BPI supports artists and art lovers anew in Art Fair Philippines 2023.

BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands), a staunch advocate of Philippine Arts, supports visual artists through partnerships and art lovers through the provision of greater access to artworks in art events such as Art Fair Philippines, which is coming back face-to-face from a three-year hiatus.

“As we appreciate the value of artists and their works, we also see the significance of collecting and keeping great artworks, which is why we at BPI continue to provide our support as well to art lovers who, time and time again, visit Art Fair Philippines and acquire valuable artworks,” said Jenelyn Z. Lacerna, the Group Head of BPI Unsecured Lending and Cards, Product and Sales.

Art Fair Philippines 2023, which is happening on February 17-19 at The Link in Ayala Center in Makati City, will feature over 60 exhibitors from the Philippines and overseas as the art exhibition celebrates its 10th year. It is co-presented by BPI and Ayala Land, among other corporate supporters.

To promote art appreciation and further boost the local art scene, BPI offers complimentary access to cardholders of BPI Visa Signature, Platinum Rewards Mastercard, Amore Platinum Cashback, and Gold Mastercard.

“At BPI, we consider keepers of valuable art works as art investors, as the works they acquire become part of their investment portfolio,” Lacerna said.

BPI has been the caretaker of more than 1,000 artworks by many prominent Filipino artists, such as Fernando Amorsolo, Jose Joya, and Ben Cabrera. Most of these art pieces are the country’s finest expressions of Philippine culture and are reflective of BPI’s inherent values.

“The kind of support BPI gives to art lovers provides them greater access to exclusive events such as Art Fair Philippines, which continues to showcase the country’s vibrant local art scene and helps Filipino visual artists generate support and reach a wider audience,” Lacerna added.

BPI affirms its commitment to recognize and nurture the country’s artistry and talent through its participation in events like this.

One of the many galleries featured in the art fair is Art Cube, which provides a platform for talented young artists to showcase their works before an extensive roster of art collections. The gallery, which will be located on the 5th Level, Booth No. 5, will feature the works of father-and-son Renato and Guerrero Habulan, showing a glimpse of ordinary people: iconic images of the masses, their dignity amid hardship, and as an inspiration. Renato, a post-war and contemporary painter, is one of the most influential and award-winning watercolor artists in the country. Guererro, a recipient of the Thirteen Artists Awards of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, combines different figurative styles and approaches—from hyperrealism to pop surrealism to the “ready-made” images of silk screen printing.

Also featured in this year’s edition of the art fair includes Celine Lee, who has been recognized for her work, including the Juror’s Choice Award of Merit at the Philippine Art Awards in 2020. She has a diverse portfolio that includes paintings, sculptures, embroidery pieces, and multimedia works that show her innovative use of different materials and media.

Art lovers can also check out the works of Winna Go, a finalist in multiple competitions in 2018, such as the LRT Art Competition, Shell National Student Art Competition, Metrobank Art and Design Excellence Competition, and Regional Winner for Philippine Art Awards. In most of her works, she gathers inspiration from the history of the Chinese diaspora, the richness of the Chinese and Filipino culture, her identity and positionality in society, and the beauty of nature.

“We invite the art enthusiasts out there to come and join us at the Art Fair Philippines and discover the country’s artistry and talent. Check out the many participating galleries that showcase Filipino artistry at its best,” Lacerna added.

For more information, please visit the Art Fair Philippines website and follow Art Fair Philippines on Instagram (@artfairph) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/artfairph).

Seoul Searching | Gwanghwamun Square.

It's almost autumn in Seoul, but I'm still not done with my Seoul Searching posts. There are still a few more places that I have yet to blog about starting with Gwanghwamun Square, which we visited last spring - the day after the South Korean presidential elections.

Yue meets King Sejong.

A national landmark located in the heart of Seoul, Gwanghwamun Square is a public open space which connects Gwanghwamun Gate, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, to Cheonggye Plaza, which marks the starting point of Cheonggye Stream. Gwanghwamun Square is divided into six sections, with the statue of King Sejong as its focal point. He is one of Korea's most famous kings, and one of the only two Korean rulers honored with the appellation 'the Great'.

Hangul, the Korean alphabet.

King Sejong, who placed great emphasis in education during his reign, created the Korean alphabet, Hangul. This, and his other main inventions such as as the sundial, rain gauge, and celestial globe, are on display in front of his statue at Gwanghwamun Square.

Rain gauge.

Celestial globe.

Sun dial.

At the other end of the square, you'll find the statue of Admiral Yi Sun Shin, a Korean admiral and national hero whose naval victories were instrumental in repelling Japanese invasions of Korea in the 1590s. If you've seen the movie 'Roaring Currents', then you probably have an idea why Yi Sun Shin is a much revered figure in Korean history.

Yue meets Admiral Yi Sun Shin.

In front of his statue is the 12.23 Fountain, a symbolic fountain which honors the achievements of the brave admiral. The fountain commemorates the 23 battles he fought with 12 warships when he led Koreans to victory during the Imjin War. The water jet rises to a height of 18 meters along with 300 smaller jets, which symbolizes the battles he fought on the sea. In the summer, this fountain is opened to the public, allowing kids and even adults to play with the water.

Honoring the great Admiral Yi Sun Shin.

As we walked around Gwanghwamun Square, we discovered a door located behind King Sejong's statue. Apparently, this is the entrance to the exhibition hall and museum dedicated to both King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun Shin. Entrance to both exhibitions is free, with operating hours from 10 am to 9 pm, Tuesdays to Sundays.

Entrance to The Story of King Sejong.

And since Yue and I love museums, we made our way to the exhibition hall which is actually located underneath the statues, at the basement of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

The Story of King Sejong.

More of King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun Shin after the jump!

Seoul Searching | Teseum Teddy Bear Theme Park.

One of my favorite Korean dramas of all time is Princess Hours, which first aired in 2006 and starred my favorite Korean actress, Yoon Eun Hye. I loved the drama so much that I've even dreamed of flying to Jeju Island so that I can visit the teddy bear museum which was featured in the drama. However, a trip to the island is not possible at this time - budget-wise and schedule-wise.

But as luck would have it, I need not fly all the way to Jeju just to see the teddy bears. Apparently, there's a teddy bear museum here in Seoul, and it's just a few subway stations away from where we live! I was over the moon, all the more after receiving an invitation from the museum to come and visit!

Sleuth = group of bears.

And so yesterday, Yue and I went to nearby Jongno to visit the Teseum Teddy Bear Theme Park. Located near Exit 6 of Dongmyo Station, this sleuth (aka group of bears) is the first thing you'll see when you emerge from the subway station.

Off to the bear cave!

This cave-like structure is the entrance to the museum, and as you descend the stairs you'll be greeted by rows upon rows of cute and colorful bear statues.

To the bear cave, we go!

More of Teseum after the jump!

Seoul Searching | Revisiting Hongdae: Trick Eye Museum + Cafe de One Piece.

Remember our trip to Hongdae last year and how this fun and funky neighborhood immediately and absolutely swept me off my feet? I was so enamored by this place that I made a resolve to bring my husband here the next time we visit Seoul. That plan finally pushed through last winter when we revisited Hongdae on New Year's Day. Our main agenda was to visit the Trick Eye Museum, as per Yue's request.

A 3D interactive gallery, the Trick Eye Museum first opened its doors in Hongdae in 2010. The museum features paintings that make use of the 'trompe l'oeil' (trick of the eye) technique, which gives 2-dimensional paintings the illusion of being in 3D.

Trick Eye Museum in Hongdae.

Everything in this museum is touchable, and guests can freely interact with the artworks and take photos to their hearts' content. Most of the paintings have sample pictures on how you should pose so that you can achieve the 3D illusion, and there are arrows and markers on where you should stand, sit, or lie down so that you can get the best shot.

Here are some of my favorite photos. As you can see, the boys had a blast posing with the paintings and Yue really enjoyed hamming it up for the camera. :)

Yue is trapped!

Hi ho Silver, away!

Surfing with winter coats on, haha!

More photos after the jump!

Seoul Searching | DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition at the Seoul Museum of Art.

I'm a self-confessed museum geek. I love visiting museums and going to exhibitions; most of all, I love how intellectually stimulating and emotionally enriching a trip to the museum can be. That being said, South Korea has a proliferation of museums, which is actually one of the many reasons why I love this country. In the capital alone, there are about a hundred or so museums - in compliance to the Seoul city government's policy to have museums all over the city.

I make it a point to drop by a museum or two whenever I travel abroad (not that I go abroad very often), and last spring I had the chance to visit another well-known museum in South Korea - the Seoul Museum of Art.

Seoul Museum of Art.

Situated in the heart of South Korea's capital, the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) first opened in 1988 and has since become one of Korea's leading art venues. With its classic Renaissance-style facade combined with modern architecture, SeMA is also hailed as one of the most beautiful museum architectures in the country.

Seoul Museum of Art.

A popular attraction among locals and tourists alike, the Seoul Museum of Art has ultra-modern, well-lit galleries that showcase the works of Korea's seasoned and budding artists. Aside from being an avenue for emerging local artists, SeMA also brings the global art scene within reach of the Korean audience by hosting internationally renowned exhibitions twice a year.

Promotional poster, Dreamworks Animation: The Exhibition.

Just recently, SeMA hosted DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition, the world's largest animation exhibition to date. The exhibition ran from April 30 until August 15, and Yue and I were lucky to be in Seoul during that time. It's not everyday that we get to see an exhibition as huge as this, and we definitely did not let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass us by.

Scenes from Dreamworks Animation: The Exhibition after the jump!

Tips for Shopping for Fine Art.

The internet has made spending time with fine art something you can turn into a daily habit. Social media pages, museum websites, and gallery websites are just some of the places where you can seek out classic and contemporary fine art. This may inspire you to want to buy fine art for your home or office space. Here are three ways you can shop for art, whether you're on a small budget or looking to invest.

Photo credit: MET Museum.

Purchasing Fine Art Posters
If you're on a tight budget, you may want to start by purchasing reproductions. A number of online stores sell a variety of fine art posters and prints at reasonable prices. Many of these venues, such as art.com, offer the opportunity to browse art by subject but also by recommendations for various rooms in which you could display the prints. They also offer framing services.

Get to Know Local Artists
Local art galleries and centers often put on exhibits by contemporary artists, but you can also find fine art in many other places. Check the art and cultural calendar of the city nearest you to learn about outdoor art festivals or markets, where you can get to know the works of local and regional artists. Sometimes these artists sell prints and reproductions of good quality, but you might also fall enough in love with a given artist's work that you decide to purchase an original painting or sculpture. Many artists are also happy to work on commission, so you could perhaps end up with a one of a kind piece.

Visit Local and Regional Galleries
A visit to a local gallery can be a rewarding experience, both in terms of enjoying art and in deciding on a piece to purchase. If you're willing and able to invest in an art purchase, some galleries, like the Lanoue, a Boston fine art gallery, offer services to help you begin or expand your fine art collection. They will go to home or office to measure and evaluate your display area so they can give your recommendations about art rentals or purchases. They even have an online "virtual preview" feature that allows you to see how a work of art you're interested in will look in your given space.

Whether you're a novice or seasoned fine art collector, finding ways to add more art to your life can be a rewarding and enriching experience.