Art in the Park gives chill vibes after hectic ‘Art Month’
With Art in the Park, it’s all about the vibe. Yes, February is “art month” in Manila, a time when Makati is invaded by hordes of art lovers heading to Art Fair Philippines (this year, Ayala Triangle transformed into a tented art bazaar). But March is the mellower follow-up month, and Art in the Park—approaching its 20th anniversary next year—is here to give chill vibes.
From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, March 23, the Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati City is where to hang out, listen to DJ sets and scope the newest emerging artists, with canvases typically stacked up and prices capped at P70,000.
One Art in the Park discovery was TRNZ (pronounced tee-ar-en-zee, or “Terrence,” as we prefer to call him), who was picked up by curious collectors years ago at the outdoor event and has now shown at Art Fair, done a fashion collab with Bench, and is currently working on an animated film. His style is heavily ’90s anime-influenced, and he says a lot of his sources come from his phone. “I will use the things I see from our neighborhood, like ukay-ukay places, and take pictures of the fabrics and clothes, and those are the stuff the figures are wearing in my paintings.” He once paused in the middle of a badminton game with a friend to take a photo of a pile of shuttlecocks: that was the basis for a recent work to be shown at Art in the Park.
Another to look out for is contemporary mixed-media artist AR Manalo, whose layered monochrome pieces set in plastic boxes are what he calls “adult pop-up books,” though he admits the pieces are created with his toddler daughter in mind. “She loves pop-up books now,” he says. “Each new book for her is like an imagination-filled movie.” Viewed from various angles, Manalo’s work stands out, literally, with whimsical themes referencing historical prints and circus-like imagery.
Also joining the roster for Art in the Park 2025 is visual artist and designer Carlo Tanseco, reintroducing a pivotal work from his critically acclaimed “Rizal Matchbox” series, marking the first time in two years that a piece from this collection has been exhibited. Tanseco will also offer several limited-edition giclée prints based on the work. And there’s MANALOAR, a contemporary mixed-media artist who focuses on blue-collar workers, couriers and street vendors, celebrating their presence and significance in our communities.
“Yes, it’s a very different mindset” from the yearlong preparations leading up to Art Fair PH, says co-founder Trickie Lopa. “It’s very unintimidating, for both the people wandering around, and for the artists themselves—they get to try different things, experiment and see if people like it and hope it resonates with people. They don’t have to stress too much about it.” Think of it as a trial balloon for art experimentation.
Co-founder Lisa Periquet adds, “It’s very informal and loose, compared to the Art Fair guidelines. We just tend to work with groups that we kind of trust their taste and the quality of what they’re showing.” She notes that, with this equalizing approach, “some people get upset, but we just take the lowest earners, so that way we can rotate and try and get many people in so that there’s always something new.”
That loose vibe is probably why Art in the Park has endured for two decades as something people look forward to in March. This year showcases 61 exhibitors, including Ang INK, Archivo 1984, Art for Space, ART LAB: Atelier Cesare & Jean Marie Syjuco, Art Toys PH, Art Underground, Art Verité Gallery, Artbeat Collective, Artery Art Space, Avellana Art Gallery, Boston Art Gallery, Cartellino Art, Cornerstone Pottery (EJ Espiritu), Cultural Center of the Philippines, De La Salle- College of Saint Benilde, FA Gallery, Fuse Projects, Galeria de las Islas, Galerie Anna, Galerie Artes, Galerie Stephanie, Gallery Genesis, ILCP Art Space, J Studio, Jon and Tessy Pettyjohn, KASIBULAN, Komiket, Kulay Art Group, Looking for Juan, M A G, METRO Gallery, MONO8, Nest, Nineveh Artspace, Orange Project, Pintô Art Museum and Arboretum, Qube Gallery, Resurrection Furniture, Savage Mind / Kamarin Art Space, Sheerjoy Collective, Sierra Madre Gallery, Space Encounters Gallery, Superduper Art Gallery, Talyer 15 Manila, The Authenticity Zero Collective, The Mighty Bhutens, The Photography Collective, The Print Outpost, The Thursday Group, Tin-Aw Art Projects, UP Artists’ Circle, UP College of Fine Arts, Urban Sketchers Manila, VeryGood Gallery, Village Art Gallery, Vinyl on Vinyl, White Walls Gallery, and Ysobel Art Gallery.
Beyond the art, there will be local food and beverage stalls, music from singer-songwriter duo Leanne and Naara, easy jazz from Soulful Mood, and an all-vinyl DJ set by Mario Serrano of EST City.
This year’s Art in the Park—free and open to the public—is organized by Philippine Art Events, Inc. for the benefit of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines, with support from Globe and Bank of the Philippine Islands, and with partners MACEA, Barangay Bel Air, and the Museum Foundation of the Philippines.
Danny Jacinto, Museum Foundation president, noted that much of the fundraising this year goes to stipends for artists, as well as publishing projects lined up for the foundation.
BPI Credit Cardholders will enjoy special perks and privileges in this year’s Art in the Park. For a minimum purchase of P3,000 at the fair, BPI Credit Cardholders can get up to 6 months Real 0% interest thru BPI’s Special Installment Plan (SIP). BPI also offers its cardholders a Buy-Now-Pay-3 Months Later option, with the first monthly amortization posting three months after the purchase date, and 100% Bonus Madness Limit on installment purchases for qualified credit cardholders.
