Published on: Our Makati, 2019
Tips on how to maximize your experience in Art Fair.
A four-story car park filled with all sorts of art pieces to be gawked upon by artsy millennials, curious foreigners, and legit art collectors, that is how I can bluntly describe the Art Fair.
But as a cultured intellectual, the Art Fair is a celebration of modern and contemporary Philippine visual art. Now on its seventh year, Art Fair Philippines continues to be the premier platform to showcase art which is why it’s a must-attend event for art enthusiasts (such as myself haha!).
I’ve always wanted to attend this prestigious event, but I always found myself too busy or broke by this season. This year, the stars have aligned, and I was fortunate enough to attend and come with my family.
If you haven’t been to the Art Fair yet, I’ve taken down some notes to prep you for your first Art Fair which is hopefully by 2020! Here are ten tips to survive your first Art Fair:
Buy your tickets in advance/online. Walk-in ticket lines are long. You’ll be spending a whole chunk of your time waiting in line rather than exploring the place so save yourself the hassle and book online!
Skip the map. If you’d like a souvenir, why not. But the truth is you don’t need it as much as you think. If you’re just there to look around, save yourself the 20php.
Expect that parking will be hard. This is Makati, what did you expect?
Follow the rules. Please no flash photography and no touching the artworks. Have some class. *sips tea*
Have a strategy. Like in any battle, it is better to come prepared. There are a lot of people attending, and it is easy to get confused around the area. To make sure you see every art piece, make a plan. What we did was to go clockwise from the stairwell entrance. Follow the walls/original layout of the building so that you can explore every corner.
Save the lines for last. There are always exhibitions in which you will need to line up. Explore the rest of the floor first, before you spend your idle time.
Drink. There are cocktails available inside, have a proper good time. Art speaks to the inebriated.
Know when to just pass by. There are four floors of artworks, at some point you’ll grow tired. If you think some artworks don’t interest you as much, enter the gallery and just take a quick look. Don’t force yourself to analyze the meaning of each piece you encounter.
Keep your eyes peeled for friends or celebrities. I stumbled upon two acquaintances during my visit. It was nice to just say hi and briefly talk about our experiences. I also saw Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos together (it was hard to contain my kilig).
Buy the catalog. If you’re writing an Art Fair article like me and forgot to take pictures of the pieces’ titles, buy the catalog.
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