I only had a couple of hours to spend at Art Fair PH this year. It definitely wasn’t enough time to take in everything but I’m still glad I was able to go and have a good experience from it.

Here are my favorites from this year’s exhibits, dividing them into several categories that specifically speak to me.
TEXTURE
Texture, color, geometry, nuance — there are many little details that pop out to me. I made sure to capture them all somehow.

COLLAGE
I am pleased to see many pieces created out of found objects and mixed media this year. I’m sure there has always been a good amount of collage work each year but I think I take notice of them more now.

It was definitely a jolt of inspiration for me to see and I appreciate the many unusually interesting materials the different artists have managed to integrate into their work.
OLD FRIENDS
Seeing work by artists I already follow and admire is much like meeting and catching up with old friends. You find comfort in the familiarity while at the same time, welcome new aspects about them — changes brought about by life’s many experiences.
- Consequence by Bato


I’ve known and followed Reen Barrera’s career for some time now and I can’t help but feel proud of him for the absolutely remarkable work he has been able to produce the past year. I loved his pieces at this year’s Art Fair and I’m glad more people are taking notice of his talent.
- Behold A City by Ryan Villamael

I made sure not to miss Yeo Kaa’s exhibit. The brutal honesty and raw human emotion mixed into the neon, candy, play-time color schemes in her work, though shocking and maybe even a little scandalous, appeal to me. Her art sense is very radical and shameless which is why I think I (and perhaps many others for that matter) am drawn to her work. I believe Yeo is one of the most interesting young Filipino artists of today.
NEW DISCOVERIES


I’m thrilled to discover a lot of good work by artists new to me. And I think that’s what’s another amazing thing an event like Art Fair in Manila offers — it gives opportunities to artists to get exposure and make their voice heard, as well as create a single venue for everybody else to learn more about different art styles, media, messages and personalities.
- Clusterf*ck by Christian Tamondong
It can absolutely be overwhelming to try and take in everything you see at an Art Fair. There’s always quite a bit to process. I like to think of each piece or even entire collections as a window into the human soul. And if you really look and pay attention, one of them, maybe even two or three, will clearly resonate with you. At that point you realize the artist is human too and their truth speaks to you. It’s that kind of connection that makes an event like this totally worth a visit.


“In art, we feel the breath of the invisible, of the eternal…Artists channel it, corral it, make it visible to the rest of us. The best works of art are like semaphores of our experience, signaling what we didn’t know was true but do now.” — Anne Lamott
Art Fair Philippines took place last February 22 to 24, 2019 at The Link in Ayala Center, Makati. It is an annual event showcasing and selling the best modern and contemporary art from around the Philippines and nearby regions. Go to www.artfairphilippines.com to learn more about it.