Now on its eighth year, Art Fair Philippines remains dedicated to fulfilling its mission of expanding the audience for the country’s visual art. Slated for February 21 to 23 at The Link Carpark in Makati City, the fair will present new components, like the ArtFairPH/Open Studios.
Complementing ArtFairPH/Talks, this section will present a series of workshops with respected practitioners in the fields of arts and culture, including a two-day workshop on photography with Paco Guerrero; lighting techniques for photographers with Neal Oshima and Mark Nicdao and wooden furniture with Benji Reyes.
acknowledges that cinema is evolving and aims to celebrate the last 100 years of Philippine cinema and the possibilities for the future.
There will also be a demo on watercolor painting techniques with Claude Tayag; cyanotype workshop with Alexis Oshima and Angela Silva; rubber-cutting workshop with the Association of Pinoyprintmakers and a sculptural planter-making workshop with Rita Gudiño of Tahanan Pottery.
This year’s edition will introduce the ArtFairPH/Film section as well, curated by Erwin Romulo, Philbert Dy and Teddy Co — in acknowledgment that cinema, like all art forms, is evolving. It aims to celebrate the last 100 years of Philippine cinema and the possibilities for the next era. This section will screen a selection of the best feature-length and short films — narrative and experimental, documentary and animation — to showcase the diversity of Philippine cinema.
The fair also welcomes the participation of spaces titled ArtFairPH/Incubators or creative spaces outside the mainstream gallery format including exhibitors art/n23, Giatay, Limbo, Loadnadito projects, Project 20 and Signum. Art/n23 will present a virtual reality piece by Issay Rodriguez which is curated by Sandra Palomar and will immerse the audience in a simulated and interactive beehive-like environment.
Additionally, Art Fair Philippines is proud to present a special cultural exchange project with the Embassy of Italy in Manila, highlighted by the participation of Galleria Tiziana Di Caro, a contemporary art gallery from Naples.
Learning opportunities
As in previous years through the ArtFairPH/Projects section, there are new featured commissions in the form of interactive and/or thought-provoking installations by internationally established Filipino visual artists. For this year, Art Fair Philippines is working with art consultant Norman Crisologo, who takes on conceptualized exhibition projects for art galleries.
On the other hand, ArtFairPH/Talks — created in partnership with the Ateneo Art Gallery and Museum Foundation of the Philippines — will continue to offer learning opportunities for visitors.
The 2020 edition includes a special exhibition in cooperation with the estate of the late Onib Olmedo. Drawings from the family’s collection will highlight the influence that Olmedo exerted on a good number of artists working today.
There will be a panel on Olmedo with speakers Elmer Borlongan and Allan Cosio, and moderated by Carlomar Daoana. Olmedo was an award-winning artist best known for his expressionistic figurative paintings and for his contribution in founding the Filipino Expressionist movement. Through his art, he depicted the marginalized members of the Filipino culture.
Other artists mounting special exhibits include Salvador Joel Alonday, Perry Argel, Jaime De Guzman, Roedil Joe Geraldo, Jellyfish Kisses, Gene Paul Martin and Neil Pasilan. Also in this section is Carlo Villafuerte, the 2020 recipient of the Karen H. Montinola Selection, a private grant created in homage to art patron Karen Montinola.
Hublot, the official timekeeper of this year’s fair, will present new works by Rodel Tapaya.
Art Fair Philippines is also working with New York-based curator and art historian Carina Evangelista in presenting the works of Sol Lewitt, an iconic American artist known for his contributions in Conceptual Art and Minimalism.
Italian Ambassador to the Philippines and known art aficionado Giorgio Guglielmino will talk about his book The Originals, in which he enumerates 30 various artists that make a difference in the art scene.
The event continues to develop ArtFairPH/Photo, which aims to boost support for photography as a contemporary art and expand its collectability among Filipinos. On spotlight are the works of contemporary artist Poklong Anading. Other artists and groups in this section include art/n23, bio | trans | forms , Denise Weldon | Tom Epperson Photographs, Luzviminda, Silverlens Photo, Strange Fruit and Tarzeer Pictures.
Another complement to the fair is the 10 Days of Art initiative, a series of events around the Makati Central Business District with participation from galleries, museums, bars, restaurants and retail establishments in celebrating art beyond the venue of the fair. For the complete schedule and updates, visit www.10daysofart.com.
Premier line-up of exhibitors
This year, Art Fair Philippines welcomes 61 exhibitors from the Philippines and abroad.
Local participating exhibitors include 1335 Mabini /GMJ, Altro Mondo Gallery, ARCHIVO 1984, Art Cube, Art Underground, Art Verité, Artery Art Space, art/n23, Association of Pinoyprintmakers, Avellana Art Gallery, bio | trans | forms, Boston Art Gallery, CANVAS, Denise Weldon | Tom Epperson Photographs, District Gallery, Eskinita Art Gallery, Galerie Roberto, Gallery of Fine Arts, Galerie Stephanie, Giatay, J Studio, Kaida Contemporary, León Gallery, Limbo, Loadnadito projects, Luzviminda, Mariyah Gallery, METRO, Mono8, Orange Project, Paseo Art Gallery, Pintô Art Museum, Project 20, Salcedo Private View, Secret Fresh, Signum, Silverlens, Strange Fruit, Tarzeer Pictures, Tin-aw Art Gallery, Tropical Futures Institute and Ysobel Art Gallery.
The Philippines’ leading galleries will be joined by a wider roster of foreign galleries including Art Porters Gallery (Singapore), Artemis Art (Malaysia), Cayón (Spain), ENERGY FIELD (Japan), G13 Gallery (Malaysia), Gajah Gallery (Singapore), GALERIE OVO (Taiwan), Gallery Kogure (Japan), Hanada Gallery (Japan), Kobayashi Gallery (Japan), La Lanta Fine Art (Thailand), Mind Set Art Center (Singapore), Number1 Gallery (Thailand), Nunu Fine Art (Taiwan), SHUKADO (Japan), Vin Gallery (Vietnam), Yavuz Gallery (Singapore), YOD Gallery + Asian Art Center (Japan). The Italian embassy is bringing in Galleria Tiziana di Caro, an art gallery from Naples, Italy.
Fair tickets can be purchased in advance at www.artfairphilippines.com. Tickets will also be available at the reception area of Art Fair Philippines from February 21 to 23.