Artist Jasmin Sian creates intricate drawings and cutouts on found materials like deli bags, using lacquer, ink, and graphite to depict animals and everyday scenes. Her work, which honors the existence of all living things great and small, is featured in the Whitney Biennial 2026 at the Whitney Museum of American Art through August 23, 2026. Sian, who grew up on the island of Leyte in the Philippines, brings a reverence for nature and humble subjects into her diminutive pieces, often accompanied by a magnifying glass for viewers to appreciate their detail.
Sian's inclusion in the Whitney Biennial 2026 marks a significant platform for her unique practice, which challenges the notion that art must be large to be impactful. By using discarded materials and focusing on small, personal subjects like her cat Mengmeng, she elevates the everyday and underscores the value of all living things. Her work resonates with broader conversations about sustainability, attention to detail, and the spiritual dimensions of art-making, reflecting a growing appreciation for intimate, handcrafted works in contemporary art.