Maribel Magpoc

Maribel Magpoc is a full-time artist who graduated from the Technological University of the Philippines. She is a member of the collective Room One Eleven and is well known for her advocacy to raise awareness about Down-syndrome. She aspires to make known to her audience that having a disability is not a hindrance in living life and grabbing opportunities. Magpoc takes inspiration from her sister, Mariel, who has down syndrome

In her works, the story usually seems as if life is frozen in time. Her main subject is usually her sister in her everyday routines and scenarios. She consciously revolves around this concept to call on the formation of equal rights and treatment for people who have disabilities. The images that Magpoc paints, depict her sister in the normal day-to-day scene that mirrors what the rest of us are doing. She creates the story of irregularity where the capacity to live, survive, and thrive physically, emotionally, and mentally is redefined.

Magpoc created Extra Chromosome to increase public awareness about people living with this condition. Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome in their DNA. The extra copy changes how the baby’s body and brain develop, which causes both mental and physical challenges for the baby. Even when people with Down syndrome might act and have similar features to people without it, each person has a variety of capabilities.

Maribel aims to show how people with this condition are able to manage daily life, to give people a better understanding of their condition, and to share the real stories and information behind those misconceptions. Magpoc wants to set a reminder that despite the limitations on mobility, people with down syndrome are also capable of growing and flourishing.