Roseline Flor 
Gratitude is at the heart of all beautiful and great art.
The Art Fair Philippines 2023 has officially begun its three-day run at Makati’s The Link from February 17 to 19. This is the first face-to-face edition of the yearly event since 2020.
Although the return of the highly anticipated event to its original setting was enough to generate excitement for its in-person return, the organizers decided for their unique 10th anniversary.
The “biophilic” design of this year’s Art Fair Philippines is its distinguishing feature.
It was a catchphrase that even journalists thought was unusual to use to describe an art event, let alone in today’s environment. All we knew was that it was supposed to provide fairgoers a ” refreshed of the fair in an organically designed setting, heightening the feeling of discovery and surprise while wandering the fair”.
Before we get into how that actually happened, the TL; DR (too long; didn’t read) version is that it’s a-maze-ing! Be ready for the unexpected.
The labyrinthine arrangement of exhibitions from floor to floor worked, as it provoked a sense of mystery waiting behind every turning corridor that would lead to new, unfamiliar exhibits… or the same one you saw minutes before.
The Art Fair Philippines 2023
The multi-level art fair spans five stories, from The Link’s fourth floor to its roof terrace.
New participants will queue for the elevator at the building’s entrance, which rapidly becomes crowded if you arrive late. Go to the fourth floor for reception and tickets, then stroll about for aesthetic shopping alternatives or continue to the upper levels.
The fifth through seventh levels are home to 52 exhibitors, with a few culinary and retail options thrown in for good measure. There is no specific path for fairgoers to take (such as clockwise, counter-clockwise, straight line, etc.).
Walk in any direction at your own pace, staying as long as you want, or make a beeline through the entire thing to try to make sense of the maze-like layout. Yet, signs pointing to the main lobby indicate how to return to the maze entrance.
Past Art Fair Philippines editions used simple white boxes to cleanly organize the exhibitions, allowing viewers to easily go from one to the next. This year’s strangely elliptical version is analogous to a beehive unwinding. A perfect testament to the biophilic concept’s promise of a “organically designed setting.”
We applaud Any Locsin, a long-time Art Fair designer, for thinking outside the box to create this year’s cutting-edge concept.
“This year, we felt it was vital to push the idea grid. “Biophilic design is inspired by how nature organizes itself, the unpredictability of some things with the underlying order, so it provides a sense of discovery to the public,” Locsin explained.
Similarly, it would not have functioned without the aesthetic attractiveness of all of the event’s participants. Your excellent exhibits are ready for the public.
Come for the art, stay for the experience at Art Fair Philippines 2023. There’s something for everyone at the heart of this maze where it’s easy to get lost.
Art is not what you see, but what you make others understand.
Read Also: Meet Aida Cruz-Del Rosario: One of the first Registered Female Architect in the Philippines, turns 100
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