One of the country’s most anticipated and affordable art fairs, Art in the Park, is happening. Here’s some of the most important details every visitor should know about this year’s fair.
- Date and location
For the 17th edition of Art in the Park, 60 exhibitors representing galleries, art collectives, independent art spaces, and student groups will once again gather on March 19, 2023, Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati City. Entrance to the fair is free of charge.
Some exhibitors to watch out for include Art Toys PH, Association of Pinoyprintmakers, , TUP Manila, UP Artists Circle, UP College of Fine Arts, and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
- A fundraising event
Just like in the past, Art in the Park will continue to benefit the Museum Foundation of the Philippines in support of its projects and programs for the National Museum of the Philippines and its network. Since 2006, more than P25 million has been given to the said foundation.
Art in the Park 2023 featured artist Bjorn Calleja, charcoal and graphite on paper
- The handpick artists
Art in the Park organizers again handpicked several artists for special exhibits at the fair. This year’s featured artists are Filipino social realist painter Manny Garibay, interdisciplinary contemporary artist Bjorn Calleja, and mosaic artist Kabunyan de Guia.
Garibay is debuting a series of small works, head studies painted on dibord aluminum. The unexpected ground for these paintings lends his images a ghostly, otherworldly air. While experimental in nature, the pieces also showcase his mastery and control over the oil medium.
Meanwhile, Calleja’s series of charcoal and graphite portraits and ceramic sculptures in “Dirty Hands” showcase the artist’s exploration of the relationship between figuration and abstraction. With gestural strokes and exaggerated forms, Calleja imbues the works with a sense of energy and movement, inviting viewers to engage with the physicality of the creative process.
Lastly, de Guia pays tribute to his brother, photographer Kidlat de Guia, who passed away almost exactly one year ago in Madrid, Spain. His installation, “Kidlat Ngayon!!!! Isang taon na paglalakbay as soul,” creates a lightning bolt or kidlat-inspired shrine where visitors can light candles to honor his brother’s memory.
- Live performances
The relaxed and lively vibe of the fair will be enhanced by music from Soulful Mood. This continues on into the evening with a flash mob poetry performance by Titik Poetry interspersed with music from Pundaquit Virtuosi from Casa San Miguel in Zambales.
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