Cover Discover August’s unmissable art exhibits in Metro Manila (Photo: Instagram / @finaleartfile)
Discover August’s unmissable art exhibits in Metro Manila (Photo: Instagram / @finaleartfile)
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With Metro Manila’s art scene bursting at the seams, it can be overwhelming to choose where to go. This August, Tatler narrows down the exhibits
Oversaturated: a term often used to describe something filled or inundated beyond its capacity. In the context of the Philippine art scene, some academics argue that this word aptly describes the industry. Metro Manila alone hosts hundreds of art galleries—spaces that showcase both local and international talents. With an abundance of shows happening daily, art lovers are never short of options.
To streamline your art journey this August, Tatler curates a selection of must-see exhibits and events. Whether you're a seasoned art enthusiast or just beginning to explore the scene, there's something for everyone. Immerse yourself in installations that challenge your perceptions, or discover emerging artists whose works are a must-see.
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‘Land of Premise’ by Kublai Milan at the Manila Hotel
Above ‘Land of Premise 2’ by Kublai Millan explores the intricate history and untapped potential of Mindanao (Photo: The Manila Hotel)
Above Artist Kublai Millan, born Rey Mudjahid Ponce Millan (Photo: The Manila Hotel)
‘Land of Premise 2’ by Kublai Millan explores the intricate history and untapped potential of Mindanao (Photo: The Manila Hotel)
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Land of Premise seeks to reclaim the original promise of Mindanao—a land of peace, prosperity, and unity—while exploring the complex history and unfulfilled potential of the southernmost island of the Philippines.
“This exhibit is a call to action,” says artist Kublai Millan, a third-generation descendant of settlers from Ilocos who grapples with this legacy through his art. “We must remember the premise on which Mindanao was built—its strengths, unique identity, and people. Words alone cannot build a future. Action and shared resources are what’s needed.”
Land of Premise is showcased at the Art Gallery of the Manila Hotel from August 1 to 31.
‘At First Sight’ by Leo Valledor at Silverlens Manila
On view at Silverlens Manila is artist Leo Valledor first solo exhibition in Manila, titled At First Sight. Widely acknowledged as one of the most influential Filipino American artists, Valledor played a pivotal role in the development of his community’s burgeoning art scene in the 1960s while establishing a lifelong artistic practice later recognised to have expanded the lexicon of American Modernism.
In At First Sight, viewers are surrounded by highly finessed canvases of almost pure colour, organised in terms of geometric fields. Rounding out the exhibition in the gallery’s front room are studies and drawings, demonstrating the calculated intention and precision integral to Valledor’s practice.
At First Sight is on view from July 25 to August 24 at Silverlens Manila.
‘On the Roots and Routes of Diaspora’ by Winna Go at Finale Art File
Above ‘On the Roots and Routes of Diaspora’ by Winna Go at Finale Art File (Photo: Instagram / @finaleartfile)
‘On the Roots and Routes of Diaspora’ by Winna Go at Finale Art File (Photo: Instagram / @finaleartfile)
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Artist Winna Go explores the migrations of the Chinese in large swathes of Southeast Asia through large-scale works meticulously painted to achieve the sheen of silk.
Diachronically presenting the unrest, the journey, and the eventual settlement of the Chinese migrants in Southeast Asia and beyond, the four works are shown as expanses of cloth, rather than bearing the silhouette of Go’s signature robes. Initially pursued in Go’s master’s thesis, the quartet of paintings captures the narrative arc of the great migrations: from tribulation to triumph, from the roots to the routes of diaspora, as the title conveys.
On the Roots and Routes of Diaspora is showcased at Finale Art File from August 2 to 26.
‘Now It’s a Little Upside-Down’ by Cris Villanueva, Jr at Galleria Duemila
On view at Galleria Duemila is Now It’s a Little Upside-Down by Cris Villanueva, Jr.
Born in 1959 in Iloilo City, Villanueva graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts with a Fine Arts degree in 1990. He has been a significant force in the art world, known for his innovative and thought-provoking works.
Key pieces from the collection include Brain Tease, a large-scale wooden toy puzzle, and Skip Language, a driftwood sculpture echoing transportation modes from Real, Quezon, exemplifying Villanueva the artist’s interactive approach. These works invite viewers to deconstruct his creative process, transforming them from passive onlookers to active participants in a cerebral game of visual puzzles.
Now It’s a Little Upside-Down opened with a reception last August 10.
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‘Not of Water Flesh and Blood’ by Eric Zamuco at West Gallery
Artist Eric Zamuco’s Not of Water, Flesh, and Blood is suspended from the ceiling, constructed using vacuum-formed acrylic, metal frames, acoustic boards, wood, and a plastic air vent. This marks the third exhibition of the piece, following its debut at the George Caleb Bingham Gallery in Missouri in 2009.
“The installation was born out of Zamuco’s experience when he was forced to leave his studio after another tenant took it over,” says Gwen Bautista. “In an act of defiance, Zamuco channelled his anger by punching, hitting, and kicking clay, which he then cast in plaster and vacuum-formed into acrylic sheets. He deliberately arranged these pieces on existing t-runner frames, typically used for ceiling soundproofing tiles—an overlooked part of the studio that is neither visible nor invisible. In doing so, he reclaimed space without obstructing it, offering a non-violent response to adversity and engaging in what can be seen as spiritual warfare.”
Not of Water, Flesh, and Blood is on display from July 18 to August 17 at West Gallery.
‘Luwas’ by various artists at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Gallery
Above ‘Luwas’ exhibit arrives at the NCCA Gallery (Photo: National Commission for Culture and the Arts)
‘Luwas’ exhibit arrives at the NCCA Gallery (Photo: National Commission for Culture and the Arts)
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What is the purpose of a journey without a destination? This is what the Luwas exhibit ponders as it signifies the transition from rural to urban living, embodying the tangible experience of leaving the familiar countryside to explore city life or pursue career opportunities among other potential experiences.
Luwas explores redemption and travel as central themes in the individual and collective journeys of all the artists involved.
The exhibit will run from August 8 to 31 at the NCCA Gallery.
‘Pagsibol’ by Gabriel Rafael Perez at UP Fine Arts Gallery
Last August 3, the UP Fine Arts Gallery opened Pagsibol, Gabriel Rafael Perez’s premiere exhibition that reimagines rituals and Filipino folk magic in the form of a mystical visual spell book.
The exhibit ran from August 3 to 8 but will be followed by an artist talk on August 24.
‘And Pull Yesterday Into Today’ at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design
The Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) Manila showcases Swiss artist Heidi Bucher’s (1926–1993) works with And Pull Yesterday Into Today. This exhibition concludes Bucher’s Asian tour, following successful shows in Seoul, Korea, and Beijing, China.
Trained as a dressmaker, Bucher’s exploration of art and fashion is evident in her gender-neutral body sculptures, Bodyshells and Bodywrappings, which originated in California in the early 1970s. In collaboration with The Estate of Heidi Bucher, MCAD and DLS-CSB Production Design students recreated these sculptures for the exhibition.
The exhibit is still ongoing until August 18.
‘Dear Artist,’ by Lec Cruz at the Drawing Room
Artist Lec Cruz’s solo exhibition Dear Artist, is on view until August 20 at the Drawing Room Manila.
“Every time art is created, a part of the artist manifests into the world. An idea materialises and sums up as a concrete concept. In each layer of work lies a part of their history, its processes, choices made, and time consumed in the course of transformation,” says Cruz. “After mounting more than ten solo exhibitions, I am still stuck with the same questions since the day I started. Who are you as an artist? How do you define your works? What do you want to accomplish?”
Dear Artist, is on view until August 20.
‘Muscle Land’ by Reen Barrera at Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery
Muscle Land, a solo exhibition by Reen Barrera, opens on August 14.
The title Muscle Land, with its phonetic echo of the Filipino word maselan (meaning delicate or sensitive), hints at a playful yet ironic juxtaposition between physical strength and emotional vulnerability. This exhibition explores the idea that true strength extends beyond mere physicality; it also involves the capacity to navigate and understand one's deeper, more sensitive emotions.
Muscle Land is on view at Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery.
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Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is a digital editor at Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
