MANILART 10 PROMISES TO BE THE BIGGEST ART EVENT IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

After the astounding success of last year’s MANILART 09, the Bonafide Art Galleries Organization (BAGO), teams up once more with the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) to showcase the finest in Philippine Visual Arts via the bigger and better MANILART 10  - 2^nd Philippine International Art Fair.

Slated for a four-day public run at the SMX Convention Center from July 30 until August 1, 2010, MANILART 2010 will kick-off with an exclusive “by-invitation-only” preview on July 29^th.    

MANILART 10 promises to dazzle art lovers and enthusiasts with the best and broadest examples of Philippine contemporary art.  Over 1,000 paintings and sculptures are to be displayed gathering works by some 400 of the country’s brightest talents, thus making the fair the biggest ever in Philippine history. 

“When we first announced MANILART last year, it took us three long months to fill up the 40 exhibition booths we had planned. This year, 70 of the booths were snapped up within two days by some of the most prestigious galleries nationwide” says BAGO president Jonathan Sy,  “surely we’ve done something right to be experiencing this surge in demand.” 

 In fact, MANILART 09 was in itself a milestone event. A staggering total of 5,000 visitors braved the strong winds and rains to enjoy and view the art fair last July. This astonishing feat is something BAGO plans to surpass with the staging of MANILART 10.

 “This year, we expect to triple the total number of visitors due to more media attention and the exponentially growing interest in Philippine art. We also have more exciting activities such as painting demonstrations, on-the-spot competitions, “how-to” lectures and many more.  That is why we are very pleased that the NCCA Committee on Art Galleries headed by Lyn Yusi initiated the approval of a larger grant for this project. We are likewise thankful that the management of the SMX Convention Center agreed to lease their Hall 4 at a subsidized rate owing to their belief in supporting the arts. Not only can SMX accommodate a bigger exhibition space but more importantly, it is the only venue that is truly world-class – a perfect match for MANILART” Sy adds. 

While some sectors are still reeling from the devastation of last year’s strong typhoons and  the economy has yet to recover from the effects of global recession, it is a consolation to know that the visual arts is not only alive but actually thriving.  This manifests the Filipino’s spirit of resilience and pride in his own culture, admirable traits highlighted in the canvasses and brushstrokes of the many contemporary artworks on display in MANILART 10.