Breaking New Ground: Everything you need to know about Art Fair Philippines 2025

This familiarity and relationality contribute to the success of Art Fair Philippines. Instead of merely showcasing works of art for sale, auction or appreciation, the longstanding fair has created “a space where ideas and connections could flourish”, Araneta says.

According to the co-founder, the visitors return to the Fair for its intrinsic and infectious convivial energy, influenced by the organisers’ choice of venues. Such movements “reshaped their sense of where art can thrive. And it’s true: Art thrives where there is engagement, where people feel invited to connect”.

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However, they still do not let curation be dismissed in the process or be an afterthought. It is what subtly guides everything that is seen, discussed, collected and shaped by the art market, says Araneta.

“Once inside, visitors move through spaces designed to lead their experience,” she describes. “The booths and artworks are arranged to create a cohesive flow, offering moments of quiet discovery and the commercial activity of the fair.” Furthermore, the Talks programme and Projects section counterpoint to Art Fair Philippines’ transactional affairs, “reminding visitors that while sales are essential, the cultural and intellectual dimensions of visual art are equally important”.

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By installing exhibition spaces from the Tower 1 area of the Gardens all the way to the relatively new Tower 2, Art Fair Philippines aims this 2025 edition to reflect its commitment to inclusivity—that art belongs in spaces that invite everyone in.

“The new venue certainly presents challenges, but it has also given our team a chance to rethink how we approach exhibition design. The process has been invigorating, pushing us to be more creative and flexible in presenting contemporary art and, just as importantly, connecting with our audience,” Araneta says.

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The curated section dedicated to exhibiting the works of select established and emerging artists features urban and public artist SpY Studio, ceramicist Jezzel Wee, rock sculptor Ryan Rubio, New York-based glass artist Goldie Poblador and acclaimed artists Manuel Ocampo (known for his use of religious and cultural symbolism and iconography) and Manny Garibay (renowned for his expressionist figurative style on works with socio-political themes).

Generally, what weaves these artists together is their awareness of their experiences with and presence in their particular environments. These experiences inform their choices of materials and the topics that resonate with them. For this year’s Art Fair Philippines, these artists tackle various themes, including environmental justice, urban landscape and sociopolitical commentaries.

“For his Art Fair Philippines exhibit, Manuel Ocampo shows the work produced during his residency in STPI Gallery, Singapore in 2019. The complete showpiece is a print that hangs almost ten metres wide and two metres tall, titled If All You Are Is A Nail Then Everything Looks Like A Hammer,” says Carla Gamalinda from the Art Fair Philippines team. Two print works from that large-scale piece have been flown in for the Fair, as well as new works by Ocampo.

“Ocampo describes printmaking at STPI as very collaborative in nature,” says Gamalinda, “The project is a striking shift in the artist’s usual mode of production. Developing print and paper experimentations with a team of printmakers requires deliberate arrangements, a disruption to his own norm, but a nod to the volatility that is central to his work.”

Manny Garibay is presenting his social commentary exhibition Dambana: A Critical Reflection on Belief, Power, and Memory.

“In Dambana, the sacred becomes a prism through which we examine the most defining structures of human life—its rituals, its symbols, and the narratives that sustain it. The term dambana refers to an altar or shrine, a physical and symbolic space where reverence, memory, and devotion converge. For Filipinos, it is a repository of cultural identity and collective memory, embodying the tension between continuity and rupture that defines the sacred in human experience,” describes Gamalinda.

“The exhibit probes the concept of the sacred as both a cultural artefact and a socio-political mechanism, compelling us to reflect on what we revere, why we revere it, and what such reverence demands of us. The imagery refuses to be confined by static representations, instead, it portrays symbols of devotion as living, breathing constructs— always entwined with systems of power, always subject to negotiation and reinterpretation,” says Gamalinda.

Ultimately, the exhibition is the artist’s call-to-action on confronting the fractures of our national identity, the commodification of culture, and the apathy that permeates our collective consciousness.

Ryan Rubio, renowned for his rock sculptures and installations, is exhibiting The pain passes... the beauty remains, which welcomes the “toil of artmaking”, says Gamalinda, as the artist describes his practice very physical and labour-intensive.

Rubio walks about a kilometre to the edge of Pulang Daga beach in Paracale, Camarines Norte and takes his time to choose his material, one at a time, among the thousands that blanket the beach.

“He puts the stones into a backpack and returns to his studio. On another day, he will head to a river, take what he can carry and head again home. Such is the pace in which he forms his artwork: present and unhurried,” recalls Gamalinda.

In her exhibit titled The Rise of Medusa, Goldie Poblador continues her exploration of marine fauna from her 2023 show Sea Anomaly. Responding to the oil spills in Verde Island, she observes how these animals have adapted to the changing landscape in spite of the man-made damage.

“Goldie cites the archetype of Medusa, a representation of the monstrous feminine: ‘This image of the oil slick was something that conjured up this side of being a woman.’ She sees this image also in Magwayen, the Visayan goddess of the seas and the afterlife, whose defiance shows through the resilience of the creatures that she represents. Goldie taps into multiple senses—visual, scent, and sound—to emancipate this boundless power innate to the dark, deviant side of femininity,” says Gamalinda.

The glass sculptures in The Rise of Medusa are about the size of a human hand, but each piece is intricate: its tentacles are lined with stinging nematocysts that pierce and grasp. Against their black backdrop, the pieces seem to float in a moment of dance. Contained within these pieces are scents that capture the situation in Verde Island, created in collaboration with scent artist M Dougherty. Goldie works with artists Ben Richter, Arvin Nogueras and Erwin Romulo to translate the scents into sound. 

“Scent is our sense that's most linked to the limbic system in our brains that recovers memory so that when you want to channel a specific memory, that's the direct link to it,” Poblador says. 

“Considering hers as a cyclical practice, Goldie compares the sensory aspects of her work to performance practice,” shares Gamalinda. “To feel like you can move as you want, and be where your relationship with your body is boundless, then you have to reach a place where your primary motive is just to sense what's around you and move as you see fit,” explains Poblador.

“As you stand in the space of Jezzel Wee’s exhibit; you pick up a ceramic doll, hold it with both hands and shake it as you are whispering your wishes; it responds with a gentle ringing that bounces around the ceramic body of the figure and onto your palms. As you become more aware of your own intentions, you hear the chime of several other dolls around you—simultaneously ringing in reply to the wishes around you. Pagbulong, as the space is titled, becomes a temple of empathy,” says Gamalinda.

Ceramicist Jezzel Wee graduated from the University of the Philippines and later had an apprenticeship in Tsugaru Kanayama-yaki, a potter company in Aomori prefecture in rural Japan. She underwent training from master potter Ryoji Matsumiya, instilling in her a deep respect for the material and the craft that has co-existed with humans since 16,000 years ago.

“It’s not just limited to visual texture because you can hold it in your hands. And then you see the layers of inlay porcelain and the celadon glaze, and those details.” Wee elaborates. 

“The wishing dolls resemble a crowd of beings, similar in its essential form, but each carefully designed with subtle nuances that can only be seen up close. Placed on open shelves, the fragile objects create a situation that inspires an instinct of care. It creates an opportunity to observe how people react to the innate brittleness of the material,” describes Gamalinda.

The attention to detail and the ephemeral moments is central to Wee’s work. “Minsan kailangan natin ng mag-uupo sa atin. [Sometimes, we need something to ground us]. There are small but important things around us that we tend to take for granted,” Wee notes.

Anonymous urban artist SpY Studio is known for his work with barrier tapes to make a bizarre commentary on the usual city life. Started as a graffiti writer in Madrid in the late 1980s, SpY devoted himself to street work informed by his observations on urban life, how cities behave as living entities that undergo conflicts and transformations.

“Cities are not aseptic spaces like the ones you find in galleries, museums or art fairs. They are in constant evolution, and this makes part of the process of art making and influences the way the public relates to the artwork,” SpY explains to Gamalinda.

On February 14 to 23, Makati will transform into an art paradise with Ayala Land’s 10 Days of Art. Now on its 12th year, the much-awaited gathering is showcasing a curated selection of artists, creations, and activities designed to engage the country’s thriving art community.

The exhibition traverses Ayala Triangle Gardens, Ayala Center (One Ayala, Glorietta, Greenbelt, Ayala Museum), Legazpi Active Park, and Circuit Makati. Divided into clusters, the art walk begins at Ayala Triangle Gardens where thought-provoking installations, photographs, and augmented reality paintings ignite wonder and curiosity. The path continues to Ayala Center and Makati Central Business District, where creative installations at Greenbelt 3 and Glorietta, portraits and large-scale live painting exhibitions at One Ayala Mall, mesmerising outdoor sculptures at Legazpi Active Park and Seda Residences Makati, and special presentations and talks at the Ayala Museum capture the imagination. Finally, Circuit Makati shines the spotlight on two internationally-renowned artists, JEFRË and Olivia d’Aboville, as they share their masterpieces to the local audience.

Rewilding, an exhibition curated by Jun Sabayton, brings together the works of Bjorn Calleja, Ivan Despi, Pauline Despi, Jo Gregorio, Jeff Hazel Ombrete, Peter Daniel Palanas, and Cherylee Sng. Set against the backdrop of the Ayala Triangle Garden Amphitheater and Greenwall, the visual projections invite viewers to explore a deep longing for connection. This collective work fosters a sense of awe and wonder, encouraging everyone to reflect on their relationship with the ever-changing world. Amidst the towering glass, steel, and concrete structures, these seven artists offer fresh perspectives on how each individual might reconnect with nature and embrace shared humanity.

What’s more, the daily commute gets even more interesting as Fotomoto hosts a digital exhibit at the Legazpi Underpass, showcasing looped slideshows accompanied by an audio track. Meanwhile, at the Paseo-Villar Underpass, commuters can revel at the one-of-a-kind Walk With Me exhibit, curated by Jopet Arias and his colleagues, which revisits the milestones that shaped the people behind the collection, namely the TLYR Collective. These pieces incorporate augmented reality, inviting audiences to contemplate their own identities and experiences in the context of a rapidly changing technological landscape.

In addition to all this, Ayala Triangle Gardens will also host several key events during the Art Fair. During the Vernissage on February 20, DJ Tolga, renowned for his sets at Art Basel and other international art fairs, will perform at a VIP party at the Art Fair Veranda. The fair opens to the public from February 21 to 23. Then on February 22, the Serbian hardcore punk and metal band Overdrive will also take the stage open to all Art Fair attendees. The Makati Street Meet “Art Street” will be held at Paseo de Roxas and Circuit Makati on February 22 to 23. Simultaneously, on February 23, renowned photographer Tom Epperson of Fotomoto will take photos of attendees of the Car Free Sundays at Ayala Avenue—this is part of the social media video series “Real Faces, Real Places” in Makati, but in photography format.

In Legazpi Active Park and Seda Residencies Makati, Briccio Santos’ The Sentinels features four sculptures that evoke the elements and energy of spiritual guardians. Santos, a multifaceted Filipino artist, reflects on the need for abstract amulets to guide people amidst modern distractions. The sculptures embody themes of camouflage, resilience, dualities, ambiguity, and poetic strength.

In Greenbelt 3’s Sunken Park, FotomotoPH presents Camera Obscura, an installation that projects sharp, bright images onto the floor. This all-weather photo canvas projects stills from daily life, adding wonder to the mundane. It also allows viewers to print images, blending traditional photography with interactive art.

At Glorietta, Kim Borja’s The Words You Speak Become the Home You Live By offers a structure—a home, if you will—built entirely of language. Serving as an invocation, invitation, and a quiet warning, it suggests that language, often wielded like a hammer, has the power to shelter or destroy. It also brings to light the silent struggles of mental health, adding a layer of depth and reckoning to the exhibition.

At One Ayala Mall, ESL Chen’s Time Explosion displays various portraits located on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th levels; as well as a large-scale live painting on canvas scheduled for February 15 to 16. Chen, a self-taught photographer and founding member of FotomotoPH, explores themes of paradox, time, and impulse in his work, offering a personal yet relatable visual narrative.

The Art Fair is also partnering with the Ayala Museum to conduct a series of initiatives throughout February. The Zobel exhibition features a series of tours, including a curator’s talk with Felipe Pereda, while the Fotomoto I/Land hosts various exhibitions, including a talk on developing photography projects with Raena Abella and panel discussion with exhibition jurors.

Circuit Makati will bring internationally acclaimed works and artists to the fore, from enthralling installations to captivating performances. Among these are two stunning works strategically positioned within Ayala Malls Circuit.

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JEFRË presents Talking Heads with lead exhibition technician Ian Gines. This large-scale multimedia installation features suspended plastic vacuum-shaped heads with words of affirmation in different languages, lit by colourful neon lights. The work celebrates the individual and the indispensable part they play in the multitude, mixing the universal and the personal.

Alternatively, French-Filipino artist Olivia d’Aboville introduces Wonderland of Lights, a mesmerising installation that interweaves organic textures with synthetic materials. A graduate with honours from ESAA Duperré, d’Aboville uses innovative textile techniques, incorporating natural fibres and recycled materials to create a luminous spectacle. This stunning piece, which explores environmental themes while redefining urban art, is brought to life at Circuit Makati in collaboration with Art House.

Circuit Makati will also host multiple events throughout the Art Fair. On February 18, Fotomoto will honour its Artist in Residence at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater 2nd floor gallery. Celebrated performer Regine Velasquez will grace Samsung Performing Arts Theatre on February 14, 15, 21, and 22; and the Next to Normal musical play will run at the Power Mac Center Spotlight from February 1 to 24. 

Lastly, for ArtFairPH/Digital, Isaiah Cacnio reminds us of the fluidity between art and mathematics in his work The Language of Infinity, an immersive digital projection of animated fractal art.

Placed at the end of a corridor, the work coaxes the audience into a tunnel and engulfs them in warping colours that unravel and stretch and swell. The walls are flanked with ten sublimated metal prints whose image extends out of its edges. To create these images, Isaiah uses fractals, or infinitely complex patterns that recur at progressive scales. They are created by repeating mathematical operations over and over in an ongoing loop.

Cacnio compares his surroundings to the fractals that he creates: “These are patterns and textures that you can see in real life.” Cacnio explains how when one zooms into a pebble under a microscope, it resembles mountainous land formations seen from a satellite. “That's how fractals work,” he explains. These phenomena are seen also in the patterns of lightning, rivers, trees.

Vernissage is scheduled on the night before the public opening, allowing VIP guests and select friends to see this year’s impressive art before anyone else. Another VIP experience is a talk presented by BPI on the importance of art investment.

Despite its growing presence in the art scene, the co-founder of Art Fair Philippines believes that more aspects can be further improved. This includes expanding the Talks programme to engage a more diverse audience. This might be possible by partnering with schools or producing online talks that could further broaden the reach of art education in the country and make Art Fair Philippines more than an annual affair.

“I hope Art Fair Philippines can expand its international presence and form more collaborations. Strengthening partnerships will help raise the profile of Filipino contemporary art, offering local artists more opportunities to be recognised, connect with new audiences and markets… and build relationships with international collectors and institutions,” Araneta concludes.

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