INI-ININ opens at NCCA Gallery, reflects on Gen Z adulthood shaped by the pandemic

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Gallery formally opened INI-ININ on April 6, 2026, presenting a compelling exhibition by Butil Collective. On view until April 30, the exhibit reflects on the lived realities of Generation Z as they entered adulthood during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bringing together a group of young artists bound by shared experience, INI-ININ features a diverse range of works, including paintings in varying styles, stoneware pieces, sculptures, and didactic materials. With the idea of “elsewhere” at the center of the exhibit, the exhibit turns into a conceptual space that captures the artists’ sense of dislocation during a period marked by uncertainty and disruption – a notion closely tied to pag-inin, a Filipino concept describing a state of in-between-ness, of transition.

In his opening remarks, Vernon Perez emphasized this core idea, describing inin as a state “where one is no longer who they were, yet not quite who they are becoming.” Drawing from the metaphor of rice that is neither fully cooked nor raw, the exhibition reflects how many young people found themselves navigating unfamiliar emotional and social landscapes during and after the pandemic. For many Gen Zs, time appeared suspended, only to resume abruptly, leaving them to confront a reality that felt both overwhelming and unresolved.

Participating artists Andree Tiongson, Angelica Jacoba, Asaliah, Chesca Hernandez, Carlos Villaluz, Galan Maigue, Georgina Pomarejos, Jea Gavina, Kalila Camilon, Rya Contreras, and Sophia Sotolomba each contribute works that reflect personal narratives and evolving identities. Collectively, their pieces form a layered portrait of introspection, memory, and shared generational experience.

As audiences move through the exhibition, the works invite reflection and connection, bridging individual stories with broader social realities. Contreras, who also serves as the exhibition’s curator, acknowledged the role of the NCCA in supporting artists, particularly during the pandemic. She noted that institutional support has been vital in providing platforms for creative expression during a time when many artists faced significant constraints.

More than a presentation of artworks, INI-ININ stands as a response to the disruptions that shaped an entire generation. With formative years spent in isolation and mediated through screens, many young people now find themselves negotiating the aftermath of lost time and interrupted growth. Through their art, the members of Butil Collective articulate this shared condition—grappling with absence, reclaiming agency, and making meaning from a period defined by uncertainty.

Running at the NCCA Gallery, INI-ININ offers a resonant exploration of identity, transition, and the enduring impact of the pandemic on contemporary youth.