MANILA, Philippines – Get ready to step outside as Ayala Land transforms Makati into a walkable art experience from February 14 to 23.
On Thursday, February 13, Ayala Land launched the 2025 edition of 10 Days of Art: Art Walk, an immersive art exhibit with installations scattered all over the city.
Visitors have the opportunity to witness art in publicly accessible areas, including the Ayala Triangle Gardens, Ayala Center, Makati Central Business District, and Circuit Makati.
“The much-awaited gathering is showcasing a curated selection of artists, creations, and activities designed to engage the country’s thriving art community,” said the event organizers. “This initiative makes art more accessible to the everyday urban dweller by positioning the pieces in high-traffic areas…ultimately unfolding a citywide art hub!”
In its 12th year, 10 Days of Art gathers artists from all over the world to celebrate and engage with contemporary art in the Philippines. Here are some of the works you can find at this year’s Art Walk:
Barrier Tape 2
A notable installation located in Ayala Triangle Gardens is Barrier Tape 2 by anonymous Spanish urban artist SpY and his platform SpY Studio which utilizes barrier tapes draped from the branches of an Acacia tree.
“I take an element from daily life or from today’s imagery, something everybody has seen, knows and takes for granted, then I multiply and arrange it in an unprecedented pattern,” said the artist.
Beneath The Streets
In their exhibition Beneath the Streets, the organization Fotomoto transforms the Legazpi Underpass into an underwater event through a combination of visual and auditory elements — giving people working in or passing through Makati a new sight to look forward to on their daily commutes. This is the second year that the organization has hosted an exhibit in the underpass.
“We think this is a fantastic venue for the simple reason that people walk by every day,” said Fotomoto representative Tom Epperson.
Rewilding
An exhibition curated by Jun Sabayton, Rewilding is projected on the Ayala Triangle Garden Amphitheater and Greenwall, creating a contrast between the greenery and urban backdrop it’s set on. It features works from artists Bjorn Calleja, Ivan Despi, Pauline Despi, Jo Gregorio, Jeff Hazel Ombrete, Peter Daniel Palanas, and Cherylee Sng.
“The title is about reclaiming nature, reclaiming its space, reclaiming abandoned urban spaces, and allowing it to grow into its own form,” said one of the artists Pauline Despi.
She explained that the exhibition began as a conversation about creating an experience surrounding ecology, spearheaded by curator Sabayton who is an advocate of green energy.
The Sentinels
Artist Briccio Santos’ series “The Sentinels,” featuring four fascinating sculptures, can be found in Legazpi Active Park and Seda Residences Makati.
Santos explained that he began creating the series during the pandemic. “From that point on…I was obsessed [with trying] to create a symbol from mythological and, [as I call them], quantum forms because they convey [our experiences from the pandemic] in our consciousness,” he said.
Other exhibitions, installations, and activities include The Words You Speak Become the Home You Live By by Kim Borja in Glorietta, Time Explosion by ESL Chen in One Ayala Mall, and Wonderland of Lights by Olivia d’Aboville in Circuit Makati. These are all free and open to the public.
The 10 Days of Art will also coincide with activities for Art Fair Philippines 2025, which will be open to the public from February 21 to 23. These activities include a performance by the hardcore punk and metal band Overdrive on February 22 and the Makati Street Meet “Art Street” from February 22 to 23. – Rappler.com