Last year, the fair began as a grassroots initiative by Manila-based design studio Plus63, helmed by designer and illustrator Dan Matutina
Wherever we look, illustration tends to follow. We see airbrushed artwork on the sides of jeepneys during our morning commute. We see painstakingly drawn book covers whenever we visit a bookstore. We hang our kids’ drawings on the fridge. We feel a pang of nostalgia whenever we see our favorite childhood cartoon characters.
Illustration as a visual form of expression is so broad and encompasses different mediums. Yet, its breadth makes it difficult for us to define. What constitutes an illustration? And, can illustration be considered art?
Manila Illustration Fair (MIF) seeks to explore illustration’s position in the Philippine creative scene and, consequently, the Filipino illustrator’s standing in the global illustration community. The fair started as a grassroots initiative in 2023 by Manila-based design studio Plus63, helmed by designer and illustrator Dan Matutina. Back then, MIF featured 20 exhibiting illustrators and a handful of reviews and talks.
While MIF 2023 felt like an intimate gathering of friends, the reception among artists was overwhelmingly positive. This year’s iteration is spearheaded by a team of artists who presented last year. “It is still a passion project of the organizers,” MIF head organizer and illustrator Elle Shivers says. “We’re all doing this on the side in the spirit of MIF.”
From Sept. 13 to 15, 2024 at the UPCFA Parola Gallery Atrium, MIF will feature 30 exhibiting illustrators from all over the Philippines and Southeast Asia and a jam-packed schedule of workshops and talks. Throughout the weekend, MIF hopes to nurture a vibrant creative community in the Philippines.
Illustration’s slippery definition
Illustration’s versatility as a medium makes explaining it somewhat challenging. Scientific diagrams, superhero comics, and editorial cartoons seem disparate on the surface. But, they all fall under the greater umbrella of illustration.
The history of illustration could be traced to early human cave drawings (if we want to go that far). But, illustration as a profession came to the forefront during the rapid development of printing in the 1700s, such as through the satirical engravings of British artist William Hogarth. Commercial illustration gained popularity during the Mad Men era of advertising, such as the works of American illustrator Norman Rockwell. “So much of illustration internationally has been defined by its relationship to commercial applications,” Shivers explains.
Illustration is often seen as adjacent to the fine art and design worlds, yet fitting into neither. In Art Fair Philippines 2024, MIF mounted a booth exhibition, Bagay-Bagay, that asks if illustration is art. On June 30, 2024, the Ayala Museum hosted INKfest, a festival for celebrating illustrations made for children. The Ayala Museum also mounted exhibitions on comics, such as the retrospective of komiks artist Francisco V. Coching in 2018 and “Manga Realities: Exploring the Art of Japanese Manga Today” in 2011. Cultural institutions’ recognition of illustration bodes well for illustration’s place in history.
“We could definitely appreciate illustration as something analogous to fine art,” Shivers says. “But, we need a different vocabulary or approach to make meaning from this.”
Illustrations could have functional applications, such as in branding and book design. Illustrator Raxene Maniquiz even designed a lamp with stained glass artisans for Kodawari in its new BGC location. Illustration isn’t strictly fine art, yet it applies the practice of visual storytelling and aesthetic beauty to different media and industries.
For MIF 2024, the organizers wanted to highlight the medium’s breadth as part of its meaning, rather than creating a rigid definition. In addition to the tabling illustrators, the MIF organizers invited businesses working adjacent to illustration. Bookstore Everything’s Fine, makerspace and design studio Mold, store Manila Middleground, and the Manila Comics Fair will be present.
“We want to showcase what avenues illustrators could take in their careers, like in retail, publishing, and design,” Shivers explains.
Gathering illustrators from all over the Philippines and beyond
MIF is taking bolder swings this year. In 2023, 116 illustrators applied for 20 spots in the small event at Comuna. In 2024, interest tripled. MIF received over 300 submissions for 30 spots. “We were hoping for interest to at least double,” Shivers says.
What sets MIF apart from its contemporaries such as Komikon and Komiket is the smaller, interactive workshops and a curated pool of exhibiting illustrators. Shivers notes, “A lot of people are excited for an illustration fair in Manila that focuses on original art for artists earlier in their careers.”
Around 10 illustrators at MIF will come from outside Metro Manila, such as Paulina Almira from Cebu and Kieltokki from Iloilo. There will also be illustrators from all over Southeast Asia. Ping Sasinan, Pi-near, and Nnene.iie are flying in from Bangkok, while Bethania Brigitta is coming from Jakarta. The fair’s jurors are composed of Filipino industry leaders, such as Matutina and Maniquiz as well as design leaders based overseas, such as Hiroaki Shono, co-founder of Asian Creative Network.
MIF’s decision to feature illustrators from all over Asia stems from the growth of the region’s illustration community. “Aside from us wanting the fair to grow, we wanted to try and take part in the active illustration fair scene in Southeast Asia,” Shivers says. “It’s only been recently that Filipinos tried to explore these fairs.”
As they say, a rising tide lifts all boats. The recent successes of the Bangkok Illustration Fair, the Jakarta Illustration and Creative Arts Fair, and the Kuala Lumpur Illustration Fair all hint at Southeast Asia as a creative destination in the future. We’re already slowly seeing artistic activations around Manila, like artist Elmer Borlangan’s 3D anamorphic video art billboards.
The Filipino illustrator’s edge
When asked about what sets Filipino creativity apart, Shivers says, “From the very start, Filipinos lived in a multi-cultural society due to our history of trade and colonization. It puts us in a very unique spot artistically.”
Our artists often draw inspiration from our rich heritage. Illustrator and graphic designer Addi Panadero focuses on traditional Filipino attire and architecture. Type designer Aaron Amar produces fonts inspired by hand-lettering found on jeepneys. Fil-Am illustrator Lynnor Bontigao recently published a children’s book about a young girl attracting customers to her lola’s sari-sari store.
Shivers also speaks of their experience working with international clients and publishers, like Architectural Digest and Silver Sprocket. “They were looking for Filipino stories… Filipinos are everywhere, regardless of where you go in the world.”
What’s next for Filipino illustration?
As MIF approaches, Shivers and the rest of the organization team are busy bringing everything and everyone together. “It’s a huge logistical commitment to go to these fairs.”
But amid the work ahead, Shivers remains excited. “I’m looking forward to a lot of younger illustrators in the Philippines creating the definition of Filipino illustration.”
Manila Illustration Fair is set to happen this weekend, Sept. 13 to 15, 2024 at the UPCFA Parola Gallery Atrium.