Image shows Kenneth Montegrande’s ‘Life is Beautiful Beyond Measure.’
Filipino artists in the Philippines and abroad are celebrating the National Arts Month, which is every February, by further exhibiting their passion for Philippine culture and art forms in various artistic activities. Art exhibits, workshops, performances, concerts, lectures, and tours are remarkably aplenty.
Below, we’ve listed art shows, from Manila to Bristol, spearheaded by some of our most exceptional visual artists.
Dates are subject to change.
February (National Arts Month)
Grandeur Landscapes by Kenneth Montegrande
Noted abstract impressionist painter Kenneth Montegrande stages Grandeur Landscapes, his 10th solo exhibition. Known for his large-scale works, Montegrande is the first Southeast Asian artist whose work has been included in Japanese billionaire-art collector Yusaku Maezawa’s Contemporary Arts Foundation in Tokyo. Two of Montegrande’s works are also on display at the Presidential Museum and Library in the Malacañan Palace in Manila. Now through 10 February 2020; Galerie Joaquin, U.P. Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman Quezon City; AyalaMalls.com; Admission: Free
Life in the Margins by Pacita Abad
Spike Island Gallery and Pio Abad present Ivatan visual artist Pacita Abad’s (1946-2004) first exhibition in the UK via Life in the Margins. The show includes Abad’s 20 large-scale “trapunto” paintings and artworks on fabric. “Trapunto” is a quilting technique, in which the canvas is stitched and padded before being painted. Each canvas is also overlaid with different printing textiles and other decorative objects, such as buttons, rickracks, sequins, and shells. Now through 5 April 2020; Spike Island Gallery, 133 Cumberland Road, Bristol, UK; SpikeIsland.org.uk; Admission: Free
Magnificat Opus by Edwin Wilwayco
Edwin Wilwayco, a renowned lyrical abstract painter, stages a solo exhibition, Magnificat Opus, which was inspired by the Baroque-period music by Johann Sebastian Bach. His show promises a meditative experience of spirituality, indulgence, and beautiful music. Aman Santos curates the show. Opens on 8 February 2020; Arte Bettina Gallery, 3L Greenbelt 5, Makati City; ArteBettina.com; Admission: Free
Quiet Cool by Leonardo Reyes
Art Circle Gallery welcomes back Leonardo Reyes, watercolorist-abstract impressionist, via Fins2020: A Gathering of Koi, a subject matter he loved for many years. An accomplished artist whose works have been displayed in Australia, Korea, and the Philippines, Reyes has been influenced by his father, Kiko. His detailed brush strokes bring out realistic depictions of the koi, a domesticated Amur carp found in koi ponds or water gardens. Opens on 12 February 2020; Tryp by Wyndham Gallery, One Esplanade, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City; WyndhamHotels.com; Admission: Free
Photo: Kenneth Montegrande