Art in the Car Park - Arts & Culture

Once a year, the top floors of The Link building undergoes a major transformation from being a parking space to an exhibition venue for modern and contemporary Philippine visual art. Art Fair Philippines 2018 will launch the 6th edition of the annual art event, bringing together 51 galleries from March 1 to 4. The participants represent galleries from here and abroad.

The multi-level exhibition venue will cover 13,000 sqm of the building across the Glorietta Garden. Besides the exhibiting and selling of art, other highlights include three talks that will be conducted on each of the four public fair days as part of the fair’s educational component. Guided tours have also been organized beyond the venue that will happen ten days leading up to the start of Art Fair Philippines 2018. 10 Days of Art will include museum visits to the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Ayala Museum. There is also the opportunity to visit the artist’s studio of multi-awarded Rodel Tapaya and another well-regarded artist Marina Cruz.

Water is carried home, sometimes from distant springs. In the background, rattan dries against a hous. Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga. 1955 [Eduardo Masferre]
Water is carried home, sometimes from distant springs. In the background, rattan dries against a hous. Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga. 1955 [Eduardo Masferre]
Investigating a camera. Butbut, Tinglayan, Kalinga. 1948. [Eduardo Masferre]
Investigating a camera. Butbut, Tinglayan, Kalinga. 1948. [Eduardo Masferre]

Oshima and Masferré

A new component of Art Fair Philippines 2018 is photography. The addition of photography is a validation that photographs are expressions of contemporary art.  The section of ARTFAIRPH/PHOTO will present the works of noted photographer Neal Oshima and Filipino-Catalan photographer Eduardo Masferré, together with selected photographs from the collection of Swiss private bank Julius Baer, presenter of ARTFAIR/PHOTO.

Neal Oshima’s exhibit, entitled Kin, is a visual tribute to the indigenous traditions and Philippine tribes. Another exhibit that he is also working on with curator Angel Velasco Shaw puts together the photographs of established photographers and rising documentary photographers.

ARTFAIRPH/PHOTO will include works of Eduardo Masferré that have been organized by 1335 Mabini Gallery. The self-taught photographer, regarded as the father of Philippine photography, captured the life of the Bontok, Kalinga, Ifugao. Kankana-ey and Gaddang, indigenous mountain people of the Cordilleras. He published the book People of the Philippine Cordillera in 1988, documenting the rites and ceremonies of the ethnic tribes, besides their everyday life.

[Julius Baer Art Collection] Florian Graf Diptych part 1
[Julius Baer Art Collection] Florian Graf Diptych part 1
[Julius Baer Art Collection] Florian Graf Diptych part 2
[Julius Baer Art Collection] Florian Graf Diptych part 2

Investing in Art Photography

Photographs from the Julius Baer collection showcases the works of contemporary Swiss artists. The bank, which displays their collection of paintings, sculptures and photographs in the office premises, acquires the works of artists who show development of creativity, quality and innovation.

One of the fair’s founders Lisa Periquet, expressed enthusiasm over this new segment. “With the interesting selection and body of works that will be presented in the inaugural year of ArtFairPH/Photo, we are excited to see how photography will continue to find its place in our local art scene.” The intent behind the inclusion of photographs in the art event is to increase awareness of photography as a contemporary art form as well as to expand the collectability among local art enthusiasts.

Provocations - Paco Guerrero
Provocations – Paco Guerrero
Provocations - RJ Fernandez
Provocations – RJ Fernandez

Instagram and Installation Art       

ARTFAIRPH/PROJECTS is headlined by noted filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik. Tahimik will show installation works depicting borrowed myths in the space designated for featured artists. The section will be shared with three social-realist artists Pablo Baen Santos, Renato Habulan and Antipas Delotovato.

Social media has created a platform for artistic expression, which the founders and organizers have taken note. Instagram takes on another dimension in ARTFAIRPH/PROJECTS with Nilo Ilarde, Lyra Garcellano and Alvin Zafra.

Art Fair Philippines 2018 is co-presented by Ayala Land, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Globe Platinum, and Julius Baer.

For more information, please visit www.artfairphilippines.com or follow Art Fair Philippines on Instagram (@artfairph) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/artfairph).


By Simone Gabriel

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