Stories We Tell

About the Artist: Ria Unson

Ria (b. Manila, Philippines) is a Filipino American artist living and working in St. Louis, Missouri. She was born in Manila and emigrated to the United States at age 13, eventually settling in the Midwest. Unbeknownst to her, her great-grandfather was assigned to the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, following the American colonization of the Philippines. By sheer coincidence (or destiny), she moved to the historic neighborhood that once housed the Philippine Village at the Fair. It is still the occupied territory of the Osage Nation, the Missouria, and the Illini Confederacy.

Ria studied fine art at Northwestern University. Her professional training is in graphic design. She has worked in corporate America and higher education. Her art practice centers the narrative of a mixed race, post-colonial Filipino American.