Inclusive, dynamic, and engaging—the Modern and Contemporary Art Festival (MoCAF) returns for its second edition.

Written by Chesca Santiago
July 24, 2023

It’s easy to lose track of an art festival’s raison d’être once its vortex of exhibitions and crowds pulls you in. Weaving through bustling aisles and a sea of people, there will be times when we forget the bigger thing this labyrinth aspires to be. But we have reason to guarantee that an art festival is always seeking something more enduring than its temporary display panels. Nurturing various spheres of the art community, upholding all art forms, staking a claim in the art scene’s present and future direction—an art festival is more than the sum of its parts. 

And in the Philippines, MoCAF might be the most engaging of its kind yet.

MoCAF, or the Modern and Contemporary Art Festival, is back for its second edition from 28-30 July 2023 at the Fairmont Hotel, Makati. As its name indicates, what sets MoCAF apart in the country’s growing landscape of art fairs and art festivals is its attention to both modern and contemporary art. Other art festivals carve their own specialized corners, yet MoCAF promises to be a comprehensive survey of Philippine art, where works by revered masters and rising artists stand side-by-side. This forms part of MoCAF’s commitment to forging an inclusive art community that welcomes all—all artists, whether renowned or emerging; all galleries, whether established or new; and all visitors, whether seasoned collectors or budding art enthusiasts. 

MoCAF Festival Director Coleen Wong casts this in terms of their shared commitment to the arts. “We partner with both established galleries who have been running for years, as well as young galleries who are slowly making their mark in the industry. Master artists and emerging artists are given the same platform to showcase their works. Despite differences and diversities, they all have the same passion for the arts and it all leads them to raise the Philippine art scene above par,” she shares. 

Last year, with their works meters away from each other inside the Grand Ballroom of Fairmont Hotel, we saw the likes of renowned glass sculptor Ramon Orlina and rising visual artist Chelsea Theodossis alongside each other. With a prolific career that began in the ‘70s, the internationally acclaimed Orlina has grown synonymous with Philippine glass sculpture, carving glass into art through a distinctive process that requires no heat. For MoCAF 2023, Orlina will be joined in a group exhibition by his children, Anna and Michael, who are also glass sculptors in their own right. Orlina is proud to have his children continue his legacy.

Theodossis, meanwhile, has been making the rounds in the contemporary art world as a thriving young artist, building a name for herself in the scene with canvases of unwritten books and blank pages. This year, Theodossis will introduce a new work that has never been shown before. Beyond painting, she is presenting an interactive work that combines elements of dreams, the collective unconscious, conflict theory, and the traditional Filipino game, sungka.

MoCAF returns with an exciting lineup of curated exhibitions, art dialogues, and other special activities. Similar to the previous year, we’re witnessing the Festival’s commitment to inclusivity through its roster of special exhibitions, which will present prominent figures of Philippine contemporary art together with emerging artists. Brass sculptor Michael Cacnio, visual artist Katrina Cuenca, and sculptor Daniel dela Cruz – all leading artists of today – are featured alongside 40 of the country’s most promising up-and-coming names via MoCAF Discoveries.

To complete MoCAF’s list of special exhibitions, they’re also gearing up for a printmaking show; a group exhibit with Distort Monsters, Doktor Karayom, Zuh Dai, Christian Tamondong, and Angelica So; a show highlighting Masters of Modern Art including Justin Nuyda, Eduardo Castrillo, Mario Parial, Angelito Antonio, and Dominic Rubio; Sanso Moderno; and a showcase of glass sculptures titled Glass House, participated in by artist families: the Orlinas, and Marge Organo with daughter Raisa Luz.

As Wong explained, MoCAF’s focus on inclusivity extends to its roster of participating art galleries. From one booth to another, established and emerging art galleries from the Philippines will demonstrate the vitality of modern and contemporary art in the country. Adding to prominent local galleries, MoCAF also welcomes international art galleries from Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia. These galleries include YOD TOKYO & Editions, Gallery Kogure, Kobayashi Gallery, Artemis Art, and Srisasanti Syndicate.

The lecture series MoCAF Dialogues will invite speakers from different sectors of the art community, inspiring discourse on pressing issues in the art scene today. This year’s talks will delve into the topics of Art and Community, Forgery and Certificates of Authenticity, Contemporary Art Trends, Economic Outlook and its Impact on the Art World, and Art as Investment.

This year, MoCAF shifts to more immersive programming in its efforts to bring art closer to our everyday lives. This edition sees the launch of MoCAF XP, a series of pocket events every Saturday of July before the Festival kicks off. Lined up for MoCAF XP are an exciting roster of activities including an art bazaar, painting workshop, and printmaking workshop.

Through this turn to the immersive, MoCAF places the youth at its core, in turn transforming the next generation’s appreciation of the arts. “More and more people are getting into art. And they believe that art shouldn’t be just on the walls—it should be something that’s part of life and something that everyone can enjoy. So this year, we’re starting with MoCAF XP, which is a different take,” explains Festival Chairman Ricky Francisco.

Wong adds, “This 2023, we intend to expand MoCAF by having different events outside the festival walls. We are still standing by the community but reaching out to a wider range of younger audiences. It gives an opportunity to not just empower and inspire the youth, but also gives a chance for the ever-growing art community to flourish.”

Be it a hands-on workshop that makes you pick up a paintbrush, or a maze of booths displaying the robustness of the country’s art scene, MoCAF promises a dynamic art experience for all. In connecting various sectors of the art community, MoCAF is back to strengthen the identity of modern and contemporary art in the Philippines.

MoCAF is co-presented by HSBC and sponsored by Aurelia Residences, Fairmont Makati, Globe Platinum, Vibal Foundation, XCEPTION, Art Caravan, Ascott BGC, Scott’s and Commune.

MoCAF will run from July 28 to 30, 2023 at the Grand Ballroom of Fairmont Makati. The Vernissage will be on July 28. For more information and for ticket registration, visit www.mocaf.net. Like @mocaf.net on Facebook and @mocafmanila on Instagram.