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BY RHICK LARS VLADIMER T. ALBAY
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ILOILO City has been painted anew by a young generation of passionate artists. With new galleries sprouting all around the city, Iloilo is setting the groundwork to become a new art haven in the country. Here are a few galleries well worth your time to visit.
GALLERY I
Named the new headquarters of the Hubon Ilonggo art group – formerly the Iloilo Visual Artists Collective – Gallery I is located on the second floor of the Eusebio Villanueva Building, smack dab at the center of Iloilo City’s beating commercial district. The iconic landmark has witnessed 90 years of rich Ilonggo history – as the prestigious International Hotel in 1927, before falling into disrepair, and as a marvel of restoration in 2012, unveiled as a heritage site.
Now the Eusebio Villanueva Building has been reinvented once more: as a sanctuary for Iloilo’s thriving art community.
Blending modern sensibilities with old-world architecture, gallery i poses a sublime venue for the exhibition of Ilonggo art. The art space has already hosted a slew of successful events, including the solo shows veteran Ilonggo artist and activist PG Zoluaga and emerging installation artist Bryan Liao.
Cinematheque Iloilo
Our city’s cinephile destination also doubles as a breeding ground for promising artists. Since its establishment in 2012, Cinematheque Iloilo has become instrumental to building up our city’s art scene, cultivating a community of creatives dead-set on promoting Ilonggo art and culture. The gallery has hosted numerous shows spearheaded by the local artists group, including “Collective Effervescence”– an awe-inspiring show of force by the local art community – which featured 273 pieces of art by a diverse lineup of artists.
Cinematheque Iloilo is currently located at the B&C Bldg. at Iznart, but the author has heard through the grapevine that the Film Development Council of the Philippines establishment is slated to transfer to the Eusebio Villanueva Building as well soon.
Cinematheque Iloilo regularly screens foreign and local art films, with the 2017 Cine Europa film festival set from Oct. 24 to 29 – all films at free admission.
Et Nos Gallery
The common idea seems to be to establish art galleries at some of our city’s heritage sites, like the former Casa Real Gallery at the Old Capitol Building and the UPV Art Gallery at the Old City Hall inside the University of the Philippines campus. It was just a matter of time till the agelessly beautiful Lizares Mansion in Jaro followed suit.
Et Nos Gallery, is one of the newer venues for artist expression in the city. Located inside the Angelicum School in Jaro, Et Nos Gallery currently hosts an exhibit entitled “Handurawan”– a three-man show by Capisnon artists Larry Vargas, Nonie Jetajobe, and Sancho Saladar.
GALLERY DE ARSIE
One of the largest collections of contemporary art is now housed in this newly-inaugurated private art space. The personal collection of businessman Arsenio “Sen” Rafael III boasts more or less 350 pieces by young up-and-coming Ilonggo artists, along with the masterworks of renownedNational Artists – among them Vicente Manansala, Jose Joya and Arturo Luz.
Full disclosure: I have not been to the gallery yet because it is in Mandurriao – where I often get lost quite easily – but judging by the photos I’ve seen of the sprawling collection, it is well worth any art-lover’s time. I just need someone who can point me in the right direction first.
Gallery de Arsie is located at Sen + Sons, Inc. Bldg. Nine, Lot 2126-B-10, Sumcio Subd., Brgy. Q. Abeto Mirasol in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
I hope to see you around exploring these art spaces soon./PN
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