Works That Wow at Art Fair Philippines

One of the best things that's happened to the art scene in Manila in the last five years is Art Fair Philippines. What makes it different from other art fairs in the region is the high octane-level Filipino artists representing the country, and as international galleries attest, the distinctly merrier environment. Interestingly enough, Leon Gallery curator Lisa Guerero-Nakpil says,"For some reason, Filipinos like to buy Filipino art.  Filipinos—in this particular case—are resolutely patriotic." 

This year's edition of the highly anticipated event kicked off with a Collector's Preview yesterday, and will run through February 19 at The Link in Makati. With 46 galleries displaying their best pieces, your first dilemma is probably where to start. Scroll down to see the work that we feel deserve a closer look at.

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Sacred Heart by Jason Montinola

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Rebelasyon, a collaborative oil on canvas work by Kalye Kollektib

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Fresh Underneath by Marina Cruz

Teenage Marble Discharge by Louie Cordero

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

A series of teddy bear subjects by Elaine Navas

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Solitude by Ferdinand Cacnio

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

The Sacred & The Secrets in Our Lives, an assemblage with found objects by Norberto Roldan

Measure the Distance to the Heavens By the Depth of the Fall by Pardo de Leon

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Read My Mind and Queen of Wishful Thinking 2, both by Joel “Welbart” Bartolome

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

The Dog of Lake Pinamaloy by Rodel Tapaya

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

A painting by Neil Pasilan and Raffy Napay

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Blood Angel by Suzann Victor

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

A portrait of a fellow artist by Jose Joya 

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Untitled pieces by Patricia Eustaquio

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Anatomy of a Myth by Rai Cruz

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Dog Days by Kawayan de Guia

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Yellow Flowers on a Striped Ground by Donald Sultan

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Breathing Water series, made from Indian ink, acrylic, handmade Pina paper and glue on plexiglass, by Atsuko Yamagata

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Studies Into the Past, an oil painting on wood by Laurent Grasso

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Balancing Act by Rodel Tapaya

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Hex by Norberto Roldan

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Osmel's Toys by Yuan Yuan

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

In Capital We Trust by Raoul Rodriguez

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Lift Up, a brass installation by Michael Cancio

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Collaborations between Manuel Ocampo and Jigger Cruz

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

A collaboration among Elmer Borlongan, Mark Justiniani, and Emmanuel Garibay

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

An Arena for Pseudo-Context by Manuel Ocampo

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Makati by Jose T. Joya

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

Orley Ypon's Adam's Rib

IMAGE Ryan Ong

Poleng, 3 Ways (soft sculpture), an archival pigment print by Wawi Navarroza

IMAGE Ryan Ong

Relic 2 by Gregory Halili, where corals were made to look like bones

IMAGE Ryan Ong

An untitled six-piece series by Takuro Sugiyama

IMAGE Ryan Ong

Come Out From Under the Covers by Clarence Chun

IMAGE Ryan Ong

Karasu by Vince de Pio

IMAGE Ryan Ong

31 (Edition 2), handblown and hot sculpted glass by Lilianna Manahan and Jiri Pacinek

IMAGE Ryan Ong

Untitled 1 by Nicole Coson

IMAGE Ryan Ong

Lubin Nepomuceno's In White

IMAGE Ryan Ong

Rise to Heaven, Fall to Sky, or Hover in Between by Geraldine Javier

IMAGE Ryan Ong

La Vela by Fernando Zobel

IMAGE Ryan Ong

...go! by Ferdie Montemayor

IMAGE Ryan Ong

Linlang Nilalang by Kirby Rojas

IMAGE Ryan Ong

Gumapaw na Halimaw, made of nylon cord and acrylic beads, by Mac Valdezco

IMAGE Ryan Ong

Hobo in WanderLand, a drawing installation by Cast of Cool member Dex Fernandez

IMAGE Ryan Ong

A series by Indonesian artist Faisal Habibi

IMAGE Ryan Ong

The Wall of Sound, which encloses WSK's Hall of Sound

IMAGE Charles Rudolfo

The Unicorn Club: Boyfriends for Everyone by T&C cover subject Jeona Zoleta

IMAGE Ryan Ong

An installation by Jose Tence Ruiz