A Weekend At Art Fair Philippines

February 18, 2023

Manila, PH — After a fifteen hour bus ride from Tuguegarao to Manila with little sleep, leading into my family and best friend’s visit from the States, I wasn’t sure I would even make it to ArtFair Philippines.

But I was determined to hear fellow Fulbrighter Nicolei Buendia Gupit speak about the Linangan Art Residency and see what the ArtFair fuss was about. My friend, artist and event planner (and former ArtFair organizer) Jean Abordo, had been telling me I just HAD to go for months, so after binging the Venom films back to back (the second one is much better), I put on my best long pants (proud that I can now wear pants in the heat!) and headed into Makati.

Art Fair Philippines sprawled in pods across several floors, reminding me of the inside of an anthill or intricate bark beetle carvings on a tree trunk. Each twist and turn revealed something new and unexpected. After strolling solo, I met up with fellow Fulbright-National Geographic Storyteller, Jordan Winters, and Fulbright multidisciplinary artist, Bhen Alan. Along with Nicolei’s thoughtful multimedia exploration of water access in the Philippines, here are a few artists and works I had the opportunity to learn about:

Dagupan artist Nunki of the Anakbanwa Creative Residency Project spoke excitedly about the art scene in District 4, Pangasinan, including their spring Galila Art Festival. Each piece in the project space had a corresponding QR code, adding a fun layer of artists Q/A's and additional digital art to the experience.

The Liongoren Gallery space was honoring the late Norma Crisologo Liongoren, and Bhen introduced me to his friend Hannah Liongoren, a Filipino illustrator and designer. Hannah graciously shared a little about mourning while in the process of curating the exhibit from her mother’s storied gallerist efforts.

When I walked into Hersley Casero’s space, I felt a deep urge to cry. His huge prints engulfed me. Gazing at FREE FALLING, one of three photographs, I wanted the water in my hair, the sun on my face, to be floating above - not even walking on - water like the new kind of messiah depicted before me.

Independent filmmaker, UP Diliman professor, and director of the New Center for Cinema, Nick Deocampo, delivered an animated take on the history of alternative cinema. He detailed the urgent, rebellious, and truth-telling nature of alternative film in the Philippines and shared a clip from his 1983 documentary, OLIVER.

Before leaving to meet with my family, I stopped by IsTorya Studios, a narrative design studio featuring children's books and card games about Filipino history and Filipino historical figures. Included in their exhibit was an illustrated short story collection aimed to educate kids on how to identify, avoid, and seek support in the face of abuse. Artist Marina Cruz mentioned an interest in working on a project about adoption next. Of course, we exchanged details.

Echoed in many of the works were the same questions of identity, belonging, and history that my Filipino friends and I keep asking each other here; reflections of yet more questions that remain ever present in communities of Filipino-Americans and Filipinos in diaspora. Many of the pieces that appealed to me were created in direct response to artists’ experiences with political upheaval in the country, and didn’t shy away from a critical, even revolutionary, lens. This also made me hungry to learn more about lesser known artists, those not yet on the national or global stage, the ones laying low for their own safety.

Living in a new country, especially my country of origin, has been overwhelming. Though the process of filmmaking can be long, and differs in many ways from other visual arts, I was comforted by the vast collection of work by artists of all ages and mediums. I’ve been moving through waves of insecurity and imposter syndrome throughout my time here, but for the hours I spent cocooned in ArtFair's labyrinthine halls, I was soothed by feelings of awe, rejuvenation, and an urge to learn and create more myself.

(Read this post in my NatGeo Field Notes!)

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More about the fair and artists mentioned / shown in this post below:

Nicolei Buendia Gupit: https://www.nicoleigupit.com/
Linangan Art Residency: www.instagram.com/linanganartresidency/
Nunki: https://www.instagram.com/nunkikikiki/
Anakbanwa Creative Residency Project: https://www.instagram.com/anakbanwa/
Hersley Casero: https://www.hersleycasero.com/
Liongoren Gallery: https://liongorenbackroom.com/
Hannah Liongoren: https://hannahliongoren.com/
IsTorya Studies: https://istoryastudios.ph/
Center for New Cinema: https://centerfornewcinema.net/
Kapitan Kulam: https://web.facebook.com/kapitankulam
Don M. Salubayba: https://kulay-diwa.com/artists/don-salubayba/
KANTINA: https://www.instagram.com/kantina.rxs/
ArtFair Philippines: https://artfairphilippines.com/