Photographed by Frida Marklund for the March 2025 Issue of Vogue Philippines
Artist Aya Sunga-Askert and her daughter Astrid Askert on creativity coming full circle.
Multidisciplinary artist Aya Sunga-Askert never imposed art on her children, yet her daughter Astrid picked it up as if it were a natural inheritance; a quiet, unspoken gift shared during long Swedish winters as they sat side by side, creating together.
Life wasn’t always so idyllic for Aya. Coming from an underprivileged background in the Philippines, she learned early on that creativity was both a refuge and a tool for survival. Born with an instinct for self-expression, Aya spent her school days writing and dancing, immersing herself in every extracurricular activity that allowed her to articulate her inner world. By the time she was 16, professional modeling beckoned, a means to support her family in challenging times. “With modeling, I was able to help provide for my family,” she mused, recalling those formative years as she sat by the window of her home in Stockholm. It was the dead of winter and despite a grey, early afternoon sky, her sunny disposition shone through.
“It was during that time that I met my husband. It was a whirlwind romance, and I had Astrid pretty early, so I had to stop my modeling career at 21,” Aya recalls happily. “I always wanted my own family, so achieving that dream early on gave my life a whole new purpose. I had no regrets leaving a burgeoning career behind.”
When her now-husband first saw her, he reportedly pointed her out, declaring that she was the woman he was destined to marry. The family later moved to Australia for his job, where they were blessed with a son, before relocating to Sweden for a more stable life and better schooling for their children. Even as a young mother, Aya never let her creative spark fade. Amid the challenges of learning a new language and building a new identity abroad, she made time for art lessons, finding solace in creating for herself, without the need for external validation.
In that nurturing environment, Astrid absorbed creativity as naturally as breathing. “I was always drawing, painting, and even making comics,” Astrid reminisced with a nostalgic smile. Aya’s gentle encouragement was never forced; instead, it was woven into the fabric of everyday life. She recalls setting up a creativity corner in their basement, a long table scattered with crayons, sketchbooks, and her art supplies, with her children always welcome to join. “We’d create side by side without even needing to speak,” Aya adds, highlighting how art was their shared language.
While the men in the family nurtured their love for mathematics and logic, the mother-and-daughter duo would often find themselves in art exhibitions with another woman in the family: Astrid’s grandmother, Kerstin Askert. Most people who become enamored with art often find inspiration in artists who have received worldwide recognition. From the classic examples like Van Gogh and Monet to modern day favorites like Jeff Koons and Yayoi Kusama, the art world is not short of someone to emulate. Astrid, however, need not look far.
Kerstin was a graphic designer for Swedish clothing brand Hennes & Mauritz (H&M). And, as with how most good stories progress, Astrid finds her life completing full-circle moments, interestingly, with the women in her family.
Astrid would later work as a sales advisor for H&M while studying and proceed to do art-related freelance work for them. “When I was delving into my creative education, I reached out to the marketing team at H&M,” Astrid admits. “I shared with them that I had a collection of drawings and sketches from my grandmother, who created their original packaging and shopping bags in the 60s. They were thrilled when I showed them these pieces, and in 2018, I ended up doing freelance work for their marketing team and getting to collaborate with my grandmother in the process.”
Her grandmother would pass away in 2020 from cancer but not before Astrid joined Beckman’s College of Design to take up visual communication, the same school Kerstin went to. Astrid further thrived in the creative environment with her graduation project gaining recognition from the school and snagging The Peter Saville Award. Saville, known for his work as a graphic artist and creating some of the most recognizable logos in fashion, has worked with Burberry, Jil Sander, John Galliano, Christian Dior, and Stella McCartney. Astrid was awarded a stipend for the recognition of her project which explored art in the modern space, delving into the concept of the digital game avatar as extensions of our identity, blurring the boundaries between the physical and the digital.
Drawing on a lifelong fascination with Japanese manga and gaming, Astrid admits to being inspired by the vibrant visual storytelling of Studio Ghibli and anime. The influence of these art forms is evident in the dynamic, layered imagery of her thesis, which combined traditional sketching techniques with modern digital tools. This creative approach also sets the stage for her current role as art director for Swedish clothing brand J. Lindeberg, where she melds hand-drawn concepts with cutting-edge digital design to craft campaigns that are as visually arresting as they are culturally resonant.
“Our creativity is our legacy; it’s a gift that must be nurtured and passed on.”
—Aya Askert
At J. Lindeberg, Astrid’s work spans a wide array of visual communications, demonstrating her ability to fuse tradition with modernity. “There’s something special about starting with pen and paper,” Astrid explains about her creative process, grounding her work in a human touch, even as she embraces the possibilities of the digital age. This philosophy is a modern reinterpretation of the creative legacy passed down by her mother and grandmother.
“I think what’s fascinating about the three of us is that we each express our creativity in distinct ways that reflect our times. I’m very into modern technology—design, coding, and animation—while my mom leans toward hands-on art like sculpture and writing. My grandmother, on the other hand, was even more old-school, working with weaving and textiles. We all create differently, but that diversity speaks to the era we’re in.”
Their intertwined journeys are proof of the power of intergenerational influence. Aya’s transformation from a young model who supported her family to a dedicated artist and advocate set the stage for Astrid’s evolution as a creative force. “I was always encouraged to follow my intuition,” Aya recalls. “That mindset allowed me to let creativity flow naturally, and I see that same spirit in Astrid.”
The Askerts’ legacy is also evident in their broader contributions to the community. Aya co-founded an organization for Filipino artists in Sweden and has been actively involved in cultural projects with the Philippine Embassy, ensuring that their rich heritage remains a vibrant part of their new home. At 50, she has also gone back to modeling, signing with an agency and advocating for age visibility. Meanwhile, Astrid is now teaching courses on mixed reality and artificial intelligence (AI) in creative practice at Beckman’s College of Design. At 26, she is passing on her knowledge to the next generation of artists. “In a time when AI is going to be taking over, I think we need more human creativity,” she mused.
She credits the way she approaches creative work to her mother. “She has always been an influence in expressing creativity, and I think I always sort of resort to what she and my grandmother would think or how they would solve creative problems. I feel a lot like inspiration from both my mom and my grandmother, but in different ways,” Astrid says. “It’s been a long story with me, trying to find my journey in terms of what I want to do with a career. And my mom pushed me a lot to embrace this creative side.”
Reflecting on the journey Aya had, Astrid says she wouldn’t have gone for such a career if it weren’t for her mom’s encouragement. “I’ve always had hesitations whether being a creative is something I can really do for a living but because my mom always encouraged me to embrace this creative side and take it seriously. I think my mom is one of the few people who really told me to just go for it, if it’s something I really want to do. I never had to play the safe card and that’s thanks to you, mom.”
Looking ahead, both mother and daughter are excited about the future of storytelling. Aya has a poetry book coming out, titled Poetic Echoes of Love, created in collaboration with other authors. She is also exploring the possibility of launching digital initiatives to share Filipino artistry with a global audience, while Astrid is eager to experiment with new formats that merge traditional techniques with innovative digital storytelling. “There are so many stories still waiting to be told,” Aya remarks, her voice steady with conviction. “Our creativity is our legacy; it’s a gift that must be nurtured and passed on.”
By CAROL RH MALASIG. Photographs by FRIDA MARKLUND. Beauty Editor : JOYCE OREÑA. Stylist: Emine Sander. Makeup: Marina Andersson. Hair: Philip Fohlin. Producer: Bianca Zaragoza, Louise Hall. Beauty Writer: Bianca Custodio. Digital Assistant: Björn Weidinger. Light Assistant: Jacob Zingaropoli. DOP: Magnus Andersen.
