Tina Fernandez
The contemporary connoisseur
It has finally happened: Filipinos have moved away from simply hanging reproductions of The Last Supper on their dining room wall and are bringing more original art into their living spaces. This evolution of taste is in part made possible by those who are more exposed to art through the internet and through travel and by local gallery owners such as Tina Fernandez, who give local up-and-coming artists a space to exhibit their work.
“Art has always been part of my life,” says Tina, a Communications graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University. “I have always loved looking at art, and I love beautiful things. Art didn’t come in to my life — it was always there and it progressed from appreciating, to buying, to making, to eventually having art classes at ArtInformal. The artist’s space evolved into a gallery, where the art teachers could exhibit their work. The students, because they understood the process, became art collectors and the artists’ careers blossomed.”
Aside from ArtInformal, Tina also opened Aphro The Alley at Karrivin, a shop in Makati City that offers quirky art and design pieces in a space that looks like an open jewelry box.
The Philippine art scene has grown by leaps and bounds since Tina started ArtInformal in 2004. “At first, most art galleries were located in the malls. Little by little, new galleries started to open outside the malls. These galleries have professionalized how art is exhibited. We have also started to handle the careers of the artists by representing them,” says Tina, who also notes that because of this movement, the collectors now know where to go. The collectors trust the gallery and they trust that the gallery will take care of the artist’s career.
She knows how an artist feels about his or her work. She herself has joined exhibits and likes to paint portraits and still life. “You are enveloped, consumed, when you are making art. It is very self-indulgent, it is about you.” Tina also describes her work as rewarding. “I don’t see it as simply giving them (the artists) opportunities because of my gallery or shop. I always look at an artist as a partner of the gallery — we both give something to each other. It is never one leading the other; it is both working simultaneously,” she says.
The mom of six-year-old Juan Luis notes that millennials are now moving into their first homes, and she gives this advice to those feathering their fledgling nests. “When you are looking for art pieces for your home, trust your gut. Go to galleries that you trust and look around to see what style you like. You don’t have to buy immediately; do your homework so you don’t end up buying copies of someone else’s work. Educate yourself by attending exhibits.”
Tina is also in favor of putting up more public art, through murals and pieces of sculpture, beautiful building designs and nature. “Art is good for the country’s soul. It would make a great deal of difference in the way people think and the country would be more beautiful. I think people would be more influenced by the beauty that they see and bring it to their homes and their lives,” she concludes.