning compositions. 

Cainglet received the 1996 Grand Prize in the National Visual Arts Competition in Manila, 1st prize in Sculpture, and 2nd Prize in the 1999 Hong Kong City of Life Jeepney Design Contest, among others. Art can be defined as a form of visual language. A form that takes on a certain structure which has been the norm for its specific convention. Ergo, a painting should b on flat surfaces, whether canvas or paper, a painting has to be on a flat plane. Sculptures should be able to stand on its own, ergo it should have materials that will be able to support itself. And as a language, it normally should come from a tradition that has been used as a standard form of communication. Conventions, standard, norm, should have been. All these are what Henri Cainglet stay away from.

If anything, Henri Cainglet is possessed of an adventurous soul. Born in Bohol, he finished high school in Kalilangan, Bukidnon as the valedictorian of his class. From thence it was one long journey of artistic endeavors, rewarded by an honorable mention award in the 1st Metrobank National Painting Competition until he studied Sculpture in 1988 at Sonoma State University at Rohnet Park, California. A year later he had apprenticed to New York painter, Jay Midler, soaking in as much experience as ever. Later he joined the Art Students League of New York. This phase in his life widened his vision in art and gave him more confidence in his talent. And he continued painting relentlessly. In 1991 he became the artist in residence at ACA-LA Napoule, Foundation, Atlantic Center for the Arts, New Smyrna Beach, Florida. But home is where the heart is, and Henri came home in 1992. In 1993, he won the slot as Philippine representative in the Osaka Triennale for Painting in Osaka, Japan. That same year he was awarded as the Most Outstanding citizen of Valencia, Bohol.
Henri had a string of awards in prestigious art competitions. In 1995, he was an honorable mention, in the Globe Telecom Sculpture Art Awards. In 1996 he was the Philippine representative to the ASEAN Art Awards in Bangkok, Thailand. He also won the Grand prize in Diwa ng Sining Art Awards of the NCCA.His entry to the Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards was the Juror?s Choice.
In 1997 he won 1st prize in the Painting Category, Art Association of the Philippines. He was once again the Philippine representative to the 9th Triennale India, New Delhi, India. In 1999, in the? Hongkong City Life, Jeepney Design? the contest, he won 2nd prize. This year he was one of the finalists in the Philip Morris Phil.Art Awards. He won an honorable mention award in the mixed media category, Art Association of the Phils.Annual Awards in 2000. The next year he won another honorable mention from the AAP, this time in the painting category.
In 2002, he won first prize in a? Dress A Fish Art Competition? at SM Megamall. It was also the year he was a grantee of the Layaw Fellowship from the NCCA, for his bamboo studies. He had chosen the bamboo, a tall shrubby grass common to tropical regions like the Philippines.

Born: March 1957, Valencia, Bohol, Philippines