The 5th edition of Art Fair Philippines, slated for Feb. 16 to 19, 2017 at The Link in Makati City, promises a comprehensive collection of artworks from local contemporary artists with 46 galleries participating. This expansion has led AFP to add an additional floor to accommodate up to 22,000 anticipated visitors — a giant leap from the 3,000 attendees of the first Art Fair in 2013.
“Makati has become the home for only the finest in local art, as well as a ground for Filipino artists to express their artistic talents in a place accessible to everyone – families, office workers, even the younger millennial generation, making more individuals aware of the Philippines’ competitive art scene. We are delighted to have Makati as the Art Fair’s home again this 2017,” says Cathy Bengzon, Ayala Land head of corporate marketing.
Special features of this year’s Art Fair Philippines are Art Fair PH/Talks and Art Fair PH/Tours, included as part of its creators’ vision to develop an audience for contemporary art.
Featuring three talks a day, Art Fair PH/Talks will include Canadian writer and sociologist of culture Dr. Sarah Thornton, former contemporary art chief correspondent for The Economist and author of several art world bestsellers such as Seven Days in the Art World and 33 Artists in 3 Acts. Also, Filipino historian, academic and journalist Prof. Ambeth R. Ocampo will talk on the solo exhibition he curated at the Ateneo Art Gallery of works by significant modern artist Arturo Luz, Philippine National Artist for the Visual Arts. Professor Tony Godfrey, teacher, writer, and curator, will offer an exchange on often asked questions about contemporary art as he discusses what “masterpiece” or being a great artist may mean today.
Art Fair PH/Tours will continue to propose guided tours of relevant museums around Metro Manila.
Art Fair PH/Projects are new commissions in form of interactive and/or thought-provoking installations around The Link by internationally established Filipino visual artists. On the 6th floor, an installation by Jose Tence Ruiz, one of the artists who represented the Philippines at the Venice Biennale in 2015, takes center stage with a socio-realist commentary on the country’s current political issues. Other artists commissioned for the 2017 line-up are Agnes Arellano, Elmer Borlongan, Patricia Perez Eustaquio, Emmanuel Garibay, Dex Fernandez, Mark Justiniani, Maria Jeona Zoleta, and the WSK group of sound artists. The 2017 recipient of the Karen H. Montinola Selection, a private grant created in homage to art patron Karen Hernandez, is interdisciplinary and ceramic artist Mark Valenzuela.
On loan from the Julius Baer art collection is the video Telephones by award-winning Swiss and American artist, Christian Marclay. In this 1995 piece, he spliced scenes from over 100 classic films to put together a montage that features ringing phones and famous Hollywood names picking up calls in dramatic sequence.
The overall exhibition design of Art Fair Philippines 2017 is a project of Leandro V. Locsin and Partners, curators of the Philippine Pavilion in the 15th Venice Architecture Biennale.
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Art Fair Philippines 2017 is co-presented by Ayala Land, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Globe, Julius Baer, and Bench. Major sponsors are Make It Makati, Ayala Land Premiere, and Volkswagen.
Official Hotel Partners: The Raffles and Fairmont Makati and the Holiday Inn and Suites.
Official Media Partners: Summit Media, The Philippine Star, and CNN.
Food and Beverage Partners: Don Papa Rum, Kai, and the Straits Wine Company.
Media Support From: Hinge Inquirer, STATUS Magazine, Art Republik and Art+
Online Media Partners: The Artling and ArtFriend
Providers and Supporters: Coca Cola, San Miguel Brewery, Boysen
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For information on Art Fair Philippines 2017, visit www.artfairphilippines.com, www.facebook/artfairph, @artfairph on Instagram and Twitter, or contact secretariat@artfairphilippines.com.
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