MANILA - A Filipino artist won the grand prize at the XIII Florence Biennale 2021 in Italy.

Michael Garcia Villagante bested 400 other artists from 65 countries who showcased 1,000 artworks.

"Ang Pagtahan" was inspired by his wife and child, Villagante said.

"'Yung pagtahan na yun, yung kalong ng ina yung baby, yung pagpikit ng bata, yun yung parang naging ano ko, parang wala nang sakit. Wala nang mananakit sa kalikasan," he told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo on Sunday.

(The ceasing of crying, when a mother holds a baby...it's like all the hurt has stopped. No one will hurt the environment anymore.)

"Dun sa bandang baba, yung limang lalaki, parang yun yung nagre-represent ng 5 kontinento. Yung puso sa ibabaw ng lalaki, yun ang nagre-represent ng bansa."

(The 5 men below them represents the 5 continents. The heart above them represents the country.)

Villagante, who was invited to the art show, said he previously worked as a graphic designer.

"Nagde-design po (ako) ng damit. Nung pandemic, 'di na po ako nakapagtuloy sa work. 'Yung company, nawala na rin," he said.

(I used to design clothes. When the pandemic hit, work stopped. The company I worked for also closed.)

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts funded his travel, he added.