By Franz Sorilla IV

True, art is for all. Gone are the days when art was only for the well-learned men from foreign universities, for indefatigable institutions closed with four walls, white-walled galleries, and the autocratic elite who collected only the works they had commissioned. Art Fair Philippines has been an example of the creativity and craftsmanship of local, international, and diasporic artists. For 11 years, it has shown us the limits of the art and culture scene that could be broken and jumped over, turning this much-anticipated Arts Month highlight into a celebration of traditional art, film, photography, performing arts, literature, digital, and augmented reality. In every edition, we get to see some of the biggest and enduring names in the industry with their archival works and latest innovations. We also get introduced to emerging artists, galleries, residency programmes, and artist collectives hailing from many parts of the country. We learn more about the ingenuity of today’s hottest contemporary artists, who surprise us with innovative techniques. And lastly, we deepen our sensibilities with socially relevant artworks that speak of our past, raise pressing questions of today, and inspire us to shape our future.