A wish list for ManilArt '13

 MANILA, Philippines - Efforts to promote Philippine art must be supported, yes. And attempts to make art more accessible and gain greater understanding by a wider audience are praise-worthy. 

ManilArt ‘12 — organized by Bonafide Art Galleries Organization (BAGO), in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) — is now in its fourth year. Deemed a showcase of Filipino artistry and creativity, more than 40 galleries participated in this year’s event.

However, more than the number of participants (be it galleries or artists), one must also take into consideration other aspects to further the cause. 

Manila may be considered by most as the hub or point of convergence of the arts.  This may be due to the concentration of institutions, galleries and artistic practice in the area.  However, if a holistic view of the visual narratives of our country is to be espoused then creative outputs and artists from the various regions of our archipelago must also be highlighted.  Thankfully, galleries from Negros Oriental and Baguio were part of this year’s event.  Paintings and sculptures fashioned from wood and terra cotta from siblings Danilo Sollesta and Kitty Taniguchi were exhibited at the booth of Mariyah Gallery from Dumaguete City.  Tam-awan Village from Baguio City on the other hand, put on view works from their artists like John Frank Sabado, Leonardo Aguinaldo and Mark Tandoyog, to name a few.  These galleries afforded a peek into the aesthetics of their locale.  A bigger ratio of regional representation should be appraised.

BAGO and NCCA are in a position to highlight the need for more national and government support for arts and culture. As such, provisions or incentives could be devised for more regional participation in the coming years. Moreover, other projects may be formulated that can be spread throughout the year (in conjunction with ManilArt) to assist and develop our homegrown talents at the grassroots level.

Aside from the workshops and lectures, the walking tour is a good addition to its roster of activities. This gave the participants a clearer understanding of the works that were presented. Silvana Diaz, artistic director and owner of Galleria Duemila, was present in one of the scheduled tours. Having known and worked with the artists whose works were on display in her booth, she was able to provide substantial input to the attendees. Other exhibitors should follow her lead, for these were valuable insights that could help deepen the appreciation for art. Featured artists could also be on hand to answer queries in the tour.

While the event indeed offered a wide variety of techniques, personalities and media, together with a range of affordability of art works, the downside of this was visual overload. Some booths went overboard in displaying several works by different artists to fill up their walls. Due to this, there was a lack of breathing room and directed viewing of these works. This prevented the viewers from properly appraising the artists’ creations because of the lack of incisive viewing spaces. Missing as well were the provocative installations and exhibits that were present in previous occasions.

One of ManilArt’s objectives is to attract the foreign market. This will deliver a larger recognition for Filipino talent and with good reason. We are at par with other practitioners within the global creative sphere. The competitive edge that our artists have should be given the proper platform. As we aim to propel Philippine art and culture to its rightful place in the art world, polished concepts and presentations must be taken into consideration as well. Secret Fresh and Gallerie Francesca took a step towards that direction in its design strategy. One is able to look at the works of Lynard Paras and Migs Villanueva without distraction and interference. This enabled a visual discourse to ensue.

These observations should not weigh down the exertions of the organizers.  As previously stated, projects like these are worthy of our patronage.  It is hoped that these will be taken as possible reinforcements to bolster the aims of future ManilArt events. May the fifth year bring forth positive adjustments to bring about a more critical and decisive approach in the advancement of Philippine art.