A fair of the arts

The recent Tubo Art Fair, presented at the Ayala Center Cebu, provided an avenue for visual artists to showcase their masterpieces, while being able to simultaneously interact and educate at the same time.

Birthed in 2018, the fair's theme this year was "Let's Play." The art community was invited to rekindle their playful side, engage in their passions, and express their ingenuity through a silent auction open to all. With the maximum tag price of P50,000, even novice art lovers could kickstart their regional art collection.

Among the talented and multi-awarded artists featured were Darby Alcoseba, Gigi Ocampo, Kimsoy Yap Jr., Sam Penaso, Geovanni Abing, Adeste Deguilmo, Melvin Gurheim, and Jose Mari Picornell.

One booth that stood out featured the works of octogenarian artist Victor Abellana, who notably uses butterfly wings to create his paintings. With the assistance of supportive relatives in procuring carcass butterflies from local sanctuaries, he painstakingly cuts the wings and glues them to form beautiful obras like no other.

The fair likewise conducted in-person and online discussions that included interesting topics  such as "Young At Art," "Public Art Playgrounds," and "On Playful Practice."

The week-long community-driven event was headed by Allen Tan, fair director and Arts Council trustee, assisted by Mariz  Rallos. It was the first of its kind to explore and feature the distinctive works of masterful Visaya-Mindanao artists. Its programs, while being centered on the theme, work to infuse their ideas, values, and skills to a larger society, which is more appreciative of the arts.

The Arts Council of Cebu Foundation Inc., presently headed by dedicated and driven president Vivina Chiu, continues to dedicate itself to the promotion and development of the arts and culture in the Cebuano community by providing access to performances and exhibitions by local, national, and international creators.

The Foundation, initially named the Arts Council of Cebu, was founded by Fe Sala Villarica in 1960 to raise arts consciousness and creativity amongst Cebuanos. Sixty years on, the non-profit organization continues to preserve and spread the founder's vision by being the prime movers in enriching the artistic and cultural tapestry of Cebu.