Art + Video exhibit at SM

MANILA, Philippines - The emergence of technology as a popular art medium was showcased in the recent Art +Video exhibit at the SM Mall of Asia and SM Aura Premier.

A joint project of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila and the SM Premier Malls in partnership with Samsung Philippines, the project engaged mallgoers with new art forms, particularly video art and animation, indulging the public with multisensory installations and art documentaries.

Art + Video is the latest collaboration between the MET and the SM Malls to mount various off-site art exhibitions to raising public awareness and appreciation for the culture and the arts. This exhibit included the works of leading Filipino artists who made use of the technological advancement and used it as their art form and content. These include Ramon Estella, Eric de Guia or Kidlat Tahimik, Peque Gallaga, Louie Cordero, and Juan and Miguel Alcazaren or the Alcazaren brothers.

The exhibit also featured works of contemporary artists such as Victor Balanon, VJ Villafranca, Diokno Pasilan, Cocoy Lumbao, and other others. Likewise, the Animation Council of the Philippines featured a selection of videos from Animahenasyon, a Philippine Animation Festival. Among these were “Displaced Earth” by Veejay Vllafrancia, “Glassfeathers-Batdog by Ivan Desp and Pauline Vicencio-Despi, “Balong Malalim” by Juan Alcazaren, “Chase Muybridge” by Victor Balanon, “Sammy and the Sandworms” by Tad Ermitano, and “Magkaibang Lahi” by Ramon Estella.

The earliest form of video art was used during the 1950s to the 1960s internationally long before it was recognized and experimented on in the local scene. Yet art evolves as society and cultures continue to grow, and parallel to this, technology has become more advanced and conveniently accessed by the public.

Artists now have an easier opportunity in communicating with the audience with the use of video art. Day-to-day films in Filipino and English convey a message with the use of storytelling, but video art breaks down that rule and uses itself as a medium, becoming a moving artwork itself, deprived of structure, but full of meaning. With the use of art and technology, the electronic media is able to reflect a new wave of thinking, perception, and attitude that can influence and change people’s lives all over the world.

Artist and art lovers attended the launches, including Goethe Institut manila director Petra Raymond; Alliance Francaise’ Patrick Devant, Pierre Coupard and Sabrina Durand; and Japan Foundation director Shuji Takatori. Visual artists brothers Jun and Miguel Alcazaren, Nicolas Quanand Gaston Damag were also present.

 Project partners MET Museum directors Sandra Palomar Quan and Cora Alvina and Samsung Philippines marketing director Benjamin Jimenez, corporate marketing head Chiqui Torres Tan, Michelle Castillo and Emil Erasmo graced the event. SM executives led by SM VP for marketing Millie Dizon, SM Aura Premier Mall manager Carlos Vilches, and SM Mall of Asia assistant mall manager Abigail Quiohilag welcomed them.

The Art + Video Exhibit is one of the many exciting events of SM Mall of Asia and SM Aura Premier.