Lynda Lorraine is a British Anglo-Filipina contemporary artist, filmmaker and creative educator whose practice spans portraiture, installation, movement and film. Based in London, her work amplifies the voices of the Filipino diaspora, dismantling stereotypes and reclaiming erased histories through memory, myth-making and cultural reconnection. As founder of Lynda Lorraine Studio, she bridges art, education and community through commissions, film production, panel series and collaborative cultural projects that centre inclusivity, dialogue and visibility. Recent projects include Hidden (Royal College of Art), Heart of the Nation (Migration Museum), and Common Threads, a 2025 collaboration with Angel Vianne spotlighting emerging Asian creatives in London. Through its panel dialogues, visual branding and storytelling, Common Threads created a safe and celebratory space for culture, identity and shared heritage, embodying Lorraine’s commitment to community-led creativity. Alongside her ongoing role with Maharlika UK Filipino Artists and her postgraduate study in Creative Education at the Royal College of Art, she continues to transform visual traditions into acts of resistance, acceptance and renewal.  In this conversation with CNTRFLD.ART, Lorraine reflects on her heritage, creative journey, and the intersections of art, identity and diaspora in her practice.

"Navigating the contemporary art world as a woman of mixed heritage brings challenges: visibility, cultural translation, disconnection, and the pressure to access platforms without tokenism or compromising authenticity. These experiences have clarified my role in creating space for intersectional, diasporic stories that are often overlooked."—Lynda Lorraine.

CNTRFLD. You began your creative journey in fashion before moving into contemporary art and filmmaking.  Looking back, how did your upbringing and heritage as a British Anglo-Filipina shape that path, and what inspired the transition across disciplines?  Were there early influences—family, cultural traditions, or mentors—that sparked your interest in creativity?

LL. Growing up British Anglo-Filipina gave me a dual lens on culture, aesthetics and storytelling. My childhood was steeped in the textures, sounds and rhythms of Filipino family life alongside British cultural and historical influences. Nurturing a curiosity for contradiction, overlap and experimentation. Fashion became my first formal medium of self-expression, teaching me about materiality, performance and narrative through the sculpting of and around the body. Alongside this, I continued life drawing and photography from my formative years, so moving into contemporary art and filmmaking felt like a natural extension of translating lived experience into visual work. I wanted to explore identity, memory and belonging on a broader canvas. Where narrative, performance and image could intersect more fluidly and reach wider audiences. Early influences came from family storytelling, my British father’s accounts of early 20^th century life contrasted with my mother’s stories of the Philippines, often told through food and living culture. The resilience, improvisation and ceremony inherent in diaspora life shaped my experimental approach. Equally formative were mentors: from my school art teacher Bruce Tompkinson, who first opened the world of fine art, classical artists and galleries to me. To Louise Wilson, Course Director of my MA in Fashion at Central Saint Martins, whose fierce approach to life, purpose and artistry deeply influenced my practice. Ultimately, my time working at the Royal College of Art since moving into contemporary art and filmmaking taught me to embrace hybridity using experimentation across disciplines as a way of inquiring into self and community

simultaneously, and recognising art as both a sustainable creative force and a way of living.

CNTRFLD. As a second-generation Filipina growing up in the UK, how have questions of identity, belonging, and diaspora informed your work? Do you find these themes shifting as your practice evolves?

LL. Questions of identity and diaspora are at the core of my practice. Growing up across multiple cultural contexts, family memory, language, belonging, the sense of ‘home’ and heritage were always entangled with contemporary experience. My father’s passion for British history contrasted with my mother’s perseverance,

sacrifice and resilience as an economic immigrant, navigating life far from the culture and family that shaped her.  Early projects explored these personal and family histories: displacement, migration and memory. Over time, my work has expanded to address broader questions of self-agency within a Western-centric global cultural landscape, drawing on pre-colonial traditions and mythologies as counterpoints to colonial narratives.  Alongside this, I have developed community-based and educational projects, exploring how self-agency and shared storytelling can foster dialogue across difference. Experimentation with language and indigenous Filipino concepts is a central tool for both self-expression and connection with audiences.  I see my practice as both personal and collective: documenting the shifting nature of diasporic identity across generations while creating spaces for reflection on contemporary histories. Making and sharing become acts of cultural preservation and creative innovation, shaping new forms of institutional storytelling and expanding my role in cultural translation.

CNTRFLD. What has your experience been as a woman of mixed heritage navigating the contemporary art world, and how do you see your role in reshaping narratives within western-centric spaces? Are there challenges you’ve faced, or moments of breakthrough, that stand out?

LL. Navigating the contemporary art world as a woman of mixed heritage brings challenges: visibility, cultural translation, disconnection, and the pressure to access platforms without tokenism or compromising authenticity. These experiences have clarified my role in creating space for intersectional, diasporic stories that are often overlooked. At times, I benefit from privileges tied to whiteness that grant access my kababayan [compatriots] may not have, while simultaneously facing suspicion and barriers for not fitting dominant ideas of whiteness. This tension revealed how Western narratives dominate contemporary art, often silencing or marginalising mixed-heritage and diasporic voices even when we are present at the table. Breakthroughs come when projects resonate beyond my own experience. Such as the Hidden and Heart of the Nation exhibits I participated in. Where audiences connected with the artworks’ themes of memory, migration and family history. Validating authenticity over conformity. Increasingly I hear from members of the Filipino diaspora, both online and in person, who express the joy of seeing themselves reflected in my work. These messages are deeply affirming, but they also carry grief for what has been erased or rebuilt under cultural and lived brutality.  These moments drive me to keep building my studio and creative practice as a platform for cross-cultural storytelling. Spaces where intersectional identities can be seen, heard and celebrated on their own terms.

CNTRFLD. Through Lynda Lorraine Studio, you’ve created a platform that bridges art, education, and community.  What do you see as the most important role of the studio in fostering dialogue, cultural reconnection, and self-expression? Could you share an example of a project or collaboration where you saw that vision come alive?

LL. Lynda Lorraine Studio acts as a laboratory for interdisciplinary practice, combining commissioned art, performance and film with pedagogy rooted in identity and memory. At its core is the belief that creative practice can empower participants, especially for diasporic artists, to connect heritage, language and personal history. Reclaim erased narratives and transform visual traditions into acts of visibility and reconnection. The most rewarding moments come when participants uncover and express their own stories on their own terms, rather than shaping them to fit expectations or safety. For example, a recent hybrid workshop I designed and facilitated invited members of London’s Filipino community to experiment with sound, text and visual storytelling in both native and adopted languages. By the end they had co-created performances and installations that were at once deeply personal and collectively resonant. Embodying the Studio’s mission to bridge education, art and community. Alongside this, my postgraduate study on the PG Cert in Creative Education at the Royal College of Art informs the Studio’s approach. Through the ‘Experiments in Learning’ module, I am developing an accessible, decolonial pedagogy that draws on indigenous Filipino psychology, self-agency and the power of spoken and visual language as tools for empowerment.

CNTRFLD. You’ve spoken about education as a cornerstone of your practice, particularly empowering those of diasporic identity. How do you bring decolonial frameworks and creative exploration into learning environments? Have you noticed any shifts in how students or participants respond when they’re given that space to explore identity?

LL. Decolonial frameworks are embedded in my teaching through language, indigenous Filipino concepts and narrative exploration. I encourage students to interrogate histories, memory and identity while experimenting across disciplines. When participants are given space to explore their own cultural or diasporic narratives, after initial hesitance they often respond with confidence, originality and joy. These processes spark self-discovery and community dialogue, showing how creative exploration can be a powerful tool for empowerment. In this way, Lynda Lorraine Studio functions as a safe zone for experimentation. Blending critical thinking with creative freedom and offering nurturing spaces to those who may not traditionally have access to them.

CNTRFLD. You recently co-produced Common Threads with Angel Vianne, creating a space for Asian creatives in London. What were the most powerful moments of that project for you, and what conversations or connections stayed with you? Do you see Common Threads growing into something long-term?

LL. Common Threads was a powerful project because it created space for Asian creatives in London to share, connect, collaborate and reflect collectively on identity rather than emphasising differences, as so often happens in today’s divisive cultural climate. It showcased commonalities, cultural pride and nuanced stories. A highlight was the two live panel sessions where participants’ narratives intertwined with visual presentations of their creative work. Embodying the project’s ethos of community, visibility and shared heritage. Founder Angel Vianne and I share several core values around fostering safe, supportive creative spaces where emerging artists can gain confidence through collaboration and shared learning. This shared vision led to our recent collaboration on the launch event for Common Threads.  Looking ahead, Angel says that Common Threads aims to spotlight a new wave of artists across creative industries through online forums, recorded discussions and large-scale showcases. Her ambition is to extend the platform beyond the UK to the Philippines, introducing new challenges of navigating cultural and economic differences while discovering artists within that region. With Lynda Lorraine Studio committed to building cross-cultural connections between the UK, the Philippines and the wider diaspora, there is potential for ongoing collaboration.

CNTRFLD. Your exhibitions, Hidden at the RCA and Heart of the Nation with the Migration Museum, both touch deeply on themes of memory, displacement, and family histories. How did those projects challenge you personally and creatively? Was there a moment during those projects when the stories felt especially close to home?

LL. Hidden at the Royal College of Art and Heart of the Nation with the Migration Museum projects were both emotionally and creatively intense, as they required me to translate family histories and migration narratives into immersive visual forms. Balancing personal intimacy with public accessibility. One of the most powerful moments was hearing audience members recognise aspects of their own diasporic experience in the work. Their responses affirmed the role of shared cultural memory and universal human stories, reinforcing my belief that art can bridge personal memory with collective understanding. For diasporic communities where isolation is common, these exchanges offered something more: a reminder that we are not alone. Through expressing these stories, we begin to build belonging, courage and self-agency in our identities and creative expression.

CNTRFLD. You’re part of the upcoming Maharlika UK Filipino Artists presentation. Could you share what you’re working on for that, and how collaboration within the Filipino diaspora in the UK shapes your vision?  What does being part of a collective like Maharlika bring that differs from your solo practice?

LL. Being part of Maharlika for me emphasises collective storytelling and cultural solidarity. Collaboration that fosters shared knowledge, experimentation and representation that differs from solo practice. Creating layered, intergenerational narratives. The 4th Wave Maharlika commission enables me to expand my ongoing themes of ‘modern mythology’ and ‘power and protection’ by reimagining classical and indigenous arts together. I explore what Filipino paintings, artefacts and sculpture might look like had our history not been interrupted by Spanish and American colonialism. As if the Philippine Kingdom stood alongside these nations in galleries and museums as the powerful trading region it once was before systemic erasure, domination and extraction. The project also strengthens my commitment to community-building and pedagogy. Centring participation, dialogue and co-creation within the Filipino diaspora. Moving from the isolation of solo practice, long the norm for many diaspora creators, into collective practice adds nuance and depth. Working in community with kin who share lived experience creates a rare environment of safety, without competition or the need to explain oneself. For many of us, this is the first time we have been able to simply to ‘be’ without judgment or comparison. In this way, collective practice allows shared storytelling, knowledge exchange and mutual visibility. Complementing and expanding my solo work.

CNTRFLD. Are there any other forthcoming projects or themes you’re excited to explore in your practice—perhaps new directions in film, installation, or community-led initiatives? Are there particular ideas or materials you’re drawn to right now?

LL. I am excited to expand immersive workshops and Studio School experiments, integrating performance, film, multi-sensory installation and participatory storytelling. Materially, I am drawn to developing both small and large-scale metal sculpture, as well as pushing installation into larger spatial works and eventually, sound and hybrid digital-physical experiences. Building on my work with Veil, an exhibition piece I developed which explores the changing and sometimes obscure and misunderstood nature of global culture, global families and second-generation immigrant identities: I aim to invite participants directly into the making and embodying process, reflecting the Studio’s mission and my commitment to collaborative decolonial pedagogy. The latest Studio project begins with two documentary shorts profiling modern Filipinos in London whose unique and pioneering projects and creative expression challenge destructive stereotypes that frame us only as healthcare workers, housemaids, sweatshop labourers or mail-order brides. I am particularly excited about this series, as the outcomes have already exceeded my initial vision. As part of this series, I also shot and directed a film with the founder of Filipino Creatives UK Michelle Cuvos, documenting her first event celebrating and connecting Filipino creatives and entertainers in the UK. This piece continues my exploration of documentary-style moving image as a tool for storytelling and visibility. Alongside this, I plan to delve deeper into Filipino film archiving partnerships as well as launch a new strand of my creative education practice. Laying the groundwork for a Studio School designed for diasporic communities and those traditionally excluded or intimidated by formal art education and spaces. Centred on self-agency and authentic expression through language and the visual arts, the school will be rooted in kapwa. Which is a Filipino value of shared identity and mutual care, while empowering students to draw on their own lived experience, expression and voice.

CNTRFLD. For those who are beginning their creative journey—particularly young women and diasporic artists navigating questions of identity—what advice would you give about building a sustainable, authentic practice? Is there something you wish you’d known earlier in your own journey?

LL. My advice for those beginning their creative journey would be to prioritise authenticity over prevailing trends. Your unique perspective is your greatest asset, and people will be naturally drawn to it. Document your experiments and reflect regularly, even small workshops or projects matter. If existing platforms don’t serve you, create your own. As I have with Lynda Lorraine Studio. Embrace iteration and failure as essential to learning and building a sustainable practice. Seek out community, mentorship and creative dialogue. Though it may take time to find the right ones, those relationships will enrich your work, your life and your ability to navigate complex cultural and institutional spaces.  On a practical level, never underestimate the importance of a consistent income. Without resources to cover life’s basics, many creatives lose their self-agency in order to survive. I’ve experienced this first-hand and have witnessed it happen to countless others. Many artists rely on ‘day jobs’, and if you can find one in creative or inspiring environments, all the better. As this seemingly mundane existence feeds directly back into your creative practice. It takes time to build sustainability, but the pillars that have carried me through the inevitable peaks and troughs are reliable income, supportive community, strong mentorship and genuine cultural exploration. Together, they’ve given me the resilience and tools to grow as an artist.

About the artist.

Lynda Lorraine (she/her/they) is a British Anglo-Filipina contemporary artist, filmmaker and creative educator based in London. Working across portraiture, textiles, installation, movement and film, her interdisciplinary practice amplifies the voices of the Filipino diaspora, dismantling stereotypes and reclaiming erased histories through memory, myth-making and cultural reconnection. Founder of Lynda Lorraine Studio, she bridges contemporary art, education and community through commissions, film production, panel series and collaborative cultural projects that centre inclusivity, dialogue and visibility. Currently completing the PG Cert in Creative Education at the Royal College of Art, Lorraine integrates decolonial pedagogy, feminist thought and diaspora as a framework for creative learning, mentoring emerging artists and facilitating spaces of self-expression and collective healing. Recent projects include Hidden (Royal College of Art, 2024), Heart of the Nation (Migration Museum, 2023–24), and Common Threads (with Angel Vianne, 2025), alongside her ongoing role with Maharlika UK Filipino Artists. Through her work, Lorraine transforms visual traditions into acts of resistance, acceptance and cultural renewal, creating spaces where personal and collective histories are vibrantly and unapologetically seen.

With thanks to Angel Vianne for facilitating this interview.