Keep your eyes peeled for Manila’s affordable art fair

For those wanting to start a collection, Art in the Park is a great way to dip your toes into the throes of the art market.

In its 12th year, Art in the Park gathers 59 galleries, independent art spaces, and student groups for its annual event in benefit of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines (MFPI).

Held on April 15, Sunday, at the Jaime Velasquez Park in Salcedo Village, Makati City, fairgoers can expect a wide variety of galleries and spaces to take their picks at. For a day, this park is transformed into a bustling affair, with different booths both serving you to admire art and to purchase it, as well as additional spaces for visitors to relax and socialize.

One of Jacob Lindo’s whimsical collages, “Did You See The Words? #4,” will be on display at the Museum Foundation of the Philippines’ booth. Photo courtesy of Art in the Park.

Art in the Park welcomes fresh collectors with a selection of works from a spectrum of young and senior artists, with prices ranging from P1,500 to P50,000. For those wanting to start a collection, Art in the Park is a great way to dip your toes into the throes of the art market. With many influential and successful galleries in the roster of participating groups, visitors will surely be able to find something that catches their eye and fits their budget, too.

Much like Art Fair Philippines, Art in the Park hosts special exhibits chosen by the organizers. This year, we will have the chance to see Tekla Tamoria’s installations enhancing our experience at the fair. Tamoria often makes use of paper and origami techniques in her work. A graduate of the UP College of Fine Arts, her work puts emphasis on her process, while at the same time takes inspiration from her own experiences and nature. Titled “Colony,” Tamoria’s installation is a homage to the beehive, and involves countless colored paper, folded in fractals to mimic honeycomb. With the sun shining through her work among the trees, this work is definitely not one to miss.

Lisa Periquet and Deanna Ongpin-Recto during the press merienda

At the MFPI booth, visitors can come and see Jacob Lindo’s work lining their walls. Lindo often works with collage, painting, and sculpture. His works this year captures the candid feel of Art in the Park, allowing for a multiplicity in meaning and narrative through whimsical, surreal combinations.

Aside from art, of course, Art in the Park visitors have other things to look forward to. From the dishes of featured chef Margarita Fores, to singer-songwriter Bea Lorenzo’s soulful renditions of jazz music, anyone is sure to find something that interests them, if the art was not enough.

Art in the Park is held annually in support of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines. The MFPI is a non-stock, not-for-profit, volunteer organization that works to develop public awareness to the National Museum and its divisions and branches. As an organization, the MFPI holds lectures and workshops of Philippine art, history, and culture, as well as organizes cultural study tours within the Philippines. A portion of all sales from Art in the Park goes to the MFPI to support the funding of the National Museum, its educational projects, exhibitions, and maintenance.

Tekla Tamoria shows members of the press segments of her installation.

So mark your calendars for the second weekend of April — Art in the Park is definitely not one to miss. Just make sure to pack a hat and wear some sunscreen!

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Art in the Park will be held on April 15, Sunday, at the Jaime Velasquez Park, Makati City. For information, visit www.artinthepark.ph or on Facebook through www.facebook.com/artinthepark and Instagram @artintheparkph.

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Arianna Mercado is the recipient of the 2017 Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Award for Art Criticism — which is presented by the Kalaw-Ledesma Foundation Inc. [KLF], Ateneo Art Gallery [AAG], and The Philippine STAR.