Photo via Yaru Gallery & Art Shop (Batanes)
The fifth edition of this annual arts festival is taking place at a new venue: SM Aura Premier Convention Center. From Oct 10 to 13, thousands of art lovers, students, socialites and passsersby will find themselves staring at unique works from 31 galleries nationwide.
A walking tour for students and enthusiasts will be held everyday and groups may book in advance through +63 917 3272925. There’s also a forum on Preserving Artistic Legacy, with family members of late artists Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, Onib Olmedo and Fernando Amorsolo participating in a discussion about artwork authentication. Dr. Felipe de Leon of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts is also giving a lecture entitled “Finding the Filipino Identity in Contemporary Visual Art”.
First-time participants from outside of Metro Manila include galleries from Batanes, Bohol, Palawan, Baguio, Bacolod and Cebu, and here are some of the stuff they’re showing:
TAM-AWAN VILLAGE (Baguio City)
Booth C5, www.tam-awanvillage.com
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Look out for Jordan Mang-osan, who uses a magnifying glass to painstakingly catch the rays of the sun and create a solar painting. Solar heat has been utilized to create this kind of art, called Solar Drawing, sometimes mixing it with colors, but using the sun as an aid to create his trademark pieces.
ARTISTS FOR NATURE (Palawan)
Booth D5, www.artistsfornature.org
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There is no commercial gallery in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, but this hasn’t stopped this group of artists from using art “to promote environmental awareness and support conservation programs of various eco organizations.” Works by four artists are on display this year, including ‘Tagbanua’, a rubber cut Elordie Mesac (20x40inches; PHP18,000) that depicts different cultural traditions of the Tagbanwa tribe from Coron, Palawan. Other participating artists include co-founder Mike Garcia, Michael Bacol and Mark Alvarado.
QUBE GALLERY (Cebu)
Booth B4 & B5, www.qubegallery.com
This dynamic art space in Cebu represents artists from Visayas and Mindanao to as far as Laguna. Watch out for the sculptures of Cebu-based Franz Herbich, who according to the gallery owner has one of the best foundries in the country. The 38-year-old artist made a life-size carabao out of resin and designed it with details of the Philippine flag design. He also has two religious figurines, of a Santo Niño and St Pedro Calungsod, with a twist.
YARU GALLERY & ART SHOP (Batanes)
Booth D5, see photo above
The first and only art gallery in Batanes was established in Feb 2011 by Yaru nu Artes Ivatan in partnership with Pacita Abad Center for the Arts. The Yaru nu Artes Ivatan is an association of artists from Batanes whose mission is to help make the arts an eco-friendly industry for sustainable livelihood that supports the indigenous culture and heritage of the islands. Their works depict their impression, memories, stories and experiences of their hometown. It shows the simple lifestyle, the farming and fishing and way of living of the Ivatans, the locals of the island. Rendered in different styles, the artworks are a record of what it is to be an Ivatan and what to see and experience in Batanes.
ManilART 2013 runs from Oct 10-13 at SM Aura Premier Convention Center, Taguig City; +63 917 3272925. www.manilart.com. PHP150-PHP200 with guided tour and access to lectures.
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