Art Caravan, which traditionally kickstarts the annual ManilArt Fair, has toured Mindanao and just ended its Davao City leg.

The 10th edition of ManilArt will be mounted next month at SM Aura.

Led by ManilArt Fair director Tess Rayos del Sol and ManilArt Foundation head Amy Loste, the art caravan held several roundtable sessions with local artists led by renowned Mindanao sculptor-painter Kublai Millan.

“Mindanao has been my teacher and my playground,” said Millan, whose art is heavily informed by Mindanao culture. “The feel of Mindanawon art is unique. What is projected are the patterns, designs, and music.”

Millan’s works are ubiquitous and could be seen across the Davao landscape and beyond—from sprawling gardens such as the Land of Peace Freedom Park in Digos, to the Davao International Airport which abound with his famous durian sculptures.

In 2013, Millan erected Andap ng Liwanag Memorial Monument at ground zero of the flash floods in New Bataan, Compostela Valley where hundreds of lives were lost due to typhoon “Pablo” in 2012.

The featured artist of ManilArt 2017, Millan said the pioneering and biggest Philippine art fair had been a boon to artists like him from the regions needing nationwide exposure.

“The Caravan couldn’t have been more timely,” Millan said. “ManilArt has been giving talks to professionals to entice others to collect local art. This is not like Manila where art is flourishing; I aim to help fellow artists who are struggling like I once was.”

This is the motivation of the ManilArt Caravan, as well, said Loste. “The goal is to highlight the art of Mindanawon artists in situ, in the context of their rootedness in their culture, but as developing and thriving like everywhere else, not as an ethnic or tribal curiosity, but as current and relevant,” she explained.

Reconnect

There is a need to reconnect with culture that has long been sidelined by mainstream and “contemporary” collectors, said Millan.

“Behind the art are indigenous culture and indigenous wisdom,” he said. “Finding the indigenous self may give us a better view. Malaking bagay na makilala ito. Hindi enough ang pagsabi ng ‘Pilipino ako’ kung hindi natin ito kilala.”

Millan added that ManilArt, through its nationwide art caravans, had brought Mindanao artists closer together.

“We [at ManilArt] never claim to speak for other regions. We foresee a time where other regions will step into the fore,” said Loste.

“Beyond giving a voice to regional representatives through the art fair, we are bridging networks, supporting them in their bid to be heard and contribute.”

Millan agreed. “It’s the whole country that can benefit from the discovery of regional art,” he said.

Millan’s paintings will join the sculptures of Danny Rayos del Sol and Agi Pagkatipunan in the three-way collaboration exhibition, “Mind, Body and Soul,” in this year’s ManilArt.

This 2018 ManilArt Fair, presented by the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) and Bonafide Art Galleries Organization, will run Oct. 17-21 at SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier, Taguig.

Theme: “Ang Arte ng Pilipinas: Celebrating a Decade of Artistic Excellence.” The fair will headline the national celebration of Museums and Galleries Month in October, spearheaded by the NCCA in partnership with the Intramuros Administration. —CONTRIBUTED

Visit ticketbooth.ph. Call 0917810 8016 or visit www.manilart.org.