10 Days of Art: Art is for the Public
Art Fair Philippines 2025 highlights works that critique the behavior of the world including its changes and damages
Words Yra Luis Gener Gutierrez
Photos courtesy of Martina Reyes and Jianna Lee
February 24, 2025
Nestled in the modernity of Makati are the pieces of art created by Filipino artists displayed and spread out along the busiest places in the city from February 13 to 23.
In its 12th year, Art Fair Philippines has been the most-awaited event and platform for Philippine contemporary art. Located in a public space, this edition makes art more accessible. Unlike its usual energy, the city was illuminated by how art integrates with everyday city life.
The event serves to be a platform for thought-provoking exhibitions and activities, offering self-reflection, igniting curiosity, and showcasing the new face of Philippine art and Filipino creativity. Some of the available installations are:
Barrier Type 2
Barrier Type 2 forms a parallelism with cities’ behavior. It goes through phases of transformation and has effects on the lives of people. “They are in constant evolution, and this makes part of the process of art making and influences the way the public relates to the artwork,” said SpY, the anonymous urban artist behind the installation.
The artwork was hanging on the branches of an old Acacia tree found in Ayala Triangle Gardens. Using colored red and white tapes–material that is familiar yet often overlooked–makes a “novel situation for the viewer and sparks an intriguing impression.”
Rewilding
Rewilding by artists Bjorn Calleja, Ivan Despi, Pauline Despi, Jo Gregorio, Jeff Hazel Ombrete, Peter Daniel Palanas, and Cherylee Sng was set against the backdrop of Gardens’ Ampitheater and Greenwall. These artists invite the audience to ponder on the essence of humanity in the middle of developments that optimize lives.
It taps the viewers to look into the different ways of engaging with the world: “to appreciate what we already have; to allow nature to flourish.”
Sentinel Cognitum
Sentinel, Cognitum by Briccio Santos is located at Legazpi Active Park. It is a sculpture that intends to observe the constant changes in the world such as natural disasters, the global pandemic and its effects, and the pervasiveness of technology.
“These sentinels are meant to be quantum forms merging with our reality as soon as they are observed,” said Santos. His work serves as a “catalyst for change.”
Walk With Me
In Paseo Villar Underpass, TLYR Collective’s Walk With Me is displayed. It is a collection that seems close to the artists themselves as it is about both retrospective and turning point; a reflection of their journey and the space they had carved for Filipino artists in the digital scene.
Walk With Me is an ode to technology-driven creativity and reimagined artistic expression in the internet age. TLYR Collective redefines creative boundaries as they connect artists from different parts of the Philippines.
FotoMoto: Beneath The Street
Meanwhile, beneath the underpass located at Legazpi is where FotoMoto: Beneath The Streets lies. It is a looped slideshow focused on Philippine contemporary photography accompanied by an audio track. It features works by E.S.L. Chen, Wawi Navarroza, Steve Tirona, and MMU.
The Projects
On the other hand, this edition of Art Fair Philippines also features the main event of the exhibition–the ArtFairPH/Projects. It will display special and exclusive pieces from February 21 to 23.
This year, designers Nazareno/Lichauco turned the gardens into seemingly similar temples of worship that invite the public for a “peaceful communing through art.”
Various artists showcase their exceptional talent in crafting such as Manny Garibay known for his expressionist figurative style that seeks to express social and political consciousness. Garibay’s Dambana: A Critical Reflection on Belief, Power, and Memory examines the concept of the sacred as a cultural artifact and a socio-political mechanism.
Meanwhile, Manuel Ocampo applied new techniques to his usual pieces after attending a residency with STPI - Creative Workshop and Gallery, Singapore in 2019. Due to this, his pieces: Ideological Mash-Up/Remix are now included in the fair, comforting its viewers.
Goldie Poblador, on the other hand, continues her interest in marine fauna with The Rise of Medusa. It observes the adaptation of animals to the ever-changing landscape despite damages caused by men. It also taps human senses such as visual, scent, and sound.
The pain passes… the beauty remains highlighted the physical and labor-intensive practice of painter and sculptor Ryan Rubio. Using untouched rocks and veering away from changing their appearance, he created sculptures with etched faces that are similar to the look of totem poles with varying expressions of faces.
Completing the set of artworks is Jezzel Wee’s Pagbulong. It is an ode to a temple of empathy, composed of ceramic dolls that when held with both hands and shaken, you whisper your wishes and it rings. Wee’s work aims to create ephemeral moments and invites people to be aware of their intentions.
Art Fair Philippines 2025 features and champions Filipino creativity bounded by deliberate decisions–it calls the attention of the audience to take a pause and ruminate on how the world has changed and find ways to regain belief in humanity.
