All-Filipino crafts and products showcased at MaARTe Artisan Fair

The MaARTe 2012 Artisan Fair, held at the Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center on August 24-26, was a visual feast, to say the least. Dubbed by its organizers as an “exhibition and sale by outstanding Filipino artisans,” guests and buyers who attended the weekend event experienced no less.

MaARTe 2012 gathered more than 40 jewelers, fashion and home accessory designers, and cultural entrepreneurs from all over the Philippines. They were carefully selected to showcase the best of Filipino arts and crafts. The venue was transformed into an exclusive all-Filipino zone with attendees eager to check out what’s on display.

 

Some of the products featured were furniture and home accessories by A-11 studio owned by Eric Paras and Bungalow 300, decorative and colorful storage products from Monteville, tableware by Zentiments, linens by Casa Kyla, and table top decorations by Seagull Glass and Philippine Treasures. 

 

Jewelry and accessories came in all shapes and sizes. Designer Angela Angeles, who has a background in architecture, displayed her structured pieces. Tara Soriano, Natalya Lagdameo, Ann Ong and Nesty Serrano, on the other hand, featured their own design aesthetics, while Aleanah and Unang Panahon had antique jewelry on display. Ming Ong of Kathang Kamay, specializing in handcrafted and painted products, gave her buyers an almost 50 percent discount on selected items.

The fun and whimsical hats and fascinators by Hat Momma drew the crowd’s attention, as did the ladies’ wear from the likes of Dita Sandico-Ong and Cora Manimbo.

 

Products from other regions were also well represented, with the participation of the Association of Negros Producers, Club Bulakenyo, Gameng Museo Ilocos Norte, and Abra Atbp. 

 

Rowena Ison of Tepina, who was selling the Palawan woven piña, told GMA News Online that the MaARTe fair is a “much appreciated event by local entrepreneurs because it gives a platform for marketing and sales of hard-to-access local products.”

 

The booth of Gifts and Graces had unique finds like newspaper bags with Audrey Hepburn illustrations, bags made from flour sacks, and stuffed animals made from scrap fabric. All their products were made by people from the marginalized sector of society. Social entrepreneurship is also an advocacy of the fair.

 

A special booth at the fair was curated by members of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines. It showcased tea sets by sculptor Impy Pilapil, hand-painted furniture by Jia Estrella, and selected pieces from E. Murio. 

 

Conceived in the same spirit as Art in the Park, the Museum Foundation of the Philippines’ annual affordable art fair, MaARTe aims to make artisanal Philippine products more accessible to the public.  

 

Because artisanal products are handcrafted, they come in small quantities and are only available to a select few fortunate enough to know about them. In the same way that Art in the Park brings contemporary art to a wider audience, MaARTe exposes people to the beautiful work being done by artisans all over the country. –KG, GMA News