About Us

At ICARUS, the process of creating art is in direct conversation with place. The history of the land, the movement of the tides, the sound of the wind through the trees, all of it nourishes and informs the artist’s practice. At Icarus, we believe that art is not separate from its environment, but intricately shaped by it. We hope that the landscape will not only inspire but actively transform the way artists think, make, and reflect.

Artists are invited to slow down and take in the shifting rhythms of the island. The residency home faces the ocean, nestled within a breathtaking landscape. From sunrise to nightfall, the view transforms, offering moments of reflection, awe, and renewal. We encourage artists to wander the island, to follow its trails, and to walk to the nearby village, where community life unfolds with warmth and openness.

There are many ways to engage with the local community: through school performances, spontaneous gatherings, shared meals, and dance nights under the stars. This residency is not only a place for creation, but also a space for exchange, reciprocity, and connection with nature, with people, and with one’s own artistic voice.

Our Team

Dennis Valdes

Founder

Ari Turalba

Program Manager

Macy Castañeda Lee

Josephine Turalba

Artistic Director
Program Curator

Get to Know Our Team

  • Dennis is not only a skilled accountant by profession but also a passionate ocean enthusiast. Born and raised on the breathtaking island of Coron, Dennis developed his love for creativity and curiosity about art while immersed in the rhythms of the ocean and the ancestral lands of the Tagbanwa people. His deep connection to nature and heritage forms the foundation of his artistic vision. Dennis has a strong passion for photography. Through his lens, he communicates stories of reality. For him, each image becomes a trace of the life he witnesses, the love that binds people, the strength of community, and the delicate rhythms of the ecosystem that holds his days. Through his photographs, he not only expresses himself but also invites others to see and feel the reality he lives within.

  • Josephine Turalba is a Filipina interdisciplinary artist based in Manila. She explores sociopolitical narratives, myths, and personal histories through performance, installation, video, tapestry, photography, and painting, addressing themes of divide and convergence.

    Turalba’s exhibitions include the 10th Nakanojo Biennale, Art Basel Hong Kong 2025, the 2016 London Biennale, European Cultural Center (concurrent with the 56th Venice Biennale), 12th Cairo Biennale, Arter Space Istanbul, and Cultural Center of the Philippines. 

    She is currently the Director of the Artistic Research Center at Philippine Women’s University and a Research Fellow at the MIT Future Heritage Lab. She holds an MFA in New Media and MA in Artistic Research.

  • Macy Castañeda Lee is a non-binary Filipino photographer, organiser, public speaker, and curator. They were born and raised all over Southeast Asia. In their work they focus on psychology, mental health, social justice, and education advocacy. Macy founded the Philippine non-profit Talang Dalisay, and a moving photography gallery & workshop space around the world, Worlds Through Minds.

    They hold a double BA in Psychology & International Relations from the University of California and is an alumni of the International Center of Photography’s Documentary and Visual Journalism Program. They speak five languages.

  • Ari Turalba is a Manila-Based Artist, Filmmaker and Designer. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Film Production and Master’s in International Film Business, her latest work was as an Associate Producer on Filipiñana (2026) which premiered at Sundance. In addition to her practice, she manages community art projects and residencies. Such projects include Project Panatag: The Subjective Atlas of the Philippines and the Icarus Residency.


    Through her film projects she explores themes of personal histories, identities, and family stories. While her Master’s dissertation focused on the development of Philippine film distribution infrastructure with a critical essay on national identity relating to national cinema. Her practice continues to expand through various curatorial, design and community art projects. 

Dennis Valdes, Founder

“I think art holds tremendous value. Of course, it can be used to make a space more beautiful, but beyond that, it gives people the freedom to express themselves in ways that words sometimes can’t. Having something tangible, whether a painting, a sculpture, or any other form of creation, becomes a powerful expression of who they are.”

About the Founder

Born and raised on the breathtaking island of Coron, Dennis Valdes developed his love for creativity and curiosity about art while immersed in the rhythms of the ocean and the ancestral lands of the Tagbanwa people. His deep connection to nature and heritage forms the foundation of his artistic vision. Dennis has a strong passion for photography. Through his lens, he communicates stories of reality. For him, each image becomes a trace of the life he witnesses, the love that binds people, the strength of community, and the delicate rhythms of the ecosystem that holds his days. Through his photographs, he not only expresses himself but also invites others to see and feel the reality he lives within.

Driven by this passion, he opened the doors of his property to artists from across the Philippines and around the world. His dream has always been to create a space where artists can gather, reflect, and be inspired by the island’s rich ecosystem. With a profound respect for Mother Nature and the local community, he envisions this residency as a place where artistic exchange and environmental awareness come together, nurturing creativity, dialogue, and connection in harmony with the land.

Dennis dreams of artists moving with the rhythms of the island, listening to the land, the ocean, and the community, and allowing their work to grow from that encounter. “I want the young people of the village to see that life holds more than the repetition of fishing. That they can dream, aspire, and discover that art is itself a possibility.” To spark this imagination in the next generation is one of his deepest hopes.