More than 170 artists from different parts of the Philippines gathered for the recent vernissage for this year's Manila'Bang Show, the biggest art extravaganza in the South, this time bringing life to the 2,000-sq.m. expansion wing in Alabang's Festival Mall.

With the theme Contemporary Art: The Manila Way, the ongoing event "intends to highlight Manila as a nexus of a vibrant and expansive arts landscape that extends across the archipelago."

"There are only two major art fairs in the Philippines. Hopefully, there will be more art fairs so that artists can enjoy the platforms available to them… Art fairs are a bigger venue for showcasing Filipino art," Manila'Bang executive director Atty. David Leonides said in an exclusive interview with Daily Tribune.

This year, Manila'Bang hosts "25 exhibitors and artworks by over 300 artists," according to information from its website.

"Some of this year's highlights include special exhibitions like New Wave, the inclusion of Art Toys and NFTs in the fair, and two special curated exhibitions: "Off-grid" an immersive installation by Mark Salvatus curated by Alain Zedrick Camiling, and "Material Interest, Alternative Space" a group exhibition featuring Jan Balquin, Joseph Gabriel, Christina Lopez, and Eva Yu and Vik Laugo of O.I. Research Partners curated by art historian and critic, Carlos Quijon Jr.

"There is also a series of accessible art talks that can be enjoyed by all. Following last year's #ArtTalks, Manila'Bang presents Art Talks: Interchange. These talks are intended to complement the fairgoer's experience through panel discussions that expound on current art trends and emerging art practices," it is said in an article by Marz Aglipay.

A plethora of art subjects are covered by the featured Filipino artists to appeal to various tastes, but here are some whose works piqued our interest.

Fitz Herrera on positivity
An artist for 17 years now, Fitz Herrera first tapped into his innate talent while he was a student in elementary school.

"Definitely, the artist in me has been within me ever since. I used to draw on my notebooks," he said. "I took up Fine Arts so I would have proper training."

On his work Say Hi, Say Hello, Herrera said, "We need more positivity around us. There are a lot of negativities, and I like to counter it with a more positive outlook."

Lerma Julian and Jun Alfonso on friendship
Artists for some 20 years now, Lerma Julian and Jun Alfonso have been friends for just as long. Julian has been teaching art and owns an art store. Her gallery in Laguna started as a friendship project.
"I started with art during my late 20s. I was in performing arts before. I performed at CCP and Metropolitan Theater when I was young. Then I started drawing and taking lessons, engaging conversations with the masters. And then I went into teaching because I enjoy it," Julian said.

She names Jun Alfonso as one of these masters of art. Hailing from Mindanao and a graduate of the University of Sto. Tomas, Alfonso is inspired by the culture of indigenous peoples. His work depicting a festival celebrating their harvest time is the centerpiece of the collection on exhibit at Manila'Bang.

Carlo Magno on realism
Full-time artist Carlo Magno delved into the arts even though it was not his original line of work. "Since 1981, I have been doing a one-man show in Greenhills, featuring churches, facades, gardens. My style has evolved from realism after 20 years. I stopped doing realism, I switched to doing abstract art. I think I got burnout from doing realism," he said.

"We make art to make imperfections grow perfect. Art keeps on evolving; you have to keep evolving as an artist. Hindi pwedeng yung ginagawa mo lang ngayon yung gagawin mo (You can't just keep doing what you are doing now all the time).

Manila'bang Show offers free admission to the public from 8 to 11 December as a way to promote Philippine Art and elevate

up-and-coming Filipino artists from various regions of the country.

Log on to www.manilabangshow.com or email info@themanilabangshow.com.