Renowned as a senior and prominent artist from the Philippines, Rene Robles has established his artistic prowess through several decades of active and prolific creation, encompassing a diverse range of subjects such as portraiture, still life, nudes, landscapes, murals, figuration, and abstraction. In his paintings, Robles consistently raises thought-provoking inquiries about art itself and the role of the artist.

Among the modernist painters in the Philippines, Robles stands out due to his exceptional imagination and creativity, and he is one of the few Filipino artists who has achieved recognition in America and Europe. His unique artistic style, known as "Assertionism," is not only a representation of his own artistic expression but also a movement he initiated and advocates for. Assertionism possesses its own symbolic language and belief systems.

Robles, originally named Ireneo San Agustian Robles, Jr., was born in Lucerna City, Philippines, in 1950. He has been actively practicing art since 1970 and currently resides and works in the Philippines. He earned his degree from the University of Santo Tomas College of Architecture & Fine Arts, where he was a distinguished Rector's Scholar in 1976. Additionally, he pursued further studies in art at the National Academy of Design, School of Fine Arts (1990), and the Art Students League in New York (1989). He was also awarded study grants and had the opportunity to visit museums in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium.

As an internationally exhibited artist, Robles has held over 70 solo exhibitions across Europe, the USA, and Asia. His outstanding contributions to the art world have garnered numerous awards, and he has authored several books dedicated to his artistic style, Assertionism. Founded by Robles in New Jersey, USA, in 1986, Assertionism revolves around the fundamental principle that art with power asserts itself, transforms, and transcends.