AFTER 12 years at a carpark, Art Fair Philippines is making a change by moving to Makati’s Ayala Triangle Gardens. Its 12th edition will occupy large tents within the two hectares of the park, plus parts of the Amphitheater, Tower One, and Tower Two, from Feb. 21 to 23.
Last year, the fair welcomed 25,000 visitors over its three-day run. Its founders, Trickie Colayco-Lopa, Lisa Ongpin-Periquet, and Geraldine “Dindin” Araneta, hope to replicate that number this year.
Art Fair Philippines started in 2013, with the twin goals of widening the local audience for contemporary art and supporting Filipino artists. At the time, The Link was the “newest carpark in Ayala,” they said.
“It’s gotten a little old, so I guess it was just time for a change, time to embrace something new, and that’s what we always try to do anyway. We always try to conceptualize something new each art fair. So why not go bigger this year and just change the entire venue?” Ms. Lopa told the media at a press conference in Makati City.
Ms. Araneta added that Ayala Triangle Gardens is also a sort of “center of the community,” with many people walking, jogging, and hanging out especially on weekends, which aligns with their aim to make art more accessible.
“We wanted to find a venue that can also transform the experience of being in an art fair, and that was the opportunity that came our way,” she told BusinessWorld. “Different communities have different facilities, so you have to try to work with what’s available.”
This year, they are inviting fairgoers to walk the verdant urban park at the heart of Makati, from one end to the other. There are two entrances: along Ayala Avenue with Tower 1 as the entry point, and another along Makati Avenue which has the newer Tower 2 as the entry point.
“The art fair is mostly contained within a tent, so it won’t be that difficult. We’re trying to work very hard on our signage because, of course, this will be a new space for everyone,” Ms. Periquet said.
The fair’s talks and film screenings will be held on the 6th and 8th floors of Ayala Triangle Gardens Tower 2, respectively.
“The tent, the covered areas, will be a natural way of driving you either from this end to Ayala Avenue or vice versa, so we hope it won’t be too difficult,” Ms. Periquet added. “However, we recognize that the spaces are all very different because some are in this commercial area, and some are in the tent spaces down there. I think it should be exciting.”
As for access to the venue, all seven floors of The Link will be available for parking, along with other parking spaces around the Ayala Center. Seniors and PWDs can easily be dropped off at either entrance, while others can simply walk to the park from their cars or from their commute.
THE EXHIBITORSThis year’s fair will have 48 exhibitors from the Philippines, Austria, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Spain. They are: Amez Yavuz, Archivo 1984, Art Agenda, Art Cube Gallery, Art for Space, Art Lounge Manila, Art Underground, Art Verité Gallery, Artemis Art, Avellana Art Gallery, Boston Art Gallery, CANVAS, Cartellino, Cayón, Core Contemporary, FINE-ARTS MANILA / Zimmermann-Kratochwill Graz, Austria,
FotoMoto, Gajah Gallery, Galeria Palona, Galerie Stephanie, GALLERY KOGURE, J Studio, Kaida Contemporary, Kobayashi Gallery, León Gallery, Lopez Museum, METRO Gallery, Modeka Art, MONO8, Orange Project, Parallel +, Paseo Art Gallery, Pintô Art Museum and Arboretum, Qube Gallery, Secret Fresh Gallery, SHUKADO+GALLERY SCENA, SILVERLENS, TARZEER PICTURES, The Columns Gallery, TLYR Collective, Tomura Lee, Triangulum, Village Art Gallery, Vin Gallery, White Walls Gallery, YOD Gallery, and YSOBEL Art Gallery.
HIGHLIGHTSThis year’s edition will have specially commissioned works, gallery exhibits, film screenings, and art talks transforming the expansive venue. The concept is for a “dynamic and multi-dimensional platform that showcases the ingenuity and diversity of Philippine art.”
The ArtFairPH/Projects section will showcase a collection of curated exhibits that celebrate artistic excellence and innovation, placed in a space designed by Nazareno/Lichauco and presented by BPI. It will feature works by social realist painter Manny Garibay, mixed-media artist Manuel Ocampo, glass artist Goldie Poblador, stone sculptor Ryan Rubio, ceramic artist Jezzel Wee, and anonymous Spanish collective SpY Studio.
“We have a hand in the creation [of the future of contemporary art], but what this is is a platform or landscape for you to make your own ideas and opinions about where it’s going,” Ms. Araneta said. “The projects this year show things that are new, and artists working with various materials and formats.”
The ArtFairPH/Residencies section this year will focus on curators rather than artists. In a collaboration with the Ateneo Art Gallery, the Curator’s Grant Program, to be held over the span of three weeks, will “introduce selected international curators to the Philippine art scene.”
This year’s ArtFairPH/Talks, handled by the Ateneo Art Gallery and the Museum Foundation of the Philippines, will present discussions that dive into artists’ works and lives, art forms, artistic processes, collectors, and other aspects of today’s complex art world. One highlight is a panel discussion on collection management from a collector’s point of view, in partnership with Larry’s List, the world’s leading art market knowledge company.
Now on its third year, the ArtFairPH/Digital section, presented by Globe, will feature artist and technologist Chia Amisola’s travelling exhibit KAKAKOMPYUTER MO YAN! (That’s what you get for using the computer!). The collaborative exhibition showcases internet art and the 3rd-World online experience.
There will also be a visual storytelling installation by motion graphics artist and engineer Isaiah Cacnio. His work, which often explore the themes of light, movement, and spatial dynamics, will transform ordinary spaces in the park into immersive environments.
Another highlight of the Digital section is a set of screenings at the Amphitheater, where animated and digital work will be set up at the outdoor tiered space adjacent to the lawn of the Ayala Triangle Gardens.
Finally, ArtFairPH/Film will present two film screenings: Kono Basho by Filipino curator-visual artist-filmmaker J. Pacena, and The F.A.T. Boys!! Episode 1: Each One Teach One by American director Drew Milo. The former comes from the Cinemalaya 2024 lineup, with a talk-back scheduled with the film’s cast. The latter was shot during a trip through the Philippines last year.
10 DAYS OF ARTComplementing the fair is the 10 Days of Art initiative, highlighting a series of events around the Makati Central Business District starting on Feb. 14. This is the lead-up to the fair itself.
Some of the public art include outdoor sculptures by Briccio Santos in Legazpi Park, an immersive and experiential installation by Kim Borja in Glorietta, and JEFRË’s Talking Heads at Circuit Makati.
Neal Oshima and Fotomoto will also transform the Legazpi Underpass and Greenbelt 3 Sunken Park into art exhibit venues, while the TLYR Collective will present works at the Paseo Villar Underpass.
A regular day pass to the fair is P750. Tickets for students, senior citizens, and PWDs with valid IDs are P500. Makati students and teachers with valid IDs get a discounted price of P300.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.artfairphilippines.com. Tickets will also be available at the reception area for the duration of the event. For more information, visit the Art Fair Philippines website and follow Art Fair Philippines on Instagram (@artfairph) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/artfairph). — Brontë H. Lacsamana
