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Visitors to Art Fair Philippines 2013 will be welcomed at a reception desk created from iconic San Miguel Beer crates. The work was specially commissioned from artist Norberto S. Roldan who has also just been included in a survey of Southeast Asian art opening next month at New York’s Guggenheim Museum.
The inaugural fair will take place at The Link car park located between the Makati Shangri-La Hotel and the Landmark Department Store, and aims to showcase the best in Philippines’ modern and contemporary art.
“We do not have any iconic events venues like the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, yet we wanted a venue that was both accessible and different, one that would inject the fair with an urban vibe. We want it to mirror the vibrancy of the local art scene. Hence, the choice of having the fair in a car park building,” Trickie Lopa, co-founder of the new fair, told ARTINFO in an email reply.
From February 7-10, twenty-four invited galleries and art groups will transform Level 6 of the multi-level parking building into a boutique art fair. The fair organizers promise names familiar to followers of the Philippines art scene, including stalwarts of regional art auctions, as well as promising newcomers. The exhibition area will be styled by top Filipino designer Kenneth Cobonpue.
“We invited dynamic galleries with active exhibit programs. They represent artists who mostly have a certain level of international exposure via grants, residency programs, scholarships, even if they themselves have not participated in international art fairs,” explained Lopa.
Some of the galleries attending include: Silverlens, Manila Contemporary, PabloGalleries, Finale Art File, Galleria Duemila, The Drawing Room and ArtInformal.
Taking center stage as the fair’s special exhibit will be “Asphalt,” an installation from sculptor Gabriel Barredo, known for his eclectic and fantastical projects.
Southeast Asian auction superstar Ronald Ventura will also present pieces from his recently concluded Watching The Watchmen exhibit.
“Our impetus for the fair is to expose more young Filipino professionals to the contemporary art scene, make them see that it has a place in their lifestyles. But this can only be done if the art on view is produced at a certain level, one that will not differ too greatly from the bigger names that show in the more established fairs in the region,” said “Our other purpose is to create an event that can showcase our contemporary artists, one that can prove of interest to those in the region curious to learn more about Philippine art,” she adds.
Art Fair Philippines 2013 will run February 7-10. For more information:www.artfairphilippines.com
AS FIRST PUBLISHED ON ARTINFO.COM