Art in the Park marks 20 years

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SCENES from Art in the Park 2025 — FACEBOOK.COM/ARTINTHEPARKPH

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THERE will once again be a chance to see art on a nice summer day out this month at the Jaime Velasquez Park in Salcedo Village, Makati City.

For its milestone 20^th edition, Art in the Park will present 55 exhibitors representing galleries, art collectives, independent art spaces, and student groups, all showcasing the diversity of Filipino art. It will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on March 15, Sunday.

In addition to entrance to the fair being free, prices for artworks are capped at P70,000, with many art lovers able to score coveted pieces for even less. “It has always been about accessibility and appreciating art in an unintimidating setting, and through the years we’ve stayed true to that,” said Art in the Park co-founder Trickie Lopa, at a Feb. 27 media roundtable in Pablo Bistro, Makati City.

This year, the outdoor fair will continue to give its share of the proceeds to the Museum Foundation of the Philippines, to support projects and initiatives that preserve and promote the nation’s cultural and historical heritage.

“I’m happy we’re still here after 20 years,” Art in the Park co-founder Lisa Periquet told BusinessWorld. “That’s the best thing about it — our longevity and how we adapted. The park has changed so many times, and we’re still here. There’s so much history now.”

FEATURED ARTISTS
Every year the fair highlights a number of artists whose works are shown in special exhibits around the park.

This year’s featured artist is Ayka Go, a Filipino contemporary visual artist known for her delicate work with paper.

Ms. Go, who is celebrated for her collages and ethereal paintings reinterpreted from three-dimensional forms, will be presenting “a world of memory and materiality.”

“I chose to do something a bit playful because it’s Art in the Park,” she said. “There are so many artists now with such diverse practices. It’s great to be a part of something that is flourishing.”

She explained that her recent works reflect how she is “finding her footing in the process of artmaking” following a personal health crisis. Visitors will be able to appreciate her intricate view of paper and the craftsmanship that goes into representing it through painting and collage.

“The thing with artmaking is that when you keep doing it, it becomes a form of therapy,” she added.

For Ms. Lopa, choosing different artists each year to focus on is a great way to see how Filipino art is evolving.

“Looking back, the artists that have shown with us since 2006 have become big names,” she said. “Art in the Park really allows us to discover an artist and appreciate their artistry.”

ANNIVERSARY MILESTONE
In honor of its 20^th anniversary, the fair will offer visitors a rare opportunity to acquire works by several artists who have headlined the event in previous years.

The lineup of special exhibit artists joining Ayka Go are: Bjorn Calleja, Carlo Tanseco, Demi Padua, Jomike Tejido, Marina Cruz, Anna Bautista, AR Manalo, Charlie Co, Manny Garibay, Pepe Delfin, TRNZ, Clarence Chun, Lynyrd Paras;

Yvonne Quisumbing, Zean Cabangis, Maxine Syjuco, Richard Quebral, Robert Alejandro, Rodel Tapaya, Willie De Vera, Beth Parrocha, Eugene Jarque, Lydia Velasco, Yeo Kaa, Dex Fernandez, Pete Jimenez, Jacob Lindo, Mac Valdezco;

Distort Monsters, Leeroy New, Nasser Lubay, Isaiah Cacnio, Antipas Delotavo, Jr., Henrielle Baltazar Pagkaliwangan, Joy Mallari, Mark Justiniani, Tessy Pettyjohn, Jon Pettyjohn, Joey de Castro, Kabunyan de Guia, Agnes Arellano, Daniel dela Cruz, Bea Camacho, and Ambie Abaño.

Their works will also be available in a commemorative portfolio box, which features a collection of special edition prints. In a nod to the special occasion, works showcased under the special exhibit are exempt from the event price cap.

Meanwhile, the gallery exhibitors are: Ang INK, Archivo 1984, Art Agenda, Art for Space, ART LAB: Atelier Cesare & Jean Marie Syjuco, Art Toys PH, Art Underground, Art Verité Gallery, ArtBeat Collective, Avellana Art Gallery, Boston Art Gallery, Cartellino, Cornerstone Pottery (EJ Espiritu), The Crucible Gallery, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, FA Collective, Fuse Projects, Galerie Anna, Galerie Artes, Galerie Stephanie, ILCP Art Space, iStorya Studios, J Studio, Jon and Tessy Pettyjohn, KASIBULAN, Komiket, Kulay Art Group, Kunstwerk Painting Works, L’arc en Ciel;

M A G, NEST Gallery, Nineveh Artspace, Obras Ongpin, Orange Project, the Pintô Art Museum and Arboretum, Qube Gallery, Resurrection Furniture, Sheerjoy Collective, Sierra Madre Gallery (Joey De Castro), Silahis Arts and Artifacts (formerly Galeria de las Islas), Space Encounters Gallery, Super Duper Gallery, The Authenticity Zero Collective, The METRO Gallery, The Mighty Bhutens, The Photography Collective, The Thursday Group, Tin-Aw Art Projects, UP Artists’ Circle, Urban Sketchers Manila, VeryGood Gallery, Village Art Gallery, Vinyl on Vinyl, and White Walls Gallery.

A diverse lineup of food and beverage concessionaires will offer visitors everything from artisan coffee and craft cocktails to choice local and other eats. Musical sets and live performances are also scheduled throughout the day.

BPI Credit Cardholders can purchase artworks through Flexiplay with flexible installment terms of up to six months at 0% interest.

Admission to the art fair is free. For more information, visit www.artinthepark.ph or @artintheparkph on Facebook and Instagram. — Brontë H. Lacsamana