Curating is the quintessential art form of the postmodern age.
We curate our wardrobes, our apartments, our meals. We choose every conceivable aspect of our daily lives—including our experiences—in order to affirm to ourselves and convey to the outside world who we are, or who we think we are.
It comes as no surprise, then, that most public events are also carefully curated affairs, the entire event carefully planned and choreographed to convey a set of overt and subliminal messages.
Such an event is “Tagaytay Art Beat 2”, which kicks off at 12 noon on Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Museo Orlina in Tagaytay City and will run until 2 a.m. the following morning.
Unique experience
Combining a slew of up-and-coming indie bands with emerging young artists, Tagaytay Art Beat 2 promises to be a unique aesthetic experience, specially when combined with the setting: apart from its landscaped sculpture garden, the museum also offers a spectacular view of Taal Lake.
“I knew there was a big market in Manila who enjoy music festivals,” says festival organizer Ningning Orlina. Orlina is the daughter of sculptor Ramon Orlina, who designed and built the Museo to house not only his significant works and personal collection, but also to showcase the works of other artists.
“I wanted to market the Museo to a younger audience, who are into Instagram and all these things: they just don’t know about the Museo yet,” she says. “I thought the best way to do that was through music. With the indie music scene rising, there are a lot of good up and coming acts.”
Orlina partnered with JB Balaquit of Doc-Def Productions, who manages several indie bands playing the Manila bar circuit. Working with a shoestring budget, the idea was to put up a “mini-Malasimbo”, says Balaquit.
“I expected maybe 300 people,” recalls Orlina. Instead, 1,300 showed up, and a splendid time was had by all.
Tagaytay Art Beat 2 promises to up the ante.
“We wanted this to be an avenue to promote not just the local indie scene but also young emerging artists,” she adds. “One of my dad’s visions for the museum was to promote creativity among Filipinos, specially the youth, for them to feel inspired by the beautiful setting and the artworks. With passion and talent, you can really create something for yourself.”
Exhibit
On exhibit will be the works of young artists, including Airell Segovia, Allison Tan, Anna Orlina, Christof Rellera, Dans Bermejo, Dee Jae Paeste, Erica Ng, Jess De Leon, John Paul Duray, Julia Tabor, Kara Pangilinan, Karen De La Fuente, Ku Rumillo, Lee Caces, Miguel Alberto Antonio, Tyang Karyel, Valerie Harley, and Vincent Kristan Quilop. There will also be a live mural by Dee Jae Paeste and Tyang Karyel, and a gig photo exhibit.
Performing will be Farewell Fair Weather, She’s Only Sixteen, Conscious and the Goodness, the Ransom Collective, Reese Lansangan, Fools and Foes, Tom’s Story, Banna Harbera, Bullet Dumas, Autotelic, SUD, Jensen and the Flips, Motherbasss, Tandems ’91, Moonwlk, Rob and The Hitmen, plus Logiclub’s CRWN, Ninno, and Dante x Amigo.
Although it’s a no-headliner, no-primetime, equal billing event, the festival will also feature Mayonnaise, and a special surprise guest performer.
There will also be food and beverage concessionaires along with performing magicians on the festival grounds, photo booths, up-close magic by Magic Manila, a freedom wall for guests to write/draw on, and merchants selling local products.
Tagaytay Art Beat tickets are selling for 1000 pesos. Participants can also avail of a 1500 peso VIP pass package which includes free access to the Museo Orlina and its collection of art by Ramon Orlina, access to the roofdeck where they can meet and hang out with the artists, an event t-shirt, and other goodies from the festival.
For more information, look up the festival’s Facebook page (https://facebook.com/tagaytayartbeat).
Museo Orlina is located on Hollywood St., Hollywood Subdivision, Tolentino East, Tagaytay City, near the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road crossing.