For many Filipinos curious about the world of art, the Art Fair Philippines makes for a great foray into the vibrant local scene. For Php 450 (Php 200 if you’re a student from Makati), visitors can step into a hub where dozens of contemporary artists converge in a multi-level car park, of all places—a welcoming approach to art when the gallery is mounted in such a familiar space.
In the span of a decade, Art Fair Philippines has become one of the most relevant and widely visited art events in the Philippines. The much-awaited exhibit returns to The Link in Makati this year with a refreshed perspective on the experience they want to deliver to their audience. From February 17 to 19, Art Fair is bringing in 63 exhibitors from the Philippines and overseas.
Lisa Periquet, one of the co-founders of Art Fair Philippines, says that no two editions of the fair have ever looked the same in its years of running. With the stringent and necessary protocols of the pandemic, they introduced Art Fair patrons to the metaverse last year. And now that it has returned to a physical setting, their team took the chance to redefine the fairgoer experience on the ground through the design and configuration of the event space.
While they didn’t want to show previews of what that could look like just yet, Art Fair Philippines Design Consultant Andy Locsin teases a new “biophilic” setup that will introduce a new way of seeing the exhibits. He explains that the setup evokes a sense of discovery as its design is similar to a maze: “Think of [the new fair design] as a journey of discovery where you don’t really know what’s around the corner.”
As the art scene continuously evolves and grows, so has the fair too, by way of including new art forms in each year. The upcoming fair will display a new section for digital media curated by CryptoArtPH artists Bjorn Calleja and Jopet Arias. This will feature work that incorporates and engages with computer technology, animation, virtual or augmented reality, the metaverse, and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). The fair will also highlight Philippine art practitioners with a section that provides regional focus with exhibitors such as no Space from Luzon, Orange Project from Visayas, and Panit Bukog from Mindanao.
Moreover, special exhibitions, talks, films, and tributes to late art world personalities will be mounted across the multiple floors of The Link. The 10 Days of Art initiative launched last year will kick off once more with a Gallery Weekend starting from February 10, with special offers to ticket holders in their partner establishments.
Tickets to the Art Fair Philippines are available on www.artfairphilippines.com and will also be available at the reception area of Art Fair Philippines from February 17 to 19.
Visit the Art Fair Philippines website and follow Art Fair Philippines on Instagram and Facebook for more information on the event.
