MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Over 61 galleries, art schools, independent art spaces, art collectives, and, for the first time, an NFT marketplace, are slated to showcase their exhibits online from 10 am on April 24 to May 1 at www.artinthepark.ph. And as the world opens up to more face-to-face activities, Art in the Park is also excited to present a lineup of events and exhibits live on April 28 at the Jaime C. Velasquez Park in Makati City.
This year’s exhibitors include Ang INK., Arnold Art Collection, ART for Space Gallery, ART LAB: Atelier Cesare & Jean Marie Syjuco, Art Toys PH, Art Underground, Art Verite Gallery, ArtBeat Collective, Artepintura Gallery, Artery Art Space, ArtPAPER, Association of Pinoyprintmakers, The Authenticity Zero Collective, Avellana ArtGallery, Boston Art Gallery, Cevio Art Haus, Cornerstone Pottery (EJ Espiritu), De La Salle – College of St. Benilde, District Gallery, FA Gallery, Far Eastern University, Galeria de las Islas, Galerie Anna, Galerie Artes, Galerie Stephanie, Good on Paper, Hugpong Panay, ILCP Art Space, J Studio, Jon and Tessy Pettyjohn, KAIDA Contemporary, KASIBULAN, Kababaihan sa Sining at Bagong Sibol na Kamalayan, Kulay Art Group, MAG, Manila Collage Collective, Mariyah Gallery, Mia Casal Ceramics, Modeka Art Space, MONO8, Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Nineveh Artspace, Orange Project, Pangasinan Group, Parokyano ng Malabon, Qube Gallery, Redlab Gallery, Resurrection Furniture, Sagada Pottery, Sheerjoy, Sierra Madre Gallery (Joey de Castro), Space Encounters, The Thursday Group, Tin-aw, TUP Manila, UP College of Fine Arts, Village Art Gallery, Vinyl on Vinyl, vMeme Contemporary Art Gallery, White Walls Gallery, and Ysobel Art Gallery.
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.
Special Exhibits:
Art in the Park presents Rodel Tapaya and Marina Cruz
Art in the Park Online 2022 proudly welcomes back two of Philippine art’s most important artists practicing today, husband and wife Rodel Tapaya and Marina Cruz.
Rodel Tapaya’s works are characterized by visionary narrative tableaux which combine folklore and social history into painterly figurations. His process mines indigenous craft relevant to the source texts and brings pre-colonial culture and contemporary political ethos into dialogue.
Marina Cruz’s evolving investigation into the materiality of antique objects, photographs, and dresses encompasses their physicality, history, and how they shape her personal biography. She retraces the stories of the survival of her twin mother and aunt while weaving in the intricacies of their nostalgic recollection.
Together they founded IsTorya, a narrative design studio that celebrates creativity, love of identity and new ways of learning that root back to the stories of the Filipinos. They create works that honor the Filipino artistry, as well as develop entertaining, innovative products that engage kids and families to learn about Philippine art, culture, and history. IsTorya believes that, at the end of the day, the best stories are the ones that teach.
Each artist will be presenting solo projects that underline their ongoing interests in experimentation with various media. Rodel Tapaya will be exhibiting nine artworks for Chicken Army, and Marina Cruz will be exhibiting 11 artworks for Imprinted Musings.
Art in the Park presents Studio 1616
Ten years ago, in 2012, artist Lynyrd Paras approached the organizers of Art in the Park and asked if the fair would take in a bunch of students that he was then mentoring. After confirming a slot for that year’s Art in the Park, the group had to come up with a name. They decided to take on the address of Paras’ workspace, and Studio 1616 was born.
A decade later, that promising band of art students has blossomed into some of the most exciting names in Philippine contemporary art. To celebrate the fair’s 16th anniversary, and the 10 years since they got together, they are back with Art in the Park and will be exhibiting 15 artworks for sale, each measuring 16 x 16 inches, on the website.
Art aficionados and Jaime Velasquez Park visitors will have the chance to view their work, Reflect Deflect, installed live at the park. In a rare coming together for this project, the work takes off from the tents that characterize Art in the Park, using steel and mirrors as reflective surfaces that encourage visitors to examine themselves more closely.
The artists from Studio 1616 are Johanna Helmuth, Yeo Kaa, Jeremae Jumaoas, Jerahmeel Alvarez, Keb Cerda, Dale Erispe, Jayvee David, Jett Osian, Levin Paras, Ciron Señeres, Kiko Urquiola, Gian Miroe, Roy Rosatase, Yani Unsana, and Erick Villaruz.
Distort Monsters bridges digital art and traditional art with Monster Mayhem Megamash, presented with Globe Platinum
Street corners. Abandoned buildings. Unsuspecting walls. That’s where you’ll find the mischievous creatures made popular by artist Distort Monsters. Influenced by skateboarding and punk rock, his characters are more than just bold outlines and multilinear textures—they’re colorful representations of a counterculture spirit. Themes of his monstrous works revolve around countering adversity with some hardcore resilience. He has been painting for over a decade, with his work being brought to life on the streets, in gallery exhibitions, canvas pieces, art toys, public installations, and the metaverse.
Art in the Park, in partnership with Globe Platinum, will present 100 pieces from part two of Monster Mayhem MegaMash, an ongoing project of Filipino street artist, Distort Monsters. The artist aims to bridge the physical and digital art realms with the release of these colorful creatures in two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and digital forms, taking his distinct images from murals to beyond NFTs, exploring the boundaries of technology.
These one-of-a-kind monsters, each assembled from a set of traits inspired by various classic monsters such as ghouls, ogres, werewolves, and vampires, will be available at www.artinthepark.ph as giclee prints that contain unique QR codes that when activated, will enable buyers of the prints to onboard the images as NFTs which they will also own.
Accessibly priced at PHP 9,500.00, the concept of the online exhibit takes off from Blindboxes, where buyers do not know which of the 100 unique prints and NFTS they have purchased until the giclee prints are delivered to them.
A live installation of ten three-foot-high resin sculptures will complement the online exhibition of Monster Mayhem MegaMash. View more monstrous creatures in the grassy expanse of Jaime Velasquez Park from April 24 to May 1, 2022.
Celebrating 30 years of Ang INK, co-presented with BPI
As part of their 30th-anniversary celebration, Ang Illustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK) will present an exhibit called INK in the Park, with a collection of 40 artworks from various illustrators including Juno Abreu, Aldy Aguirre, Fran Alvarez, Jamie Bauza, Benedir Dasig, Jovan De Ocampo, Danielle Florendo, Liza Flores, Tin Javier, Jasmin Lacay, LD Mendoza, Arli Pagaduan, Jonathan Ranola, Mark L. Ruste, Jomike Tejido, and Ige Ochoa Trinidad.
Ang INK, the country’s first and only organization of illustrators for children, was founded in 1991 as a collective effort for the professionalization and development of the industry. Its roster of members includes full-time freelance illustrators, graphic designers, painters, writer-illustrators, teachers as well as students in visual arts, and artists working in publishing companies, design-related firms, and advertising agencies.
Schedule of Online Events via Facebook Live:
- Sunday, April 24, 5:30 PM Video Premiere IsTorya ni Rodel Tapaya and Marina Cruz
- Monday, April 25, 5:30 PM Video Premiere Studio 1616 feature
- Tuesday April 26, 5:00 PM BPI Art Clips Video Showing of INK STORY: 30 Years of Ang Illustrador ng Kabataan
- Tuesday, April 26, 5:30 PM BPI Art Clips Panel Discussion on INK Story: 30 Years of Ang Illustrador ng Kabataan, Ang INK with Ateneo Art Gallery
- Wednesday, April 27, 5:30 PM The Platinum Series presents the video premiere of Distort Monsters’ Monster Mayhem Megamash
- Saturday, April 30, 10 am: The Platinum Series, art activity for kids
Art in the Park Live Events on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Jaime Velasquez Park
As part of the series of events for this edition, Art in the Park fairgoers can also witness Distort Monsters in action as he creates more mischievous and eye-catching monsters for the fair through a live mural painting session starting at 3 pm on April 28 at the Jaime Velasquez Park.
Distort Monsters will also discuss his Monster Mayhem MegaMash project, and how this bridges the gap between traditional art and NFTs in a talk scheduled at 5 pm on the same day.
Ang INK mounts an exhibition of new work available for purchase on this day. Art lovers can also grab the opportunity to see Studio 1616’s installation, Reflect Deflect live.
To complete the Art in the Park experience, a special two-hour DJ set by After The Noon Records will entertain the crowd from 6pm to 8pm. Food and drinks will also be available at the park.
Schedule:
- 3:00 to 5:00 pm: Live Mural painting by Distort Monsters
- 5:00 pm Monster Mayhem MegaMash Live Discussion
- 6:00 to 8:00 PM: DJ Set, After the Noon
- 4:00 to 8:00 PM Exhibition by Ang INK, Studio 1616, special perks for Globe Platinum members and giveaways by BPI Credit Cards
Art in the Park is organized by Philippine Art Events, Inc., for the benefit of the Museum Foundation of The Philippines and with support from Globe Platinum and Bank of The Philippine Islands.
For more information, please visit www.artinthepark.ph and follow www.facebook/artinthepark and @artintheparkph on Instagram.
