Art Fair’s 10 Days of Art: An affair for all five senses

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This year’s celebration of Filipino modern and contemporary art is promised to be more explosive than its previous iterations. That means Art Fair Philippines 2017 goes well beyond its scheduled time and exhibition venue.

While The Link Carpark would be transformed into a four-story art space in its own right on February 16-19, the entire Makati City will get peppered with public installations and food stops participating in the lofty cause of art celebration during the Fair’s complementary 10 Days of Art.

From February 9 to 19, various areas and establishments will feature public art installations to justify the city’s claim to be “the home for only the finest in local art, as well as a ground for Filipino artists to express their artistic talents,” as Ayala Land Head of Corporate Marketing Cathy Bengzon puts it.

James Nares Street
James Nares’ Street captures the hustle and bustle of everyday New York in a rather interesting fashion. Street highlights the public installations during 10 Days of Art. (Photo from Paul Kasmin Gallery)

Feast for the senses

With 10 Days of Art, the entire city comes alive—from the Greenbelt Fashion Walk to Makati streets and underpasses, to Bonifacio Global City—with garage exhibits, busker performances, mixed media installations, and many more. Highlighting this movement is James Nares’ Street, an hour-long video capturing New York life in dreamy slow motion. Street will be aired on a special installation in the Ayala Triangle on the evenings of February 14-19.

This art movement, however, breaks free from conventional and public art spaces to invade even commercial establishments such as restaurants, bars, and retail stores. Aficionados and first-time attendees alike can visit partner establishments to enjoy special offerings, such as the Museum Cafe near The Link.

Pablo and Cartel Deli in Salcedo Village can fix your meal or drink problems, just as Papi Bistro and The Belle and Dragon in Legaspi Village. There’s also XX:XX, 20:20, Black Market, and Finders Keepers in Chino Roces; and Bar Mathilde, Bucky’s, Pura Vida, Tambai, House of Joe, Wild Poppy, and Z Hostel in Poblacion.

If you happen to enjoy art in BGC, pair the scenery with a nice glass of wine or indulge yourself in a meal in The Bowery, Chotto Matte, Rocket Room, Bank Bar, Bitters, or 2nd’s.

The fifth iteration of Art Fair Philippines this year expects more people to come, especially because it has seen exponential growth in the past years. All these gearing up and pairing with all sorts of establishments and institutions is an effort to see modern and contemporary Filipino art, not just the Fair, skyrocket in both popularity and relevance.

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