Asia's Most Influential: The Culture List 2021

Profession: Photographer

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: A photographer whose stark portraiture gets right to the heart of his subjects

He is the most in-demand photographer in the country today. Though he himself is rarely the focus of the camera, his prominence has brought him and his talent to the forefront of the arts scene. “People are now understanding the importance of art and how it can give [you a] sense of relief and escape from all the craziness that surrounds us,” he says. Having had his photographs grace the covers of magazines and art galleries, Nicdao proceeds in his continuous journey of learning and growth. “We need to encourage young artists to learn art history [and] deepen their learning with philosophy,” he says. A visual artist in every sense of the word, he also stresses the importance of knowing oneself in an industry as competitive as his. “It’s important that every year, as you grow, you haven’t lost yourself. Ask yourself what the true meaning of success is, and [if] it is really the one thing you want.” A budding painter, Nicdao has just recently finished his recent mixed media show at Art Informal Makati. Nicdao has also revealed his plans in visual arts, saying “I’m back to doing photoshoots and in the next few months, [will be] exploring more with painting. Hopefully, [I’ll have] a new show in 2022.”

Profession: Artist

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: His pop art unpicking of Philippine history has made him Southeast Asia's most expensive contemporary artist

“I make art because it is my essence,” says contemporary artist, Ronald Ventura. His works, which have received accolades both here and abroad, have set records. In 2011, his painting, Grayground, had been sold for auction at Sotheby’s for a record-breaking price of US$1.1M. The artist’s dynamic style has also proven popular with realist collectors and his depictions of both animal and human life have garnered him a loyal fan base. Yet, Ventura says that artists must continue to remain vigilant against social restrictions. “I don’t think we have to promote ‘Filipino art’ per se. I think we just have to promote art in general. You have to be ‘visa-free’ as an artist.”

Perhaps this borderless view of culture is what makes Ventura so successful in the field. According to the artist himself, “Filipino-ness” comes without trying; in fact, it is innate. “The uniqueness of Filipino art comes out because of our history, our values. There is always something we can surprise the rest of the world with.” This year, Ventura has upcoming shows in Japan; he will also be dabbling in an exciting new project in collaboration with English fashion designer, Neil Barrett, for Primo Marella Gallery in Italy.

Profession: Photographer

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: Using photography for a singular documentation of the Philippines' indigenous cultures

The photography of Neal Oshima can often be described as a visual tribute to the various cultures within the Philippines. As one who has spent decades in the field, Oshima’s talents have extended to broader scopes that include advertising, editorial and documentary photography. In fact, much of his work in those genres has been awarded internationally and exhibited in museums worldwide. But despite international acclaim, his medium remains proudly and undeniably Filipino. With his discerning eye, he lends a spotlight to cultural nuances otherwise overlooked. “Look at what’s going on around you,” he advises young talents. “There are some amazing images to be taken in your immediate surroundings.”

As a creative, he has also been known to experiment with technique. In fact, he advises young artists to learn more about the various tools of the trade, which he asserts, can be anything. “Delve into the history of photography, learn about film and pre-digital photographic processes. Any image-making device: a scanner, an x-ray machine, or a surveillance system can be a camera.” Using these and understanding the nuances of one’s subject lead to art photography that is open and raw, which is exactly what Oshima believes makes the entire industry so exciting to him and many others.

Profession: Artist

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: Organic forms highlight challenging themes in this sought after conceptual artist's work

Her dynamic artworks may sometimes look discomforting, but internationally renowned Geraldine Javier understands the importance of staying true to one’s self. “Dig deep especially now and don’t be too self-conscious about what you’re making—that usually hinders creativity,” she advises young artists. Having participated in international exhibitions and biennales, Javier has rallied for the local art scene in spaces far away from home. “I think the situation now is pointing us to creating our own scene run by artists, inclusive, apolitical and open to different ways of making art.”

While the pandemic has put much of the arts scene at a standstill, Javier seems to be in no rush. She is, after all, not one to act too rashly. “There are a lot of uncertainties right now because of this pandemic,” she admits. “So it seems futile to talk about the future now, but I believe this calamity is presenting us with a different path: go local!” Heeding her own advice, Javier is now choosing to focus on her upcoming solo show in Manila this May, while also pre- paring for international opportunities in the coming year. “If you build”, she assures us patiently, “they will come.”

Profession: Filmmaker

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: Unflinchingly exposing a tough of Philippine society through his naturalistic filmmaking

A true luminary in Philippine cinema, Brillante Mendoza is one of the country’s most respected filmmakers. Among the many feathers in his cap, Mendoza shines brightest as a director and producer, and has even won international recognition as Best Director at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival for the film Kinatay. “We must be brave about our ideas,” he says. Mendoza, whose films shed light on the honest and brutal plight of our countrymen, has won numerous accolades for storytelling, and it’s no surprise why. He’s managed to dig deep into the Filipino psyche and has recognised the richness of its nuance. “There is unlimited potential when we imagine the films we can create and share that tell the stories of Filipinos, the abundant talent and the rich heritage.”

At the moment, Mendoza has been working on two new projects, a sports film entitled Gensan Punch, and another film that will focus on Filipino, particularly Kapampangan, food and culture. “Food is strongly tied to our identity as people,” he explains, “[and] we have always advocated regional cinema.” This project then, seems like an obvious step forward, as it marries two of the filmmaker’s most beloved passions, ones that no doubt will be enjoyed by his followers around the country.

Profession: Filmmaker

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: With films that last forever, this acclaimed director gives characters space to breathe

The bohemian film style of Lav Diaz is among his most well-known artistic signatures. Heavily influenced by his own astute observations, Diaz creates contemplative ruminations in the form of film, touching upon some of our country’s most marked distinctions. Having won multiple accolades including the Gawad Urian and the Orrizzonti Award, he continues to forge on in his quest to authentically portray Filipino stories and their humanity. “I always feel that cinema remains incapable of truly articulating life, and this challenges me to dig more on life and this medium called cinema,” he says.

Despite the difficult themes that present itself in Diaz’s work, the filmmaker also remains optimistic about the state of his industry. “In spite of all the madness, the future of Philippine cinema is so, so bright,” he says. And in fact, his passion for its continued growth is palpable as he adds, only half in jest, “I will still choose to be here making films despite the lure of signing early for the planned evacuations to Mars and the moon. I will work harder to make films to contribute to a repository of cinema commemorating the late, great planet Earth. We will remember this Earth because of cinema.”

See also: 18 Asian Movie Directors You Should Know

Profession: Singer-songwriter

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: Now firmly established as one of the Philippines' best-loved musical performers

She is making Tagalog songs popular yet again. Her angelic voice has put her at the top of the charts, earning her praise from local masters and a label as one of the Philippines’ favourite songbirds. Since Moira Dela Torre’s stint on The Voice Philippines, she has gone on to dominate the Billboard Philippines Top 20 charts, written songs for movies and has also emerged victorious at the Himig Handog competition in 2017. Last year, she collaborated on a music track titled Heal featuring other Southeast Asian artists. “I know Filipinos were always meant to inspire. From folk to ballad, pop, R&B and hiphop, all the way to classical music, you will always find a Filipino inspiring [other] people in their field,” she says.

Profession: Musician

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: Former Eraserheads frontman still towers over the Philippine music scene

The Eraserheads was a hallmark rock band in the ‘80s and the ‘90s; and to many, its lead vocalist, Ely Buendia, remains a stark figure in their musical retrospection. His contributions to the growth of original Pilipino music (OPM) cannot be discounted, but it would be unfair to say that Buendia’s influence only lingers in the past. As a full-time businessman at Offshore Music, he continues to establish a legacy for himself in the world of music, film and theatre. “I think we [Filipinos] are one of the most forward-thinking and innovative people in terms of music,” he says. “We can do anything, [but] we really have to support our own. The more we keep making music for other people’s tastes [and] trying to please others, the less likely our innate talent is going to shine.”

He and the rest of The Eraserheads were named as the obvious inspiration behind the hit jukebox musical, Ang Huling El Bimbo, which featured many of their classic hits. Their relevancy remains strong, even today, yet Buendia admits that his future plans could put him behind the stage instead of in front of it. “I feel like I’m built to be behind the scenes, pulling the strings,” he says.

Profession: Choir

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: One of the world's most decorated choirs, updating an ancient musical style

They paved the way for a more serious appreciation of choral groups across the nation. The Philippine Madrigal Singers organised by the National Artist and choirmaster Andrea Veneracion, has risen up to become the country’s premier choir group. They’ve won multiple international awards, performed for three popes and have also been recognised by Unesco as an Artist for Peace. In their own attestation, nothing is more Filipino than the very art they choose to pursue. They continue to stand for that inherent Filipino trait, bayanihan, or the communal spirit of unity and cooperation, which they say make choral music a perfect endeavour for every kababayan (compatriot). “In our everyday life, music permeates our rituals, habits and lifestyle as a people. [Hence], the bayanihan spirit of  the Filipinos is perfect for choral music,” they say. So while the style of their sound appeals towards the more cultured of tastes, their inclusive mission is, and always has been, to promote Filipino music to everyone around them. “Singing is not a spectator art, but a participative one.” As such, they continue to hold online and virtual sessions through the Madz Music Studio, and are looking forward to a opening a Choral Centre by 2023, on their 60th anniversary.

Profession: Artist

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: A living treasure of Southeast Asian art who combines figurative sumptuousness with social commentary

A master of contemporary Philippine art, Benedicto Cabrera or BenCab is a National Artist for Visual Arts and a prominent figure in the culture scene. In many ways, his reputation precedes him; yet Cabrera’s own advice is simple and straightforward. “Work hard on your art and do your best,” he says. A famous painter and printmaker, he is the man behind the elusive Sabel, a scavenger woman the master had glimpsed early in his career in the slums of Bambang. Since then, Sabel has become an influential symbol for both him and his followers, one that speaks of despair as a commentary on society. “I continue to be interested in new techniques, collaborations with other artists and other things that stimulate my creativity,” he says. It is perhaps this love of learning espoused by Cabrera and other Filipino artists that has earned our local arts scene such prestige. In fact, Cabrera attests that: “Philippine art is at par with the rest of the world.”

Profession: Composer

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: The Philippines' greatest composer, he has written the songs the country hums along to

He has been a guiding hand in the local music industry for decades now. Ryan Cayabyab, having transcended genres and established himself as a household name, has climbed through the ranks to become a true Filipino virtuoso, earning himself the covetable title of National Artist for Music. These days, he’s taken it upon himself to mentor budding talents through efforts such as the Elements Music Camp and Philpop Bootcamp. He also continues with various projects that take him from orchestral podium and to the commercial stage in the blink of an eye. “What can I say?” he says, speaking on his versatility. “To stand out from the rest, have the courage to wildly experiment.” The longevity of his career has also given him an advantage, one that only time and dedication can bestow; it’s given him clarity to see where music has been and where it shall be. The musician looks forward to enjoying the growth of hyper-localism in the music industry.

Profession: Filmmaker

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: Hipster filmmaking favourite whose understated work makes powerful political points

His unique approach to film has won him praise from critics and filmmakers around the world. But more than
that, his artistry has also won him recognition in the Philippines, where he was conferred as a National Artist for Film in 2018. With strong nationalistic tendencies, Kidlat Tahimik translates his fervour for the country into award-winning essay films. “Our hybrid culture gives Pinoys a rich creative film potential, if we don’t get stuck copying our colonial film mentors,” he explains. Though he is often critical of oppressive themes in his films, most can attest that his work contains many grains of optimisim and are often premised on the potential of unrealised triumph. “Nobody can out-do our unique Pinoy framing,” Tahimik asserts, “as long as we’re not captive to formulas of foreign flicks.” This 2021, in honour of the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mactan, Tahimik be sponsoring a short film contest for Senior High School students to encourage them to research on little-known local heroes.

Profession: Author

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: A consummate distiller of Philippine culture and history in literary form

“Writers are the keepers of memory, without which there is no nation,” says National Artist for Literature F Sionil José. A wordsmith and storyteller, Sionil José is best known for his five-volume opus, The Rosales Saga, which paints a vivid portrait of Filipino life throughout the century. Now 98, the multi-awarded writer and publisher remains sharp as ever, pushing forward for a proud and nationalistic cause that puts Filipino storytelling at the forefront of the country’s literary scene. “Filipino writers should always attempt to know their people and voice their aspirations”, he explains, “so that they will not only make an impact but hopefully, contribute to the well- being of that society itself.” To him, writers should not only present a story, but engage with their societies as well. In order for literature to flourish in our country, he asserts that the writer must remain involved in the community, and especially within its problems.

Profession: Dancer and choreographer

Location: Philippines

Impact statement: The queen of Philippine ballet, she personally kick-started the country's contemporary dance scene

National Artist for Dance, Alice Reyes, who founded Ballet Philippines, is considered to be the woman to have cemented dance as a career path for many Filipinos. Through her decades-long career, Reyes has contributed to the development of a uniquely Filipino dance style, one that utilises movements from both indigenous and modern dance, as well as classical ballet. At the moment, the esteemed ballerina is focusing on an operatic collaboration with fellow National Artists that they’ve titled Rama, Hari. At a time of profound uncertainty, Reyes reminds dancers: “As artists, you are essential workers! You bring much needed light into the dark corners of our current lives.” And true enough, every dancer from every corner of the country has much to give to those who continue to struggle or question. Through the sheer diversity of our culture, there’s sure to be a style or motion to give a smile to those who remain unsure.

Profession: Artist

Location: Hong Kong

Impact statement: His beautiful but unsettling Hong Kong landscapes have got collectors obsessed

Inspired by his hikes through Hong Kong’s mountains, Stephen Wong paints sumptuous, impressionistic depictions of the local landscape, which nonetheless provoke a sense of dislocation with their over-saturated hues and uncanny, VR-like textures; his earlier work drew on video games to examine the virtual world more directly. Collectors are certainly convinced of his merits: when Gallery Exit hosted a booth selling his work at the recent Spotlight by Art Basel, the works sold out on day one.

Profession: Executive director, Para Site

Location: Hong Kong

Impact statement: Pushing the boundaries at one of Asia's most interesting art spaces

Curator Cosmin Costinas has been executive director of Para Site, Hong Kong’s most innovative art space, for the past decade. Overseeing its relocation and expansion in 2015 and taking a curatorial role in many of its shows, he is committed to both supporting artists and connecting them around Asia and further afield. Currently curating the Kathmandu Triennale that has been rescheduled for 2021, he was included on contemporary art magazine ArtReview’s Power 100 list for 2020.

Profession: Filmmaker

Location: Hong Kong

Impact statement: The pre-eminent chronicler of the everyday lives of Hongkongers, in all their beauty and poignancy

Director Ann Hui has shone a light on the stories of ordinary Hongkongers throughout a lengthy career making gritty, down to earth films across a range of genres. Her work addresses numerous social issues, humanising and dignifying marginalised people, and articulating the heroism of their everyday struggles. She premiered her latest film, Eileen Chang adaptation Love After Love (2020), at the Venice International Film Festival, where she also received a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

See also: Hong Kong Director Ann Hui Talks Winning The Golden Lion Award And Her Filmmaking Journey

Profession: Rapper

Location: Hong Kong

Impact statement: How to go from fencer to K-pop artist to solo star

Hong Kong rapper and singer Jackson Wang has undergone quite a career change. A former member of the Hong Kong fencing team, he turned down a Stanford University sports scholarship, instead moving to South Korea and reinventing himself as a K-pop performer. A member of the boyband Got7, since 2017 he has also developed a formidable following in China as a solo artist, while also acting as lead designer of his own fashion brand, Team Wang Design.

See also: Blackpink & Jackson Wang Are The Faces Of This Season's Best Fashion Campaigns

Profession: Concert promoter

Location: Hong Kong

Impact statement: A tireless supporter of Hong Kong's underground music scene and the interests of musicians

A pillar of Hong Kong’s alternative music scene, promoter Chris B has organised more than 500 events over 20 years through her company The Underground. Founder of the Mellow Yellow Music Festival in Central, which focuses on folk and jazz, she is also a songwriter, singer and guitarist. Her profile rose in 2020 when she succeeded in winning government support for Hong Kong’s struggling professional musicians, who had suddenly found themselves unable to work.

Profession: Director, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

Location: Hong Kong

Impact statement: Director, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts director Gillian Choa has worn many different hats across the performing arts. A set, costume and lighting designer, director and art director for theatre, film and TV, she is also an arts educator and a government adviser and has been a TV presenter. The first woman and the first local person to become HKAPA director, she was promoted to the role in 2021 after joining the organisation’s staff in 1996.

Profession: Artist

Location: China

Impact statement: A giant of Chinese contemporary art who questions the nature of meaning through his work

One of China’s most important and best known contemporary artists, Xu Bing first emerged during the Cultural Revolution, beginning his career as a printmaker, but his oeuvre has since expanded to include everything from installation to sculpture. His work examines the impact of culture on worldview, the nature of language and how meaning is constructed. Now based in New York, he was formerly the vice-president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.

See also: Château Mouton Rothschild Unveils 2018 Vintage Label Design By Chinese Artist Xu Bing

Profession: Artist

Location: China

Impact statement: Loved by collectors, the artist's instantly recognisable work casts a satirical eye over contemporary society

A contemporary artist born in Wuhan and based in Beijing, Zeng Fanzhi blends eastern and western artistic traditions in his work, while frequently departing from both. His art is often both satirical and emotionally raw, as in perhaps his best-known work, the Mask series (1994-2004), which depicts people’s alienation from their environment in a fast-changing world through figures with vacant, staring eyes. His Mask Series 1996 No. 6 fetched US$23.3 million in 2013.

Profession: Author

Location: China

Impact statement: This young author has picked up numerous awards with his gritty depictions of life in northeastern China

Born in 1983 in Shenyang, Shuang Xuetao quit his bank job to become a writer, scoring immediate success with his debut novel Winged Ghost (2011), which was the first book by a mainland Chinese writer to win the Taipei Literature Award. His other most acclaimed works include Deaf and Dumb Era (2016) and Moses on the Plain (2016), while he won the 2020 Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize for his collection of short stories The Hunter (2020).

Profession: TV host, actor, writer and curator

Location: China

Impact statement: The man who made chat shows popular in China

The multitalented Li Dan has a lot under his belt for someone barely in his 30s. A screenwriter, actor, poet, curator and originator of several TV concepts, he had a key role in popularising the previously neglected chat show format in China with his programme Tucao Congress. He is also a host of the popular stand-up comedy show Rock and Roast, and a co-founder of Shanghai Xiao Guo Culture Media, the company behind it.

Profession: Pianist

Location: China

Impact statement: A performer without compare and a star of the classical music firmanent

One of the world’s most rapturously praised concert pianists, Wang Yuja is known for her emotional approach to performance, her theatricality and megawatt charisma, as well as her supreme technical ability. From a musical Beijing family, she studied in China, Canada and the US, where she now lives, first coming to prominence when she stepped in as a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2007. Since 2009 she has had a recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon.

Profession: Opera singer

Location: China

Impact statement: A lyric tenor who has taken the opera world by storm

China’s leading opera singer, Shanghai-born Shi Yijie first came to international prominence at the Rossini Opera Festival 2008, and has since become a regular at the festival, also establishing a particular reputation for performing the works of Donizetti, Bellini and Mozart. The lyric tenor, who studied in Vienna and is also a distinguished professor at the China Conservatory of Music, regularly graces the likes of New York’s Metropolitan Opera and Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

Profession: Rapper

Location: China

Impact statement: A rapper on the up after TV talent show success

Rapper, singer and songwriter Wang Linkai, commonly known by his stage name Xiao Gui, or Lil Ghost, has made his name as both a solo artist and a boyband member. The Fujian native released his first single in 2017 after appearing in TV talent show The Rap of China the previous year. But he really sprung to fame after 2018 talent show Idol Producer, the nine winners of which formed short-lived but hugely successful band Nine Percent.

Profession: Dancer, choreographer, director and painter

Location: China

Impact statement: The man who has shaped contemporary dance in China

A dancer, choreographer, director and painter, Shen Wei is known for performances that reflect that eclecticism, bringing in elements such as video, painting and sculpture. Born into a theatrical family in Hunan, he co-founded the Guangdong Modern Dance Company, China’s first, in 1991, before moving to the US in 1995 and establishing himself as an acclaimed interdisciplinary performer. He has achieved mainstream fame in China in recent years as a judge on TV show Dance Smash.

Profession: Artist

Location: Indonesia

Impact statement: The pre-eminent name in Indonesian contemporary art deftly characterises the lives of the marginalised

One of Indonesia’s most important contemporary artists, FX Harsono takes a conceptual approach to his work across a range of media, including painting, drawing, video and installation. Specialising in a kind of deconstructed portraiture, he emerged in the 1970s as a prime mover of the New Art Movement, which sought to modernise and democratise Indonesian art. He has long been a voice for marginalised groups, with his work frequently reflecting on his own Chinese-Indonesian identity.

Profession: Filmmaker

Location: Indonesia

Impact statement: The director who revived the Indonesian film industry

Not many people have single-handedly revived a country’s movie industry, but Mira Lesmana has. Indonesian cinema was apparently moribund following the country’s 1998 coup, but in the course of three years, she scored a trio of box office hits, Kuldesak (1999), Sherina’s Adventure (2000) and What’s Up with Cinta? (2002), that helped get it back on its feet. Also a songwriter and film producer, she makes films that take a light, humorous approach to serious social issues.

Profession: Actor

Location: Indonesia

Impact statement: A versatile character actor who consistently attracts rave reviews

Among Indonesia’s most acclaimed character actors, Reza Rahadian has starred in more than 50 films across a variety of genres, from comedy to romance to horror to historical drama. Starting his career as a model, he soon established himself as a soap opera actor, before getting his big break in Hanung Bramantyo’s Woman with a Turban (2009). He is probably best known for his roles as former President BJ Habibie in the biopic Habibie & Ainun (2102).

Profession: Composer

Location: Indonesia

Impact statement: A classical composer whose works are performed the world over

Indonesia’s foremost classical composer, Ananda Sukarlan is noted for incorporating elements from its country’s rich, distinctive musical traditions into his works. Among his best-known pieces are Rapsodia Nusantara, The Voyage to Marege and A Better World; he has been especially influential on the contemporary classical music of Spain, where he has long-lived. In 2009 he established the Yayasan Musik Sastra Indonesia foundation, which aims to provide disabled children with access to classical music.

Profession: Musician

Location: Indonesia

Impact statement: The godfather of the Indonesian jazz scene, also in demand as a conductor

Multitalented jazz musician Erwin Gutawa fills a wide range of roles, including composer, musician, arranger, conductor and producer. With a career spanning three and a half decades, he has worked with leading Indonesian singers including TiTi DJ, Chrisye and Rossa, and has also performed extensively with orchestras, including as a conductor for the London Symphony Orchestra. His public profile became even higher following his regular appearances as a judge on TV show Indonesian Idol.

Profession: Actor, filmmaker, writer and founder, Titimangsa Foundation

Location: Indonesia

Impact statement: This cultural entrepreneur supports local arts and crafts through a varied portfolio of ventures

A populariser and moderniser of Indonesian culture, Happy Salma works across a startling range of art forms. A popular TV and film actor, director and producer, she is also a short story writer, and the founder of the Titimangsa Foundation, which produces and promotes Indonesian theatrical and literary works. In recent years she has also added businessperson to her portfolio, as co-founder of jewellery brand Tulola, which sells high-end jewellery inspired by the country’s traditional handicrafts.

Profession: Artist

Location: Malaysia

Impact statement: A distinctive take on postmodern has propelled this pop artist to the top

One of Malaysia’s most celebrated contemporary visual artists, Ivan Lam trained as a silkscreen printmaker before moving into painting and a dazzling range of other media. His visually arresting, postmodern work comes with heavy influences from pop culture and the aesthetics of commercial design. He has exhibited at events including the Venice Biennale and Art Basel Hong Kong, while his works are part of the collections at the National Art Gallery of Malaysia and Galeri Petronas.

Profession: Sculptor

Location: Malaysia

Impact statement: Transforming wood into objects of rare beauty, and transforming attitudes along the way

A practitioner of the traditional Malay craft of wood sculpting—possibly the only woman in the country who is—Anniketyni Madian creates sculptures of sumptuous, intricate beauty. She takes much of her inspiration from the traditional designs of the Pua Kumbu textiles of her native Sarawak, Borneo, reinterpreting them for the modern era. She has undertaken commissions for a very broad range of clients, from Four Seasons and One&Only to Google to the United Nations.

Profession: Author

Location: Malaysia

Impact statement: This historical novelist has global awards judges taking notice

Intellectual property law’s loss was literature’s gain when Malaysian historical novelist Tan Twan Eng decided to change career. His first novel The Gift of Rain (2007) was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. His second, Garden of Evening Mists (2012), went one better, making the shortlist, and also bagging him the Man Asian Literary Prize and the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. The book’s 2019 film adaptation was nominated for nine Golden Horse Awards.

Profession: Founder, Joe Sidek Production

Location: Malaysia

Impact statement: The man who cemented Penang's status as a cultural capital with the George Town Festival

One of Malaysia’s most powerful advocates for the arts, Joe Sidek fills many roles, but is best known as the father of George Town Festival. Under his directorship it has grown from a single-day event to an eclectic arts extravaganza of global renown that transforms the Penang city’s streets for a month. He also created the Rainforest Fringe Festival in Kuching and brought a local edition of Tropfest, the world’s largest short film festival, to Penang.

Profession: Co-founder and artistic director, Instant Cafe Theatre

Location: Malaysia

Impact statement: A consistent maker or and advocate for theatre that pushes back boundaries

Prolific writer, director and actor Jo Kukathas was the co-founder in 1989 of Malaysia’s Instant Cafe Theatre Company, and is currently its artistic director. The company’s name refers to the fact that at the time it was established, political repression meant that coffee shops were the only reliable sources of information, and it has long had a reputation as a hotbed of thought-provoking, boundary-pushing work, whether that be a satirical comedy, theatre or music.

Profession: Musicians

Location: China

Impact statement: Catapulted to fame by reality TV, these rockers have taken China by storm

Alternative rock band Mandarin have quickly established themselves as one of the most popular in China, despite only forming in 2019. Lead singer and synth player Chace, guitarist Xiao Jun and drummer An Yu were catapulted to instant national attention and acclaim in 2020 when they took part in season two of the musical variety TV show The Big Band. During the same year, they released singles Cradle Song, Asa and Echo, along with their debut album Mandarin.

Profession: Museum director, National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum

Location: Singapore

Impact statement: No one has done more to take Singapore's art scene to another level

As a curator and administrator, Eugene Tan has been pivotal in shaping Singapore’s art scene for more than a decade. The museum director of the National Gallery Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum since 2013, he has led a period of improvement and growth at both. In previous roles, he oversaw the development of visual arts hub Gillman Barracks, and curated exhibitions including the Singapore Biennale and the Singapore Pavilion at the 2005 Venice Biennale.

Profession: President, Art Galleries Association Singapore and director, Chan Hori Contemporary

Location: Singapore

Impact statement: Curator who helps artists commercialise and gallerists work together

A curator and gallerist who started as an artist, Khai Hori is president of the Art Galleries Association Singapore and director of gallery Chan Hori Contemporary. A key figure in promoting artist development and bringing the gallery community together, both in Singapore and across Southeast Asia, he has also been deputy director of artistic programming at Palais de Tokyo in Paris, senior curator at the Singapore Art Museum, and senior curator for Singapore’s National Heritage Board.

Profession: Poet

Location: Singapore 

Impact statement: Shaking up Singaporean poetry with an uncompromising attitude and a no holds barred approach

Poet Marylyn Tan is breaking down all sorts of barriers in Singapore’s literary scene. The first woman to win the Singapore Literature Prize for English poetry in its 28 year history, she is known for her iconoclastic, witty, outspoken take on subjects including gender politics, and consistently shows a willingness to take on taboo subjects, many of them sexual and religious. A former stand-up comic, she is also the founder of arts collective Dis/Content.

Profession: Record producer and songwriter

Location: Singapore

Impact statement: The man behind some of the biggest hit records anywhere

Record producer and songwriter Tat Tong has contributed to songs that have charted at number one in 66 countries and gone platinum 60 times; he’s also been responsible for 11 number one hits in Asia. The Singapore-born, Los Angeles-based member of production and songwriting duo The Swaggernautz wrote and co-produced Luis Fonsi’s Apaga La Luz, which was nominated for a Grammy in 2020, as well as creating the Mandarin remix of Fonsi’s 2017 smash Despacito.

Profession: Sculptor

Location: Taiwan

Impact statement: A titan of Asian contemporary culture with an outsize public presence in Taiwan

Taiwan’s best known artist, sculptor Ju Ming’s work doesn’t just grace the collections of museums around world, as well as numerous public locations on the island; he’s also eminent enough to have his own museum, located just outside Taipei. Working across a range of media, most prominently bronze, he is known for monumental sculptures that blur the boundary between figuration and abstraction, rendering the human form in giant, solid pieces that are simultaneously blocky and kinetic.

Profession: Artist, designer, engineer and VR visualiser

Location: Taiwan

Impact statement: A multimedia Renaissance Man who's visualising the future of VR

Operating at the junction of artistic imagination and technological innovation, Huang Hsin-Chien is, along other things, an artist, designer, engineer and VR visualiser. With Storynest, his ecosystem of creative people, he creates hybrid multimedia presentations that include elements of storytelling, music and photography. A former art director at Sega and Sony, he won the inaugural Best Virtual Reality Experience category at the 2017 Venice Film Awards, alongside his collaborator, leading US experimental artist Laurie Anderson.

Profession: Filmmaker

Location: Taiwan

Impact statement: Taiwan's best known filmmaker is also its most highly regarded

Combining critical acclaim with blockbuster appeal, Taiwanese filmmaker Wei Te-sheng is noted for his honest, thought-provoking depictions of a wide variety of aspects of Taiwanese culture. Probably his best known work is Cape No 7 (2008), which remains Taiwan’s highest grossing film domestically and the second highest grossing Taiwanese film globally. It also won five Golden Horse Awards, with his 2011 historical drama Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale adding a further three, including best film.

Profession: Artist, novelist, poet and non-fiction writer

Location: Taiwan

Impact statement: Constantly agitating for the importance of art and culture

A multifaceted cultural figure, popular across the Chinese-speaking world, Chiang Hsun is an artist, novelist, poet and non-fiction writer. He is perhaps best known as a passionate advocate for the importance of art and culture and their role in Taiwanese society, travelling around the island to argue in favour of its central in education. A champion of traditional Chinese aesthetics as well as western approaches, he has also written extensively on art history and theory.

Profession: Cellist

Location: US

Impact statement: A breakout classical music star also known for his haunting film soundtracks

Already a star in the classical music world, cellist Yo-Yo Ma was catapulted to mainstream fame by his role performing music for his movie soundtracks—in particular, those of Seven Years in Tibet (1997) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). He has performed with just about every major orchestra in the world, as well as in an eclectic range of other musical styles. In a career spanning more than 90 albums, he has won 18 Grammy Awards.

Profession: Performer and owner, Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Culture Group

Location: Taiwan

Impact statement: Keeping the traditions of Taiwanese opera relevant for new generations

The star performer and owner of biggest Taiwanese opera troupe, Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Culture Group, Sun Tsui-feng and Chen Sheng Fu are known for an avant-garde style that honours the traditions of the form while updating it with innovative staging and elements of dance, acrobatics and fine art. Founded by Chen’s father, Ming Hwa Yuan has been popularising Taiwanese opera since 1929. Sun is equally known for her extensive TV and film work.

Profession: CEO, Big Hit Entertainment

Location: South Korea

Impact statement: Musical impresario and entertainment industry giant behind the career of BTS, among others

One of the key figures in Korea’s rise to global cultural supremacy, Bang Si-hyuk is the founder and owner of Big Hit Entertainment, the company behind numerous South Korean musical stars—but, most of all, BTS. Known as Hitman Bang, he worked for many years before launching Big Hit as a songwriter and producer for rival group JYP. In 2020, his company’s IPO made him the first billionaire in the South Korean entertainment industry.

Profession: Artist

Location: Japan

Impact statement: The man who has defined and shaped the aesthetic of much contemporary art, in Japan and beyond

Among Japan’s most influential contemporary artists, Takashi Murakami mixes traditional high art styles with a pop culture aesthetic. He is noted for his repeated use sinister-cute figures, mushrooms, flowers and skulls, rendered in bright, glossy, cartoonish colours; he came up with the term “superflat” to describe both his own work and broader Japanese artistic traditions. The founder of artist management company Kaikai Kiki, he has also been a keen long-term collaborator with various fashion brands.

See also: Takashi Murakami and Hublot Team Up To Create A Stunning Black Diamond Watch

Profession: Novelist

Location: Japan

Impact statement: His contemplative, restrained yet emotive, slow-burn novels have made him a global literary sensation

One of the world’s most eminent modern writers, Haruki Murakami draws on a global palette of influences to create novels that are bestsellers around the world. His novels combine a mastery of quotidian detail with exotic flights of magic realist fancy, exploring themes of stoicism, nostalgia, loneliness and connection. After breaking through in 1982 with A Wild Sheep Chase, he hit the big time with Norwegian Wood (1987) and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1995).

Profession: Filmmaker and co-founder, Studio Ghibli

Location: Japan

Impact statement: Beloved animation genius whose work has defined modern anime and set new standards for humanistic storytelling

Legendary Japanese animated filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is the director of some of the most loved anime classics of all, from Princess Mononoke (1997) to Spirited Away (2001) to Howl’s Moving Castle (2004); and is also the creative force behind Studio Ghibli, which he co-founded in 1995. Known for telling deeply humanistic, complex stories that resist simple distinctions of good and evil, he also examines humanity’s impact on the planet, and the tension between peace and violence.

See also: Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away” To Be Adapted For The Stage

Profession: Actor

Location: India

Impact statement: India's most charismatic film star, he has been the king of Bollywood for decades

A monumental presence in the modern Indian film world, Shah Rukh Khan, aka King Khan, is one of the most successful film stars anywhere. Known for blockbusters including Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), My Name Is Khan (2010) and Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012), and for taking on roles that dramatise culture clashes and the perspectives of excluded groups, he is also the owner of a business empire with entertainment and sports holdings, and a prolific philanthropist.

Profession: Ryuichi Sakamoto

Location: Japan

Impact statement: With dazzlingly eclectic electronic compositions, this is one of the people who shaped modern music

One of the world’s leading pioneers of electronic music in the late 1970s with his band Yellow Magic Orchestra, Ryuichi Sakamoto was a seminal influence on everything from techno to hip hop. A classically trained composer and ethnomusicologist who works with a global palette of sounds, he is also a solo musician, producer and composer of film scores including The Last Emperor (1987) and The Revenant (2015), winning both a Grammy and an Oscar for the former.

Profession: Musician

Location: South Korea/US

Impact statement: Synthesising cultures and musical genres to create catchy, quirky, unclassifiable sounds

Raised in both the US and South Korea, songwriter, singer, rapper and DJ Lee Yaeji’s music reflects her multicultural upbringing. She combines influences from house, pop and trap, pairing them with gently sung lyrics in both English and Korean that often take a satirical look at both cultures, as well as frankly discussing her mental health struggles. She is also known for her quirky, intimate live performances, at which guests are frequently served curry, her favourite dish.

Profession: Filmmaker

Location: Vietnam/US

Impact statement: His sensitive portrait of Bruce Lee has been the making of this documentary filmmaker

Independent filmmaker Bao Nguyen profile grew dramatically in 2020 with the release of his most acclaimed work to date, documentary Be Water, which used archive footage to weave an intimate portrait of Bruce Lee. The director, producer and cinematographer previously distilled the history of US TV classic Saturday Night Live into his debut documentary Live From New York (2015). He’s also an in-demand commercial director who has worked for brands including Google, Amnesty International and Coca-Cola.

Profession: Poet

Location: India

Impact statement: India's most celebrated poet, and a vital voice for reason and toleration

Steeped in the history of classical Urdu poetry, Javed Akhtar’s stirring, emotive work has made him the most famous and beloved poet in India. A former screenplay writer and lyricist, he comes from a dynasty of writers and political figures that stretches back seven generations. He is a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India’s parliament, and is also active as a social activist for causes including human rights and secularism.

Profession: Musician

Location: Pakistan

Impact statement: One of the world's most electrifying musical performers, this singer is continuing a centuries-old tradition

From a family immersed in music for 600 years, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has had a global impact as a master of Pakistan’s qawwali devotional music, among other styles. He follows in the footsteps of his uncle, the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who popularised the form around the world, and whose troupe he joined aged 15 after eight years of training, eventually becoming his appointed successor. His voice also graces numerous Pakistani and Indian films.

Profession: Actor

Location: India

Impact statement: Bollywood's biggest breakout superstar has proved her staying power

The biggest Bollywood name globally, Priyanka Chopra has been at the very top of Indian cinema for nearly two decades. A versatile actor happy to take on challenging, sometimes unsympathetic roles, she is the winner of five Filmfare Awards, the Indian Oscars. A former beauty queen who was Miss World in 2000, she also has a successful international career as a singer, and is a vocal advocate for issues including women’s rights and the environment.

Profession: Author

Location: US/South Korea

Impact statement: Her eye for detail and ear for dialogue have made her the pre-eminent chronicler of expat lives

A perceptive, witty delineator of personal relationships, Hong Kong-born Korean-American author Janice Y K Lee made her name with her debut novel The Piano Teacher (2009), a runaway commercial smash set in 1940s and 50s Hong Kong that has been translated into 26 languages. Her follow-up, The Expatriates (2016), a story of the claustrophobic lives of Hong Kong expats, has been picked up by Nicole Kidman’s production company Blossom Films for a forthcoming TV adaptation.

Profession: Cartoonist

Location: Malaysia

Impact statement: A cartoonist who distils the essence of Malaysian life into his work

A Malaysian icon, cartoonist Lat, real name Datuk Mohammad Nor, creates work that resonates with every echelon of the country’s society. Famed for his portrayals of ordinary people and his ability to capture the rhythms of everyday Malaysian life, he deals with social and political issues in a light, humorous way, employing a gentle, subtle tone and avoiding offence. He has published more than 20 volumes of cartoons, the first when he was just 13.

Profession: Artist

Location: China

Impact statement: Gunpowder is the unlikely muse of one of China's most celebrated contemporary artists

With a practice that encompasses drawing, installation, video and performance, Cai Guo-Qiang produces work that is both conceptually satisfying and ravishingly beautiful. He grew up during the Cultural Revolution listening to frequent gunpowder explosions, and subsequently adopted it as one of his key media, using it in paintings but also in the spectacular explosions that have become his trademark. Among the numerous awards he has won, he received the Golden Lion at the 1999 Venice Biennale.

Profession: Chen Kaige

Location: China

Impact statement: Spectacular yet intimate, his work has helped define a generation of Chinese cinema

Famed for combining magnificent visual spectacles with a compassionate tone and a focus on individual struggles, filmmaker Chen Kaige caused an instant revolution in Chinese cinema with his visually rich debut, historical tale Yellow Earth (1984). Then made a huge splash globally with Farewell My Concubine (1993), which won him the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and subsequent casting his lens over ancient imperial history in The Emperor and the Assassin (1998).

Profession: Author

Location: China

Impact statement: The author who has done most to shape contemporary Chinese science-fiction

The leading science fiction writer in China, Liu Cixin is a nine-time winner of the Galaxy Award, the country’s top sci-fi gong. Often described as China’s first cyberpunk author, he is recognised for crafting a distinctively Chinese form of sci-fi. His best known work is his Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy, the first book of which, The Three-Body Problem (2008), was translated in 2014, and won the Hugo Award, the premier global sci-fi prize, in 2015.

Profession: Actor

Location: Singapore

Impact statement: The star of numerous recent celluloid classics, and the face of a generation of Chinese cinema

One of China’s finest acting talents, Gong Li is famed for her sensitive, powerful portrayals of modern, independent women. She has won numerous accolades for her starring roles in both Chinese and overseas productions, after first becoming famous for her work with Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, especially in Red Sorghum (1987), Raise the Red Lantern (1991) and Farewell My Concubine (1993). Her biggest Hollywood role was in 2005’s Memoirs of a Geisha.

Profession: Filmmaker

Location: Hong Kong

Impact statement: Mr Action has redefined the genre, in Hong Kong and Hollywood alike

With his balletic, noirish, hyper-kinetic action movies, John Woo has brought a new level of stylised beauty and spectacle to the genre. Influenced by wuxia and American westerns alike, and combining the theatrics with emotional character studies, he made his name in Hong Kong action thrillers, kicking off the entire heroic bloodshed genre with 1986’s A Better Tomorrow, before breaking out in Hollywood with the likes of Face/Off (1997) and Mission: Impossible 2 (2000).

See also: 10 Hong Kong Film Directors You Should Know

Profession: Filmmaker

Location: Hong Kong

Impact statement: Hong Kong's most revered filmmaker, and a global arthouse favourite

The auteur’s auteur, Wong Kar-wai has consistently been one of the world’s most acclaimed arthouse film directors for three decades, while also attracting plenty of popular success. His poignant, romantic, deeply atmospheric, colour-saturated, visually ravishing films have long been festival and award favourites: Happy Together (1997) won him best director at the Cannes Film Festival, while his other critically acclaimed works include Chungking Express (1994), In the Mood for Love (2000) and The Grandmaster (2014).

See also: Wong Kar-Wai Backs $33 Million Revival Plan For The Hong Kong Film Industry

Profession: Actor

Location: Hong Kong

Impact statement: The coolest actor on the planet

One of the world’s most charismatic film stars, Chow Yun Fat became a household name in his native Hong Kong with his performances in numerous action classics, beginning with A Better Tomorrow (1986). He then found international fame with the likes of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007). From a modest background, he is famous for his modest lifestyle, and says he plans to donate his fortune to charity.

See also: The Most Iconic Hong Kong Actors And Actresses—And All The Classic Local Movies You Should Know About

Profession: Artist and musician

Location: Indonesia

Impact statement: A seminal influence on modern Indonesian performance art, music and dance

A musician, artist and promoter of the arts, Guruh Soekarnoputra most certainly didn’t join the family business: his father was Soekarno, Indonesia’s first president. One of the people who built the foundations of Indonesian modern performance art, fusing it with traditional elements, he is also a prolific choreographer. He made an impact as a musician with his Guruh Gipsy project in the 1970s, which brought numerous stars together and combined traditional Indonesian and western music.

Profession: Dancer

Location: Taiwan

Impact statement: One of the most tireless proponents of contemporary dance, and a giant of Taiwanese culture

A towering figure in Taiwanese cultural circles and in contemporary dance around the world, Lin Hwai-min established Cloud Gate Dance Theater, one of its most critically acclaimed contemporary dance troupes, serving as its artistic director from 1973 to 2019. His innovative work bases modern dance in local cultural traditions and folklore, and incorporates elements of ballet and martial arts. Cloud Gate have also been important popularisers of contemporary dance, touring the world extensively for decades.