Himbon Contemporary Ilonggo Artists Group returns to SM City Iloilo for its ninth-anniversary exhibition, marking another milestone in the collective’s continuing engagement with the public and the development of contemporary art in Iloilo.

Founded in September 2017 by Gina Apostol, Marrz Capanang, Vic Fario, and Harry Mark Gonzales, Himbon emerged from a shared desire to create more opportunities for artists to exhibit their work and connect with wider audiences. Its name, derived from the Hiligaynon word for “gathering” or “coming together,” reflects the principle that has sustained the group: bringing artists into a shared space while allowing their individual practices to flourish.

SM City Iloilo has played an important role in this development. By presenting exhibitions in a commercial space frequented by diverse audiences, Himbon helped bring contemporary art beyond the conventional gallery setting and into the everyday lives of mallgoers. Its return to the venue for its ninth anniversary thus carries a significance beyond the exhibition itself, recalling a partnership that has helped the collective establish its presence in the local art scene.

Read: Himbon’s Iconography in Circular Art 

Over the years, Himbon has brought together practitioners from diverse fields, including painting, sculpture, illustration, animation, music, theater, literature, and digital art. Its membership spans emerging and established artists, educators, designers, and professionals whose varied backgrounds contribute to a collective identity grounded not in a single aesthetic, but in creative exchange and collaboration.

This diversity is reflected in its annual anniversary exhibitions, which trace the group’s evolving interests and artistic language. The series began with Full Circle in 2018, followed by Hagud-Gahud in 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the collective adapted to online exhibitions with UnMasked Pandemic Journeys, before returning to Full Circle for its fourth and fifth anniversaries in 2021 and 2022.

In 2023, Pagtilingub marked the group’s sixth anniversary, followed by Pagtililipon in 2024 and Tipulon in 2025. Across these exhibitions, the circle emerged as a recurring visual and conceptual element, offering a framework through which artists could explore individual ideas within a shared presentation. The exhibition titles, several of which draw from Hiligaynon expressions of gathering, further reflect the collective’s continuing engagement with community and togetherness.

For its ninth anniversary, the group presents Himbon, featuring works by 19 members. Returning to the collective’s own name, the exhibition places its artists and their individual practices at the center of the celebration. Their works come together not through a prescribed style, but through a shared platform that accommodates different perspectives and approaches to contemporary art.

Beyond its anniversary exhibitions, Himbon has pursued public murals, art workshops, and collaborative projects that extend its engagement with the community. These initiatives reflect the group’s role not only as an exhibition platform for its members, but also as an active participant in the growth of Iloilo’s contemporary art scene.

In July 2026, the launch of the Himbon Coffee Table Book added another milestone to the collective’s history, documenting its artists, exhibitions, and projects. The publication preserves a record of the group’s development and the collaborations that have shaped its journey over the years.

Read about the book here: Himbon Coffee Table Book: A Tangible Legacy of Artistic Excellence

The group was also among those featured in the Iloilo Art Book 2021–2022, published by the Iloilo City Government and the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc., and released in 2023. The book features a brief history of Himbon written by Tara Yap of the Manila Bulletin, an Iloilo-based journalist and advocate of journalistic ethics who is also an honorary member of the group.

Nine years on, Himbon’s return to SM City Iloilo is both a homecoming and a continuation of a relationship that has helped bring Ilonggo artists closer to the public. As the collective marks another year, its enduring strength lies in its capacity to bring different artistic voices together while making room for each to develop. True to its name, Himbon continues to gather artists and audiences around contemporary art, keeping the possibilities of collective practice open to new works, ideas, and generations.