Art in a city Skygarden

MANILA, Philippines – Apart from the green landscape, the water features, the Skydome, retail shops and restaurants, six sculptures scattered around a winding stretch are among the attractions of the newly opened Skygarden at SM City North-EDSA.

Designed by Hong Kong-based Filipino artist Joel Eugenio Epistola Ferraris, these bring art to the city, similar to the way outdoor art exhibitions are held at popular landmarks like New York City’s Central Park. This is also part of SM’s continuing efforts to bring out art for everyone to enjoy, as it did when it pioneered the gallery-in-a-mall concept in the Art Center and Artwalk at the SM Megamall.

“Public art is one of the major visual components brought into malls,” says Ferraris. “This is something that could contribute to the balance between what is purely commercial and that of which is strictly artistic. Situated in a classy, garden-type setting, these sculptures are strategically distributed to accentuate the whole Skygarden area.

He adds that these could “hopefully contribute to elevate the lifestyle, the culture, plus the aesthetic, as well as the artistic awareness and appreciation of mallgoers, especially when they enjoy one romantic evening or a relaxing weekend with their families and friends.”

Ferraris says, “All ideas for these sculptures are a result of the mix of what is tangible, of the nature-inspired and organic, of realities observed and experienced, and those that are abstract.”

The six designs he created — “Bloom,” “Pistils,” “Pixel Planes,” “Prism 24,” “Rainbow Waterfalls” and “AM-PM” — “all triggered the birth of new concepts, some of which were somehow recycled from old ones but given new forms and shapes, plus the introduction of novel images that individually convey their message. These are all aimed to blend with the contemporary environment and the demands of this age, when public art becomes more interactive than simply resting proud on some pedestal.”

“Bloom” is fashioned from metal-reinforced fiberglass, airbrush painted with automotive lacquer paints, with LED lighting imbedded. “Pistils,” a five-piece sculpture, is inspired by the female parts of flowers and made from metal-reinforced fiberglass, airbrush painted with automotive lacquer paints. “Pixel Planes” is the artist’s peek into the virtual world. “Prism 24” is the artist’s tribute to modern life, where the presence of highly advanced science and digital technology simulates a prism. “Rainbow Waterfalls” captures the beauty of powerful waterfalls. “AM-PM” was inspired by the 24/7 lifestyle in this global age.

Joel Ferraris was born to a family of self-taught artists. He started to reap awards by joining art competitions and took part in art exhibitions every year. In 1997, Joel teamed up with another Filipino artist, Justo Cascante, and was later featured in CNN International. Aside from many group shows, he has held several solo shows in Hong Kong, the Philippines, and the US, where he was the first Filipino invited by the University of Pittsburgh to participate in its multi-cultural spectrum series.

Joel says that the presence of “a neatly planned and wholesome environment” like the Skygarden at SM City North-EDSA, “which is complete with the spiritual, social, cultural, and artistic components to positively redirect people’s mindsets, offers an alternative that is highly inspiring and promising.”