Jose John Santos III, "Clockwise", detail
While briefing the press right before officially opening the doors to ArtHK 12, Magnus Renfrew, fair director, announced that beginning next year, Art Basel officially takes over the Hong Kong art fair. Henceforth, it shall be known as Art Basel Hong Kong, the third fair in the franchise after the original Art Basel (the one that actually takes place in Basel) and Art Basel Miami Beach. Continue reading
Just like everybody else in the audience, I eagerly awaited the announcement of winners for this year’s Ateneo Art Awards. The
Shattering States: The Ateneo Art Awards 2010 Winners: Pow Martinez, Leslie de Chavez, and Mark Salvatus
Ateneo Art Gallery staff kept the final results under tight guard, even to us jurors. Thankfully, they paced this year’s awards night programme so that none of us had long to wait. Continue reading
Damien Hirst, "Transcience Painting"
Skulls and butterflies may as well have been the mantra of ARTHK 10, this year’s edition of the Hong Kong Art Fair. You saw them everywhere, most notably those of the Damien Hirst variety. Continue reading
Leslie de Chavez, "LSS (Last Song Syndrome)
In one of the narrow side streets that traverse the scenic town of Lucban, Quezon, Leslie de Chavez puts the finishing touches on four paintings. Continue reading
The King of Pop: Warhol at the MOMA
Francis Bacon, "Painting 1946" at the MOMA
The mood of the art market remains subdued, fallen from the delirious highs of recent years, with galleries and auction houses victims of the sub-prime crisis, bankrupt banks, and Bernard Madoff investments. Yet, New York has seen worse, though perhaps not in recent years, with a proven resilience that allows it to stay at the center of the art universe. As is true with everything else in the city, the art scene offers something for every inclination, from the old European masters, to the American mid-century greats, to the experimental conceptual expressions of today. There’s just always something going on, and as much as I wanted to, I had to tell myself I couldn’t possibly see everything in one visit. Continue reading
Hearing that Geraldine Javier opens a show in KL this week and Leslie de Chavez exhibits in Switzerland as we speak may not be as groundbreaking as electing the first African-American President of the United States. But surely, we Pinoy art lovers can also walk a little taller. After all, those who follow their careers know that when these two perfectionists strut their stuff, we all have something to crow home about. Continue reading