MaARTe 2013: An art fair for art’s sake

MANILA, Philippines - The MaARTe bazaar, slated on Aug. 23-25 at the Rockwell Tent, is the foundation’s way of supporting the Philippine creative industries. It gathers some 50 specially selected participants who will offer handcrafted, indigenous, and artisanal products.

Staying true to their goal of showcasing museum-quality products, the bazaar has brought in curator Al Caronan as its creative director.

Aside from offering hand crafted items, the bazaar is also a venue for buyers to get a chance to talk to the designers and artists.

Among the artists to be featured at MaARTe 2013 is Karl Aguila who creates art furniture pieces under the label Atelier Aguila.

Atelier Aguila’s Ophanie Siaten says the main thrust of their design aesthetic is handmade, upcycled, hardwood. “Our pieces are organic, sculptural, and one-of-a-kind. Karl Aguila is fundamentally an artist/ sculptor, so each piece is a hand-crafted ‘furnisculpture’,” she says.

She adds, “The company sources its materials from salvaged and recycled wood. Timbers from demolished old houses, century-old railroad sleepers, driftwoods and excavated timbers of prime wood…antique limestone, rice and corn grinders which are acquired from remote villages are also key components of our product.”

Bryan McClelland also uses wood in his product – the innovative Bambike, bikes made of wood.

“The idea for Bambike came from my passion for sustainable development projects,” he shares. “Bamboo is the greenest building material on the planet. Bicycles are the most efficient vehicles man has ever created. Here in the Philippines we are rich in natural resources and also have a great need for job creation.”

The company’s bike builders, dubbed Bambuilders, come from the Gawad Kalinga community of Victoria in Tarlac. “Our company is dedicated to community reinvestment and because of this we have pledged to sponsor the preschool teachers as well as a feeding program. We have also been developing a bamboo nursery so that we can plant more bamboo than we harvest,” says McClelland.

Sold through their website and at various trade fairs, McClelland says Bambikes is very fortunate to enjoy good reception both here and abroad. “Many customers have given us constructive feedback and we incorporate new ideas into our continuous process of refinement and Bambike development,” he adds. At MaARTe 2013, Bambikes will be displaying their latest models.

Like Atelier Aguilar and Bambikes, accessories designer Jamie Zanoria also derives inspiration from locally-sourced materials.

“I get inspiration from the materials I work with and with nature. The varied and ordinary things that can be made extraordinary by our local artisans and manufacturers will just amaze you,” the artist says.

“I love incorporating and mixing them with a lot of beautiful materials. I love working with stones, ceramic, metals, natural components, almost anything... combining all beautiful components to create one beautiful masterpiece.”

While most bazaars feature a plethora of accessories, MaARTe’s line up is far more selective. Zanoria’s pieces, for example, are one of a kind. “Every design is unique and you don’t have a duplicate, plus I incorporate different materials made by our local artisans.”

Many MaARTe bazaar participants feature the fine work of local artisans. Among them is Monchet y Cia which sells beautifully designed fans. “Monchet y Cia is the boutique line of Casa Mercedes, a business that my mother and her sisters started over 60 years ago,” says Monchet Olives.

Though Casa Mercedes is one of the oldest fanmakers in the country, Monchet y Cia’s designs are far from traditional. “This is no longer your grandmother’s pamaypay (fan),” says Olives.

“We study the new shapes that we can mold the wood into and use new applications for fabrics,” says Olives, adding that they use a lot of hip prints and graphics.

Monchet y Cia takes advantage of technology that enables them to print short run fabric designs, making the fans even more unique.

Olives shares that they have also teamed up with many of their co-presenters at the MaARTe bazaar for their line of fans that use custom woven fabrics. “We are all driven by our desire to preserve our handmade heritage.”

The four participants agree that being selected for MaARTe 2013 is an honor. “I am thrilled,” says Zanoria. “As a Fine Arts graduate and a person who loves arts, culture and nature, I am very much honored to be one of the few chosen to be among the roster of artists to participate in MaARTe.”

Joining Atelier Aguila, Zanoria, Bambikes, and Monchet y Cia are jewelry designers Ann Ong, Natalya Lagdameo, Riqueza, Oskar Atendido and Cora Manimbo; fashion offerings from Arte Pilipino, Amarie, Two Chic Manila; pottery by Joey de Castro and Mia Casal; art toys from Vinyl on Vinyl, and many more unique items made with pride and inspiration by Filipino artists.

Olives, who is taking part in the bazaar for the second year, adds, “MaARTe helped me regenerate our business and develop new ideas. Being with fellow artisans who respect what we have as a country, and the fine quality the FIlipino can be proud of, has helped inspire me in collaborating with fellow exhibitors. I work with fabric weavers to create new designs, jewelers to make bespoke appliques, and expose these to a Filipino who is proud of what we can do as creators. The people that come to MaARTe will expect to see the best that the Philippines can offer in a whole spectrum of products.”

The  MaARTe bazaar will be held from Aug. 23 to 25 at Rockwell Tent, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visit www.museumfoundationph.org for more information.