Agnes Arellano was born in a prominent family of architects 1949 in San Juan, Rizal. After studying psychology at the University of the Philippines, she pursued further education, earning a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at the Ateneo de Manila. During the Martial Law era, Arellano's travels to Europe exposed her to Western art, particularly inspiring her by the works of masters like Michelangelo and Van Gogh.

Upon returning to the Philippines, Arellano delved into Fine Arts, majoring in sculpture under National Artist Napoleon Abueva in 1979, while also being influenced by conceptual artist Roberto Chabet. Since then, her surrealist and life-size expressionist sculptures, primarily in plaster, have garnered attention both locally and internationally.

Influenced by various religions, philosophies, as well as Japanese and Mexican arts, Arellano's sculptures often explore themes of the sacred and mythical, the physical and erotic, and the religious and profane. Drawing from rich personal experience and an extraordinary range of influences, she makes some of the most dramatic art in Asia. Her work emphasizes the integration of individual elements into one coherent "inscape," delving beyond surface appearances to explore the essential meaning of her subjects.

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Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights
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