#7: The art of joying with others
Feelings were felt at Art Fair Philippines 2025
Hello, it’s Art Fair Philippines weekend!
Now at its new home in Ayala Triangle Gardens, word on the street is that this is the best we’ve seen AFP in years. Spanning two towers, the new venue offers a bright, open space where art and light can flow freely. With higher ceilings, wider exhibition spaces, and an interactive walk-through the gardens in between the two Ayala towers: it is a welcome departure from the super-crowded frenzy of the previous fairs.
Celebrations have been in full swing since earlier this week, starting with 10 Days of Art. I was invited to a guided Art Walk through two dreamy installations at Circuit Lane Makati by internationally renowned artists Jefrë and Olivia d’Aboville.
Some takeaways I took from this experience:
There are endless ways to reinvent yourself and your art. There are still so many forms of art I haven’t tried—I’m so inspired to get back into it!
Renewed enthusiasm is priceless. Here’s a bold declaration but—one day, I too would love to create public installations that we can collectively enjoy.
Art is not created in a vacuum. There’s a lot of us making art in studios, and it’s nice to come together to exchange ideas.
Collaboration > competition, always.
Now despite the fresh energy the new venue brings, Art Fair’s 12th edition brought back a lot of nostalgia for me! I am joyfully reminded of my younger self from 2016, visiting the fair for the first time, wide-eyed and full of wonder. (See bottom right nene photo below!) I remember going to every booth with my mom, where she would inquire about the artist names and prices of every artwork that caught our eye, excitedly telling me: “You have to get familiar with these names and places Bea, one day this will be your world!”
My mom being my mom, I caught her endless enthusiasm for the art world at a time when I was taking my first 100 baby steps in my painting practice. Fast forward nine years later, visiting Art Fair 2025 reminded me of that rush of joy in seeing so much art in one place.
Apparently not much has changed in my enthusiasm for the scene since 2016 except now I get to greet so many familiar faces—fellow artists of all mediums, gallerists, art handlers, curators, and enthusiasts. People I’ve seen in gallery shows, collaborators I’ve worked with, collectors who’ve given my pieces a home, and folks I’ve met in one way or another thanks to our shared love for this craft. Connecting with the community, in my humble opinion, is probably the most fun part of these affairs.
Because as a painter, my time is usually 80% creating art alone in a studio and 20% is the social aspect—storytelling, engaging with others, posting online, exhibiting, and allowing the art and myself, to be perceived. But that 20%, more than anything, makes the process feel wholly human. I previously wrote about what Art is for—but this weekend reminded me that art also exists as a tangible reminder we are all connected, and that any achievement is a win for humanity as a whole.
Whenever I see an artist I know showing work at a milestone event like this, it’s easy to feel their joy as my own. Because from experience, I understand how the exhibition part of the creative process is really the cherry on top of a long journey. Every work art was once a tiny seed of an idea in the artist’s mind, one that is now fully birthed into our 3D reality that we get to celebrate together.
So today, Sunday, is the last day of the fair. If you haven’t visited yet, I highly encourage you to go—it’s open until 9PM and I’d budget at least 3-4 hours to leisurely see everything. Here is the daily schedule of the events:
I’ll be back later today for more. There’s simply so much art to see & explore out there! If we see each other IRL—don’t be shy, come say hi <3
xxxx,
B