National Arts Fair Philippine 2017
I. CANVAS GALLERY
Before we go in the Art Fair I conduct a short research about the galleries presented in the Art Fair and I found that CANVAS is a non profit organization that works with the creative community to promote children’s literacy, explore national identity, and broaden public awareness for Philippine art, culture, and environment.
It really caught my attention that, maybe the reason why they are selling art works in the Art Fair is just because they wanted to help children’s from different communities. Although, I forgot to ask the person who is watching closely or guarding the gallery when I was there about the purpose of them why they are selling their art works.
Hence, I chose this gallery because of the art works presented inside the gallery, but in my observation the theme of this gallery was based on the content of their art works. Since, all arts in this gallery shows the reality, history, or what we are today as individual and as a nation or society. Also, I chose this gallery because of the vibe inside, since all of their paintings or art works were very simple to understand or convey the message as compared to the other art works in other galleries which was very complicated to understand. For me, CANVAS Gallery is more convenient since there’s only few people visiting at compared to other galleries.
List of Artist and their works
- Marcel Antonio “URBAN APOCALYPSE”
This painting reminds me how populated we are in our cities and municipalities. In our country, some rural municipalities and barangay’s became an urban because of industrialization and civilization.
It signifies that in urban area there are some activities happening it’s be either good or bad (it was showed in the painting above) as compared to the rural area although there’s actually bad/good activities happening but it is less as compared to rural. We cannot blame the government about this because they were all benefited from this, coming from the tax of the corporations. But then, this painting shows what is the reality happening in our country right now.
2. Anthony Palomo “24 ORAS”
On the first 20 seconds I saw this painting I was confused what its all about until I’ve read the title, oh. I get it na!! I was amazed when I this painting since its all about what is happening 24 hours.
As I looked at it, it was very chaotic or messy. So it thinks me a second before I already get it. This painting signifies that 24 hours (night and night) in our country we remain complex or in tagalog “MAGULO”.
Like for example, across the street there were always a crimes or street fights. In our society we’re still in the process of changing self for the nation. Thus, this art would be a message for us to change and become discipline, and responsible citizen’s of our country.
3. John Paul Antido “DOWN TOWN”
This painting shows different kinds of Filipino households. As what painting shows, we can determine whether these people were know each other. But, as we see can easily identify where they from or what culture they have. Also, this painting signifies that although they are neighbors to each other they still not talking or noticing each other, especially if some of them or someone is coming from provinces.
4. J Pacena II “SEQ06_EXT/PLAYGROUND: THE AFTERNOON OF FEBRUARY 1986”
This painting shows something which is an event during 1986. Based from my understanding there’s a war in 1986 and that’s what the playground looks like. The planes in the painting signifies a war jets that are dropping missile or bomb in the ground. Moreover, the different lines in the painting signifies the bullets coming from the war jets. Therefore, this painting symbolizes the tragic event during 1986.
5. Arturo Sanchez “THERE IS HOPE AS LONG AS WE CAN BREATHE”
6. Renz Baluyot “SA SENTRO NG IMPERYO”
7. Liv Vinluan “THE INTERRUPTED FUTURE HISTORY OF THE PLACE THEY CALLED MAYNILA”
“This art work means that all beginning should have an ending, but after the ending there will be a new beginning.”
This painting shows that in future there will be a volcanic interruption that will destroy the city, then there would be great or massive earthquake that will gives a huge holes in the ground, and there would be a huge tsunami that will erased the whole city in the map.
Then after how many years, there would be a colonization again and we are being colonized. And at the end, we will become free again and became a new developing country.
8. SANGVIAJE (Daniel Aligaen, John Paul Antido, Edrick Daniel, Dennis Fortoso, Guerrero Habula, Joven Mansit, Jaypee Samson, and Pogs Samson) “ANG PATULOY NA PAG-USAD NG LIPUNANG MAY SAYAD”
This painting talk about the modernization industrialization, and also innovation of people. It signifies that some of our rural areas became cities now due to the transformation and development of our country. Furthermore, it also signifies that human as innovator keep exploring or inventing some that will make something easier.
9. Etc. (I forgot to take a photo of the title of work and names of other artists in this gallery, but i took a photo of their works).
II. Contemporary Filipino Artist:
List of known Contemporary Filipino Artist:
- Jose Tence Ruiz
- Agnes Arellano
- Elmer Borlongan
- Emmanuel Garibay
- Mark Justiniani
- Patricia Perez Eustaquio
- Maria Jeona Zoleta
- Dex Fernandez
- Mark Valenzuela
- Ronald Ventura
- Arkiv Vilmansa
- Christian Marclay
- WSK
FIRST ARTIST: AGNES ARELLANO
The art works presented by Agnes Arellano would be the goddesses from different cultures. She did not label herself and her work as distinctly feminist. Rather, she just wanted to express the divine, mythic and spiritual dimensions of femininity.
Sample Artworks:
For me the message conveyed by her art works or sculptures was about Hinduism as religion. Since, most of it was displayed a female goddesses, wherein, Hindu religion classified females as powerful aside from being divine and having mystic character role. We all known that Agnes Arellano is very popular on her works in featuring femininity as a theme. Thus, her works was also conveyed that in some ways females are more powerful than males.
SECOND ARTIST: MARK VALENZUELA
Mark Valenzuela’s works explores a lot of aspects and issues of our society. These are conflict, anxiety and displacement. He used repeated forms and shapes of ceramic together with the combination of detailed drawings and paintings in order to characterized the theme of his art works.
Sample Artworks:
For me the message conveyed by his art works or ceramic shapes with drawings was about masculinity. It has image or drawing of men, a rooster and a penis. Which maybe means that the artist wants to pointed out the role of men in the society.
THIRD ARTIST: DEX FERNANDEZ
Sample Artworks:
III. Art Fair PH experience
Over-all, my experience in the Art Fair PH 2017 was very fun, interesting, and tiring (because of going around from one gallery to another). It was my first experience attending event [ArtFairPH2017] in my life, I can say that it was a great and important event for all national artists and exhibitors in the Philippines which that nature of their art works are present. This event will eventual caught my attention to come back again next time. Maybe in future I’m one of them or one of the buyer of their works.
In my first visit in the Art Fair PH 2017, I noticed that there are different kinds of people visiting such even. It include the following: some or all of the viewers or audiences are coming from high social class or which we called them the “Elite or Bourgeoisie”. Furthermore, I also noticed that there are some of the audiences are there for the reason of having good picture shots that will be posted on their IG or Instagram, there are also some viewers that are present because of subject requirements which includes me. And even artists or celebrities are present in the event, maybe, they are the collectors of different art works.
The audience in the Art Fair PH 2017 and in the National Museum have a significant differences. The viewers or audiences in the art fair are mostly business man, art collectors, celebrities, and Elites while in the National Museum most of there viewers was the students, especially those students in the provinces who are having educational trip in the National Museum.
Therefore, experience in the Art Fair PH 2017 is more favorable for me as compared to the experience in the National Museum. Because of the following: First, the art fair was more interactive compare to the National museum. Since art fair was into selling while national museum was into telling history and culture. In the art fair, we are free to ask question to the artist/s regarding their art works since they are wanted to sell their work or to present their works to be known in public. Thus, in the art fair, artists was freely interact with you about his/her works. While in National Museum they will just let you to know about the message of the art work. Second, the location in the art fair was very tight or “masikip” which there was only enough space to a certain gallery. By that, it results to very crowded environment. Compared to the National Museum there enough or allowable space to a certain gallery. Thus, the location of place may affect individual in understanding the messages of the art works. Lastly, in the art fair they are not strict about taking photos or photo shoot, modeling, and there are some art works that you can touch, while in the National Museum, they are very strict about photo shoots, touching some art works, and loud voices inside. Therefore, I must preferred going to Art Fairs, because I have a freedom to do what ever I want in pointing out the messages conveying by the artworks.
EXTRA GALLERY:
XuArtspace Gallery
