Galleries report a vibrant local art market
By Ho See Wah

Art Fair Philippines 2020 welcomed 29,000 visitors over its fair days of 20 to 23 February. This number has remained consistent over the past three years, attesting to the fair’s ability to draw the crowd back annually. Markedly, the event gained a substantial increase in its social media following, with an increase of 10,000 followers across its platforms. Participating galleries reported a spirited atmosphere, and many commented on the dynamic energy of the local art scene.

Patricia Perez Eustaquio, ‘Untitled (River)’, 2020, graphite, acrylic and gold leaf on Giclée, 101 x 76cm. Image Courtesy of Silverlens.

Here are some gallerists’ thoughts on the fair:

“Art Fair Philippines 2020 was the best year for Silverlens so far. We met new clients and connected with existing ones throughout the weekend. We also had a big demand for PDFs of our presentations from clients outside of Manila who could not make it. The fair itself has matured nicely. New galleries with strong artists have come on board. The fair’s programming gave a deeper sense of how vibrant the country's art scene truly is. We do intend to return to the fair next year.” – Isa Lorenzo, Gallery Director, Silverlens Galleries, Manila

“The fair was good! Emmanuel Santos’ ‘Shadow Earth’ solo captured the local public’s imagination and sensitivity to environmental issues. This was our maiden participation at the fair after years of visiting as collectors. We loved the experience and we’ve started to think about Art Fair Philippines 2021.” – Guillaume Levy Lambert, Founder, Art Porters Gallery, Singapore

Shafiq Nordin, ‘Just Want to Sleep and Be Famous’, 2020, acrylic on canvas, 155 x 122cm. Image courtesy of G13 Gallery.

“All in all, the art fair had a good vibe and was good for us. We will definitely be back next year.” – Kenny Teng, Director, G13 Gallery, Petaling Jaya

“This is the second year that La Lanta Fine Art has participated in Art Fair Philippines. We were delighted to meet new clients and to have expanded our audience to the Filipino art community. Our gallery will definitely return to the vibrant art scene in Manila in the next edition of Art Fair Philippines.” – Sukontip Fon Prahanpap, Owner, La Lanta Fine Art, Bangkok

“As we are a new agency for contemporary artists in the Philippines, we intended to make ourselves known to collectors at this fair. We have generated a lot of interest in our artists and have received partnership requests regarding the virtual reality work of Issay Rodriguez. Our curatorial choice of not showing paintings is a challenge to the local market, and we are proud to have been innovative in our exhibits. The contacts we made were mainly with local collectors. All new to us, of course. We’re very glad that the coronavirus issue did not have a big impact in terms of visitors and foot traffic, and we do expect to be back next year!” – Sandra Palomar and Cristina Herfort, Founders, art/n23, Dumaguete City and Brussels.

Miguel Puyat x Pope Bacay, ‘Sunshine Doesn’t Feel Right When You’re Inside All Day’, 2020, acrylic on canvas, embroidery hoop, found wood 16 x 19 x 12cm. Image courtesy of Signum.

“Our section, ArtFairPH/Incubators, was a nice addition to this year's fair. The fair recognised the work of young artists as part of the Filipino art scene, and not just the superstar ones. There was plenty of raw energy at the Incubator spaces, with conceptual booths and impromptu performances. It had the pulse of the grassroots level, which brought another dimension and character to the fair. Our general impression of the fair is that it was surprisingly crowded, considering we are in the middle of a worldwide coronavirus outbreak. The fair's programme included a number of workshops and talks, which I felt helped them achieve their goal of expanding the market for art and introducing more people to it.” – Stephanie Frondoso, Co-Founder, Signum, Manila

Emmanuel Tolentino Santos, ‘Epecuen’, 2019 - 2020, type C print, hand-coloured photo, 100 x 100cm. Image courtesy of Art Porters Gallery.

As for sales, some galleries reported on how their expectations were exceeded, such as Art Porters Gallery and Signum. Art Porters attributed the good flow of sales to their reasonable price point. Two of the works from their solo presentation, Emmanuel Santos’ ‘Shadow Earth’, almost sold out their editions. Signum noted their surprise on being able to sell about half of their artwork inventory. Similarly, they highlighted their attractive price range of USD198 to USD988.

Li Chen, ‘Flickering Moonlight’, 2009, bronze, 52 x 48 x 23cm, edition of 8. Image courtesy of Art Agenda, S.E.A..

Others spoke of how their presented artworks proved attractive to the Filipino market. Jefferson Jong, Director of Art Agenda, S.E.A. from Singapore observed that works by Filipino modern masters were well-received by the fair crowd. Numerous pieces, from Ang Kiu Kok to Pacita Abad, were sold to both local and international collectors, with a price range of USD10,000 to USD40,000. A highlight sale for their booth, which was jointly presented with Asia Art Center from Taipei, was Li Chen’s ‘Flickering Moonlight’, which was sold to a Filipino client at around USD100,000.

Nilraya Bundasak, ‘Bella6’, threads on fabric, 42cm (diameter). Image courtesy of La Lanta Fine Art.

La Lanta Fine Art also sold many artworks to local collectors, all of whom were new clients. The sales made include works by Thai artists Nilraya Bundasak, Chamnan Chongpaiboon and Sita Inyai, Filipino artists Ana Victoria Montinola and Jason Montinola, and French artist Olivier Duhamel. They also observed how sales figures were significantly better than last year’s edition, and were pleased with the number and calibre of collectors that the fair brought in during the VIP preview.

Most galleries sold their highlight works. Silverlens, a long-time participant of the fair, reported the sales of artworks by Filipino artists Patricia Perez Eustaquio and Yvonne Quisumbing, and American artist James Clar. For G13 Gallery, works by Filipino artist Tiffany Laufuente, and Malaysian artists Nik Shazmie and Shafiq Nordin were purchased.

Art Fair Philippines continues to be a key event in the Filipino art calendar. This year’s edition reaffirms its commitment to showcasing the vibrant and growing art community through its continually expanding programming. The current COVID-19 outbreak did not dampen the festive atmosphere, either, as the fair welcomed a large crowd ready to buy over the weekend. Based on the positive reports, it will be exciting to see how the next few editions continue on this trajectory.

A&M is proud to be an official media partner of Art Fair Philippines 2020.

Read our Art Fair Philippines 2020 preview here.