6 cool things we found at ManilArt 2017

ManilArt may not be as popular as the other art fairs, but it’s also hard to just dismiss the 9 years that it's been around for.

The national art fair this year features 35 galleries that put to front not only the talent but also the sense of humor, fantastic craftsmanship, and intelligence of Filipino artists.

Running until today, we highly suggest you swing by the 3rd floor of SM Aura at BGC to see all the cool things you can find there. Notwithstanding the Orlinas and the Sansos (they'll always be cool), we list six that caught our eye below.

1. This thread-and-needle art by Govinda Marquesto. Long-time Boracay habitués will recognize Marquesto as “Coffee” of the bohemian shop right beside Bom-Bom bar selling jewelry made with carabao bone, drums and percs made with animal skin, offering henna tattoo services too.

He has since moved from Boracay and settled in Cebu, where after getting discouraged with oil painting, took to creating thread and needle art. “The thread that I used here, ito rin yung gamit ko nuon sa paggawa ng drums sa Boracay,” he tells GMA News Online.

Left to right: The Book of Judith, Bountiful Still Life, Kayumanggi

At the space of Espacio Manila, he has three artworks on display, which is fondly thinks of as a family. A thread art of a lady’s portrait called “Book of Judith” on the left, a thread art of a man called “Kayumanggi” on the right, and between them, a table full of food and wine, “Bountiful Still Life.”

2. Dominic Rubio’s "Ilustrado". At the Galleria Nicolas space, Paete Laguna’s son Dominic Rubio holds a solo sculpture exhibiton called “Ilustrado”. 

The delicate sculptures follow the tradition of his paintings for which he gained recognition: scenes from  turn-of-the-century Philippines, populated with Filipinos in traditional garb with elongated necks.

3. "Ohlaland" by Reen Barrera. At the Art for Space area, Young artist Reen Barrera brings visitors to Ohlaland, a land where his popular character Ohlala reigns, well, supreme.

There are paintings of Ohlala yes, but more interestingly, there are toy sculptures of Ohlala that visitors may want to try and play with; “Take a Hike” and “Good Listener” are actually windable.

4. The Annual Sculpture Review. Now on its 13th year, the Annual Sculpture Review gathers the works of Filipino sculptures without a singular theme or concept, making the yearly show wide-range and for this year, rather trippy thanks to a collection of at least eight kinetic sculptures lining the wall.

5. Lilok by Tebs Gomez. At the Arte Pintura Gallery sit three real-life skulls of Brahman cattle beautifully carved and subtly painted with gold.

This is Tebs Gomez’s second collection of bone carving. As with her first, it showcases skulls from her family’s farm, where he father tends to the Barhman herd.

6. Gromyko Semper’s “The Garden at the Edge of the Road”. Life-sized and panoramic, Gromyko Semper’s artworks are definitely worth the attention they’re asking for.

Strange. a little off-putting, and wry, they’re explorations of a post-apocalyptic world and as such delves into the realm of sci-fi even. His style is reminiscent of old school comic book art, not unlike, dare we say,  Carlo Vergara’s Zaturnah; intricate, heavily detailed, and mesmerizing. — LA, GMA News