Preview of Art Fair Philippines 2026
Archivo 1984, Leon Gallery, Gajah Gallery, Art Agenda, Silverlens
Art Fair Philippines returns for its 13th edition from 6 to 8 February 2026 with local and international galleries. The move from previous venues at The Link and Ayala Triangle Gardens to Circuit Corporate Center One in Circuit Makati, a former racetrack complex, provides expanded space for dedicated zones.
The special showcase ArtFairPH/Projects leads with Imelda Cajipe Endaya, whose practice examines domesticity, migration, and women's empowerment through a lens that reflects the complexities of Philippine identity. Her work is joined by Brenda Fajardo, Constancio Bernardo, Solomon Saprid, and Romeo Tabuena, four canonical figures in Philippine art whose legacies of feminist social realism and geometric abstraction continue to inform contemporary discourse. Designed by Manila-based studio Nazareno/Lichauco, the presentation space references temples and sacred sites to create a slow and contemplative zone.
There is also a special section named ArtFairPH/Digital, dedicated to works that incorporate virtual reality and artificial intelligence. The fair programming is capped off with ArtFairPH/Talks, a series of discussions developed in partnership with the Ateneo Art Gallery and the Museum Foundation of the Philippines.
Ahead of the fair’s opening, we speak with five participating galleries about the works they are presenting.
Archivo 1984
Keka Enriquez, Untitled, 1991, oil on wood, 101.6 x 246.38cm. Image courtesy of Archivo 1984.
Founded in 1984 and based in Manila, Archivo 1984 brings together Philippine art alongside literature, film memorabilia, Original Pilipino Music (OPM), and turn-of-the-century records. Mica Magsanoc, Head of Publishing, says, “Archivo 1984’s central goal is to spotlight Filipino artists whose works and stories deserve to be seen and appreciated again.” For this edition, The Art of Rediscovering is a collection of works from distinct moments in Philippine art history, including a 1967 work by National Artist Vicente Manansala, a 1991 painting by Keka Enriquez, and works by Trek Valdizno from the early 2000s.
Leon Gallery
Fernando Zóbel, Celina, 1959, black oil paint on canvas, 74 x 100cm. Image courtesy of Leon Gallery.
Leon Gallery, a Manila-based auction house and gallery, presents Shearlines, an exhibition of modern and contemporary Filipino abstract art. The title draws from the meteorological term for a boundary where opposing forces meet and generate new systems. Director Jaime Ponce de Leon connects this theme with the development of Filipino art history. He explains, “Filipino art is generational and its development is tied to specific events in the country's political fortunes.” A highlight is Jose Joya’s painting from the 1964 Venice Biennale, which represented the Philippines’ arrival on the international stage. It will be shown alongside works by Roberto Chabet, Angelito Antonio, and Fernando Zobel that trace earlier trajectories into abstraction.
Gajah Gallery
Leslie de Chavez, Coat of Arms, 2025, cast bronze, carved wood, woven rattan. Image courtesy of Gajah Gallery.
Yunizar, Teko 1 (Teapot I), 2025, bronze, 74 x 43 x 55cm. Image courtesy of Gajah Gallery.
Gajah Gallery’s participation follows the opening of their Manila space in Mandaluyong last November. For Founder Jasdeep Sandhu, this edition holds special significance. He remarks, “We are excited to return to Art Fair Philippines as it continues to be a wonderful platform for connection and exchange,” He adds, “This marks our 10th participation alongside our 30th anniversary as a gallery. It feels especially meaningful particularly as we grow our presence in Manila and beyond.”
The booth centres on bronze sculptures produced at Yogya Art Lab, the gallery’s Yogyakarta-based foundry. Filipino artist Leslie de Chavez’s Coat of Arms (2025) presents a hooded figure in Barong Tagalog seated on an oversized presidential chair topped with an American eagle. The plinth below carries the inscription “No friends to serve, no enemies to harm”, a reference to former President Rodrigo Duterte's motto from his inauguration speech. Also on view are Philippine National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera’s Mother’s Love (2025), continuing his long engagement with the Madonna and Child motif, and Indonesian artist Yunizar's Teko 1 (Teapot 1) (2025), a teapot rendered with human-like features that reflects his intuitive approach to form.
Art Agenda
Nena Saguil, Untitled, 1962, ink and colour on paper, 64 x 49cm. Image courtesy of Art Agenda.
Art Agenda returns with its most expansive presentation to date. Describing the gallery’s approach, Manager Min Dacua states, “The booth, measuring 110 square metres, is envisioned as the living room of a voracious art connoisseur who is passionate about Philippine art, while also being an avid collector of furniture and collectibles from international artists.”
The salon-style installation brings together Philippine and international works across different periods, featuring over 80 works across two centuries. The selection ranges from Philippine modernists Ang Kiu Kok, Nena Saguil, and Juvenal Sansó to contemporary figures Ronald Ventura, Jigger Cruz, and Geremy Shamala, as well as international artists including Yayoi Kusama, Takashi Murakami, and Banksy.
Silverlens Gallery
Antonia Kuo, Heather, 2025, unique photochemical painting on light-sensitive silver gelatin paper. Image courtesy of Silverlens Manila and New York.
Silverlens Gallery, which has spaces in Manila and New York, is bringing a selection of artworks that spans generations and media, moving between abstraction, materiality, and cultural context. The presentation is anchored by Imelda Cajipe Endaya’s Tara na (1994), along with New York-based artist Antonia Kuo's Heather (2025), which explores the interplay between light, materiality, and perception through experimental darkroom processes. The booth also features pieces by Japanese artists Yasue Maetake, Etsuko Nakatsuji, and Yuichi Hirako.
Co-Director Isa Lorenzo emphasises the gallery’s connection to the local art community and its long-term relationship with Art Fair Philippines. She says, “This is our local fair, and we are genuinely excited to be back, especially to reconnect with the collectors who have supported us and our artists through the years.”
Art Fair Philippines 2026 is taking place from 6 to 8 February 2026, at Circuit Corporate Center One, The Circuit Makati. For more information, click here.