For the third consecutive year, Cebu City emerges as the go-to destination for one November weekend, captivating art connoisseurs, burgeoning art enthusiasts, and anyone seeking a glimpse of the avant-garde.
Marking its third edition, the Visayas Art Fair has become a yearly event. The inaugural exhibition, which was held in 2021 at the Montebello Villa Hotel, was followed by the second in 2022 at Oakridge Business Park—a venue retained for its third installment.
This venue change scattered diverse parts of the fair throughout the park: the 12th floor of Oakridge Studio hosted exhibitions as the Atrium featured art installations and VAF’s iconic chalk art freedom walls. At the same time, the Oakridge Pavilion was the stage for the Bodega Design Caravan—where Origin Management’s Ukiyo Fashion Show was also showcased, featuring the creative brilliance of Filipino designers Edward Castro and Axel Que.
For photographer and host for the event Steven Pascua, it was an honor working with both featured fashion designers. “Working with them for more than a year, I know their different styles and take on fashion.”
Pascua photographed multiple designs by Que—a renowned designer for Cebuana beauty queens on the local and international stage—this past year. Pascua says that Que’s masterpieces are “out-of-the-box”, “unorthodox”, and “unparalleled”, while Castro “loves a woman’s silhouette” and his designs are “classic, timeless, and dramatic”. Pascua also lauded the designer’s involvement across all parts of his design process. “Edward has always been hands-on; [from] the models, to his designs, and creative direction.”
The Bodega Design Caravan also had booths that served as mini ateliers for designers and merchants of various goods and services, including Balik Batik, JunkNot, and Marricola.
On the 12th floor of the Oakridge Studio, droves of people came to see over 30 artist booths, each featuring distinct artworks of different mediums from all over the Visayas. But aside from individual exhibitions from artists Chino Yulo, Fernando Cabigting, and more, the artist collectives and group exhibitions were what shone this year.
“When I entered the venue for the first time, I was immediately overwhelmed with all sorts of art,” mused artist and student Silke Talastas. “The entire floor was a maze and I was immediately lost in the excitement of getting to know artists and galleries I had never seen before.”
Universities took part in the fair, with the University of the Philippines’ Joya Gallery providing a platform for their students and faculty to display their best creative work, while the students of Southwestern University created an all-white miniature Cebu City. Galleries from all over the Philippines also participated, including Cebu’s Qube Gallery, Bacolod’s Orange Project, and Manila’s Mono8 Gallery.
“We met not only old and new friends but also loyal patrons who actively support the students’ artworks who happen to be fairgoers as well. Having sales was just the cherry on top,” said Joya Gallery’s Head Gallerist Victoria Tanquerido. “Ultimately, the goal was to connect and expose our student artists (…) and I think we were able to meet just that.”
One of the most thought-provoking exhibitions was entitled “While You Wait”, curated by VAF’s Events Officer Alphae Marfa. The exhibition challenged ideas of home and comfort, with some of the pieces created by women inmates from the Iloilo City Jail.
Marfa said that the inclusion of more artist collectives was deliberate for 2023’s iteration of VAF. “My goal for this year is to pull in more representation of artists from around the Visayas, keeping in mind and putting to heart the V in VAF. Hence, we have Leyte represented this year by Kolor.
Banwa, apart from the OGs like Mariyah Gallery and Orange Project.”
Artist groups and collectives play a crucial role in fostering creativity, collaboration, and mutual support within the art community. The Visayas Art Fair’s continued support for diverse artist communities and groups amplifies the impact of artistic projects, enabling artists to tackle larger initiatives and reach broader audiences.
Beyond artistic collaboration, events like VAF also serve as a source of emotional and professional encouragement, helping artists navigate the challenges of the creative process and the art industry. By providing a shared space for artists to exchange ideas, techniques, and feedback, these groups contribute to the growth and development of individual members.
With the success of the third Visayas Art Fair, everyone anticipates what the organizers have in store for next year.
Photography Kyrra Kho
