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Just barely three weeks ago, 51 Philippine artworks made it to the
Borobudur auction held at the Ballroom of the Suntec International
Convention and Exhibition Center in Singapore. Of these, 46 were
successfully sold at auction indicating a rather high 86 percent
success rate.
This coming month of June, 31 Filipino artists
will be featured in eleven different exhibits in 10 different
venues. These artists will be part of the Philippine Art Trek a
noteworthy project that is now on its second year.
Art Trek actually was conceptualized and
organized by the Philippine Embassy in Singapore in celebration of
Philippine Independence Month. Last year there were eight exhibits.
Now, the list has grown not only in terms of participating galleries
but more importantly, in the number of participating artists.
Slowly but surely, Philippine art is getting to
be known as a major factor in the art scene in Singapore.
The anchor show for Philippine Art Trek 2008
will be a conceptual show exhibiting two major sculptors with two
different mediums. This show is “Glass and Brass” featuring
internationally renowned sculptors Ramon Orlina and Michael Cacnio.
This particular show opens on June 5, Thursday at the Singapore
Management University (SMU) Gallery along Stamford Road. According
to the show’s curator Keng Hock of Utterly Art Gallery, the two
sculptors will be “working with their favourite mediums of glass
and brass, respectively, in depicting imageries and sceneries of
everyday scenes as well as that of human emotions and the
inspirations they derive from the human form, from nature and man
made environment”. This show is a synergistic collaboration
between two major Singapore galleries—sUtterly Art and Galerie
Joaquin Singapore.
Starting the artistic fireworks will be a show
on Wednesday June 4 by noted abstract artist Carlo Magno in a show
titled “Through the Ages” at the Lukisan Gallery at Smith Road.
Meanwhile at the Art Space at the Royal Plaza
Hotel on Scotts Road, up and coming women artists Joy Mallari,
Pamela Yan, Marika Constantino, Sandra Fabie-Gfeller, Tina
Fernandez, Anna Varona and Icar Castro will have a show titled
“Ladies First”. Utterly Art on the other hand has two very
interesting artists on back to back shows. Leo Abaya opens of June 3
till June 15 while Rodel Tapaya whose works have done very well in
the auction circuit opens his one-man show from June 17 to June 30.
On Saturday, June 7, Dominic Rubio and Lydia
Velasco open a twin-billed show at Galerie Joaquin Singapore which
is located at the Regent of Singapore along Cuscaden Road.
Velasco’s show is title “Idyllic Summer” while Rubio’s is
titled “Old Asia”. Aside from Lukisan, two galleries have
enthusiastically joined the Art Trek this year. These are the Forth
Galelery which opens with a show by Randy de la Cruz from June 11
till the 22nd while Artesan Gallery located at Bukit Timah road
opens with a show by Noel Pama.
Manuel Baldemor, the main featured artist of
last year’s Art Trek will have a show titled “River Scenes”
which will show the artist’s intepretation of various river scenes
from his travels all around the world. Momentous Gallery which is
located in Boat Quay will have a show featuring top Filipino
contemporary artists such as Raul Isidro, Bengie Cagangis, Raymond
Legaspi, Marcial Pontillas, Pandy Aviado, Rene Robles, Paul Rocero,
Edwin Wilwayco and Cid Reyes in a show that runs from June 13 to
June 20.
Capping Art Trek 2008 will be an exhibit of
nudes by National Artist Bencab. Singapore is actually looking
forward to Bencab’s return, the artist being an
artist-in-residence at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute in 2003.
There is certainly a lot for art lovers and
connoisseurs in Singapore to look forward to as far as a jubilant,
exciting and fresh concepts and works of art for the month of June.
We certainly wish the participating artists,
galleries and organizers of Art Trek all the success possible.
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