Visual Treat: Art Fair

I'm bit late to post about the Art Fair Philippines, which was held last February but it's never too late to share about art. This was my first time to attend the Art Fair to show my support for several of my artist friends who participated, and I do not regret going; it was such a visual treat!

Art Fair Philippines is the premiere destination for all mediums of Philippine art. It was inaugurated in 2013, and has been an annual event ever since. Art Fair Philippines showcases the best of modern and contemporary exhibits. With an enthusiastic public acclaim generated from loyal patrons, support for the local art scene has steadily been growing ever since. Held in a quaint urban venue, a multi-storied carpark in the heart of Metro Manila’s financial district, it has also become a hub for lectures and forums regarding contemporary visual art in Southeast Asia.

Budding young artists, as well as established internationally acclaimed ones, make up more than thirty galleries plying their craft in this prestigious event. Ticket prices at an affordable PhP 150.00 (around US $ 3.00), with student discount of PhP 50.00 (around US $ 1.00) gives the general public access to enjoy a feast of artistic treats.

A day before the opening of the event is a scheduled “VIP” session, wherein serious collectors snapped up the most coveted works (which drums up interest from international and local buyers alike). Within minutes of the opening, several pieces have been snapped up, with an average of US $7,000. Reportedly, there has been a worldwide recession for purchasing fine art, but sales from Art Fair Philippines seem largely unaffected. Collectors based in the United States and Singapore were some of the VIP guests, and they were among the first of the privileged to purchase their desired pieces.

Philippine artists have an affinity for portraying historic events and local culture, with a tinge of commenting on ideas of consumerism. In the three years that Art Fair Philippines has existed, the quality of art was raised considerably, helping the Philippine art market to garner significant interest from the international scene. Despite a reputation for being one of the poorest in the growing economic region of Asia, the country can boast that its artist are on par with some of the world’s best.

Count me in for next year. I will surely revisit my footsteps and hopefully find more interesting artworks from talented Filipino visual artists. Seeing products of creative minds sends me to the world of imagination and deep thought. I think that is what art is all about: to make the audience think, feel and appreciate beauty in different forms. 

Keeping it real. -PJV