STARTING AN ART COLLECTION CAN BE A WALK IN THE PARK
TAGGED AS THE ‘MORE CASUAL’ PREDECESSOR OF ART FAIR PHILIPPINES, ‘ART IN THE PARK’ RETURNS FOR THE 13TH YEAR AT THE JAIME VELASQUEZ PARK IN SALCEDO VILLAGE, MAKATI CITY, THIS SUNDAY. THE ORGANIZERS SAY THE EVENT IS AN IDEAL ENTRY POINT INTO THE WORLD OF ART COLLECTION.
THE relative affordability and vast collection of quality pieces showcased at “Art in the Park” make the event perfect for those looking to own their first piece of art, its organizers said. Prices of the artworks at the annual event are capped at P50,000. A piece even went for as low as P200 in a previous run a couple of years ago, according to Trickie Lopa of Philippine Art Events Inc., the group behind Art in the Park, together with Dindin Araneta and Lisa Periquet.
“Art in the Park is the perfect place to make your first art purchase,” Lopa said at the recent media launch of the event.
A total of 56 exhibitors representing galleries, art collectives, independent art spaces, and student groups are set to present a wide array of artworks this year to appeal to all tastes and styles. The oneday event is free of charge, and will run at the Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati City on March 17, from 10 am to 10 pm.
Art in the Park doubles as a fund-raiser, as it donates a portion of all sales to the Museum Foundation of the Philippines in support of their projects and programs for the National Museum of the Philippines and its network.
Launched in 2006, Art in the Park was originally a companion event to the second anniversary of the Salcedo Saturday Market. Lopa said the fair took a life of its own and supplied their group with the courage of taking on a bigger endeavor in 2013, called “Art Fair Philippines.”
The two events, however, have distinct identities. Whereas Art Fair is staged in an enclosed space with the feel of typical art exhibitions, Art in the Park is mounted in the open, under the sun and around trees, with, as Lopa puts it, a “more relaxed and casual vibe.”
“Think of literally a day in the park and there’s art around,” she said. “Visitors wander among tented booths, with art students gathered around on one side and somebody doing a spontaneous performance on the other. There’s also a lot of good food and music, so it’s really a casual day to enjoy yourself on a nice beautiful Sunday.”
Lopa said there are no plans to scale the event, as they want to keep Art in the Park grounded on its roots to preserve its allure. Part of this is the visitor’s experience of sifting through a park-sized selection of artworks, giving the event the feel of a treasure hunt.
The idea took on new heights last year through a social experiment conducted by the Center for Art, New Ventures and Sustainable Development, or CANVAS. The nonprofit organization sold pieces by distinguished Filipino artists BenCab and Emmanuel Garibay that were disguised as unsigned artworks made by student artists.
“You don’t know what will catch your eye every year,” Lopa said. “So that’s why I like it: I know what to expect, and that is to expect the unexpected.”
What can be expected, however, are displays from featured artists.
Every year, the organizers handpick talents and showcase their works in special exhibits. This year’s selection includes a trio of young, acclaimed names: painter/photographer Zean Cabangis, fine artist Leeroy New and figurist Yeo Kaa.
Cabangis, 34,is gaining traction both commercially and critically for his acrylic and emulsion transfers that result into multilayered images. His art is featured on the fair’s postcards, and three of his works will go on sale in the Museum Foundation booth. Meanwhile, 33-year-old New made waves with his Aliens of Manila, a project that started as a video artwork featuring people in colorful galactic costumes.
For her special exhibit, Palawan-born Yeo Kaa will turn a piece of the park into her candy colored world with a 20-foot inflatable installation of a smiling pink-skinned girl laying on her side while clutching a white goat.
The piece was displayed at Yabuz Gallery in Yeo’s recent debut solo exhibition in Singapore, titled Alone But Not Lonely. She said the installation features herself and her goat following the events of a breakup two years ago.
“Lumipat ako ng bahay, mag-isa lang ako, tapos narealize ko na hindi pala kapag magisa ka, malungkot ka,” the 29-year-old said.
Another key exhibit this year is Art in the Park’s first scent installation, courtesy of artisanal perfumer Oscar Meija. He will present in a 50-square-meter space, The Enigma of Scent, which lets people in on the experience of perceiving a perfumed matter.
Meija said the sense of smell is the most mysterious of all, as it can perceive both the tangible—such as flowers, grass and wood—as well as the intangible: emotions, feelings, memories.
The installation involves a machine spewing out citrus-scented bubbles that represents molecules. He said the smell could tap into the collective and the individual consciousness of the audience.
“The smell is common for everyone, and they might say, ‘It smells like orange.’ But it’s very personal as well, and they can remember the time they went to this place, or they can remember their aunt, sister or brother,” Meija said. “And also, bubbles are fun.”
Beyond art, the event will have the trio of Soulful Mood playing mellow jazz tunes throughout the day. Come evening, the Philippine representative to the 28th International Blues Challenge in the United States, Bleu Rascals, will take the mic. Food will also be available with a selection of sweet and savory fare, including vegan selections. ■