Cebu art fair features work of 500 Visayan artists this September

CEBU, Philippines – More than 500 Visayan artists will be showcasing their work at the Ayala Center Cebu for the annual Tubo Cebu Art Fair, scheduled from September 15 to 17.

The Tubo Cebu Art Fair is an annual celebration of local art and talent organized by the Arts Council of Cebu. Creatives and collectors congregate at the fair to witness and showcase visual arts, fashion, music, and literature.

The previous Tubo Cebu Art Fair in 2022 featured around 80 booths and 300 participating artists. This year, more than 100 booths and 500 participating artists from different parts of the Visayas region are expected by organizers.

“The artists are very excited to share their work. We want to bring people there to appreciate what we have to offer,” said fair director Allen Tan during a press conference on Thursday, August 24.

The theme of this year’s art fair is “Juxtapose.”

“The act brings into sharp relief what makes things different, and also what makes them the same. As such, we love juxtaposition because at its best, it spurs improvement – and therefore, growth,” Tan said on the fair’s official website.

Growing in the art scene

“Tubo,” which means “grow” is one of the key principles that made the art fair one of the premier platforms for Cebu’s artists since its inception in 2018.

“It started with only 25 booths, and then word got around, making it a much bigger event and the biggest yearly event for the arts council,” said Maia Franco, the vice president of the Arts Council of Cebu, in an interview with Rappler.

Jay Nathan Jore, the curator of the Tubo Cebu Art Fair, said the fair has become a creative platform for many young and aspiring artists in the region to grow and emerge.

“When our fine arts students graduate from the universities, it’s truly an opportunity for them to showcase their work,” Jore said.

With the fifth celebration happening in September, Jore said they also have the chance to uplift a new generation of art collectors and ensure that they connect with the community of growing artists.

“Everyone is growing in the art scene and the art market,” said Jore.

Expectations

Jore said there will be four segments for art enthusiasts to visit during the art fair.

The Encounters section will feature artists working with various themes in Cebuano contemporary art. 

The Enclaves section will be reserved for established art collectives and organizations.

The works of first-time participating and emerging artists will be exhibited in the Emerge section. Jore said there will be “a lot of experimental and daring” pieces of art.

Lastly, the Evolve section will feature works from universities and colleges focusing on process-driven and critical art.

There will also be a “Signature Collection” exhibit presenting the works of renowned artists like Alex Ordoyo, Anton Quisumbing, Cezar Arro, Charlie Co, Gary Carabio, Geovanni Abing, Happy Garaje, and many more.

Aside from the exhibits, organizers will also hold artist talks on the afternoon of September 17. – Rappler.com