Sean Go

Sean Go is a Filipino pop appropriation artist born in 1993. Go uses Disney characters and comic book heroes and villains to comment on societal themes including the emptiness of capitalism, perceptions of beauty, and how coloniality persists in the Philippines. Go's artistic references include Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Salvador Dali, Maurizio Cattelan, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Botticelli, Praxiteles, Ang Kiukok, and Juan Luna.

Early life and education
Prior to becoming a pop artist, Go completed seven degrees from UC Berkeley, Emory, Columbia, and the Fashion Institute of Technology. He has 4 master's degrees and 3 bachelor's degrees. His bachelor's degrees were completed in 2015, and he completed his Law and MBA degrees in 2019. His bachelor's degrees are in Business Administration, Economics, and Geography. Go finished his Master's in Real Estate Development from Columbia in 2021 and his Master of Arts in Art Market Studies from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2022. Go is currently a Master's of Art in Fashion student at Parson's School of Design in Paris.

Go has studied film at USC. Go is a graduate of the International School of Manila in the Philippines.

Go started a hedge fund, HGR Digital Asset Group in 2018. Prior to becoming an artist, Go worked at Ernst and Young, Techstars, and HSBC.

Go has shared that coming from a conservative family, art was not a field that was approved by his elders. However, the passing of his close friend to cancer shifted his perspective on what one should prioritize in life, even if it means questioning the status quo. Go has spoken about the importance of Asian representation in the arts, as creativity is not often a career track that is encouraged in traditional households. Go also hopes to use his platform to destigmatize anime and cartoon fandom culture, as childish animations was often seen as "uncool" growing up.

Career
Go has had exhibitions in the USA, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Go's work was included in the inaugural MOCAF (Modern and Contemporary Arts Festival) in Manila in 2022, by art agent Derek Flores. Go's art was also featured in Art Moments Jakarta and Indoseni's "Wave to the Moon" exhibition in 2022.

Go's work was included in the Xavier Art Festival in 2023 and in 2024.

In April 2023, Go was included as a featured artist at "Agos" an exhibit on environmental conservation in the Philippines. The show was held in Power Plant Mall in Rockwell. His works in that show featured recycled materials and paints. Go's painting, the 3 Blind-X-Mice used a unique pigment made from recycled rubber slippers, which are common footwear in the Philippines.

Go's first solo show in Manila was titled Fallacies of Fantasy and was held in Secret Fresh Gallery in Manila, Philippines in June 2023. His most recent group show was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, for Art Moments Jakarta in August 2023.

Go was included at the "Elemento" show by Arthouse at the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Manila, Philippines in November 2023 until December 2023. The show aims to provide new alternatives to painting, through sustainable materials and processes. Go was also included in Art Fair Philippines 2024, with YOD Gallery Tokyo. Go offers a fresh take on Filipino pop art, and often creates works with superheroes who are reimagined as Filipino.

Go's Humpty the Iron Egg Sculpture was displayed at the Hatch Art exhibit at the Manila Hotel. Go's work was made from acrylic paint and fiberglass.

In June 2024, Go held a solo show titled "Victory Road" in Secret Fresh Gallery, which has a Pokemon based theme. “Victory Road” takes on the themes of triumph, perseverance, and the resilience of the human spirit. The exhibit celebrates the unique paths people take. A criticism of Go's work is the potentially limited audience from using nuanced cultural references.

Go’s June 2024 Secret Fresh Solo titled “Victory Road” is about how paths that appear divergent often have more similarities with one another. It is a message of hope that uses the visual language of anime.

Work


Go uses references to toy brands such as Barbie, Playmobil, Thomas the Tank Engine, Lego, and Little Tikes. Go's works often remix combinations of pop culture such as brand logos with popular characters such as Optimus Prime from Transformers. Go also combines characters from different worlds - for example: Iron Man and Humpty Dumpty to create Humpty the Iron Egg. Go also combines Japanese anime characters with Filipino food, which include characters from Hello Kitty, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Naruto. Food is also a topic of interest for Go, particularly cuisine from the Philippines.

Go was based in New York City from 2020 to 2022 while pursuing his Master's degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology and Columbia University, and is now based in Paris, where he is studying at the Parson's School of Design. Due to his background in finance, Go often inserts capitalist critiques in his art. Go has used reference materials from Marvel, Pokémon, and Star Wars, using a satirical style. Go has often been cited to be inspired by childhood parables, popular television and movies, and Bible stories.

Go has been called the "Andy Warhol" of the Philippines because of the themes that he parodies, which often provide an analysis of how capitalism and branding is important in art. Go's works are also often child-like and sexually-charged, dealing with the themes of how beauty is ephemeral and how the way perceptions and reality interplay together affect society. Go's work also studies the fetishization of women’s bodies and the dangers of a commercial system that heavily markets sexuality and sensuality.

Go uses spray paint, colors, and crayons to communicate a child-like tone in his paintings, and to create nostalgia.

Recognition
Go's work has been featured in GQ, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, L'Officiel, Wonderland, and Esquire.

Go's collaboration with PickUP Coffee was released in December 2023, featuring the PickUP Dragon, his take on a "feel good" piece for the $130 million valuation coffee company.

Go has also collaborated with Manila Hotel and with JAG Jeans.

Personal life
Go has a vestibular balance disorder which meant that his balance was often severely off growing up. Go is a fan of martial arts and combat sports. Go has trained with UFC and Bellator champion Lyman Good, and 4X Champion and Olympic boxer Brian Viloria. Go sponsors MMA and boxing fighters, among them former WBC Latino Champion Ron "Diablo" Cruz and WBA Intercontinental champion Kareem Hackett.

Go is the founder of the UC Berkeley Club of the Philippines and serves in the executive committee.