By Elyssa Christine Lopez
A VANDALISM, a defamation, an unsightly view—street art used to be dismissed as nothing more than vandalism, and for some, its artistic value is still up for debate. But ask anyone to walk the streets of Bonifacio Global City (BGC), and its colorful landscapes and structures would make one readily open to reevaluating the significance of street art. Taking that “street art hub” tag to new heights, the city celebrates the Art BGC One Festival, the country’s first-ever mural-centric arts festival that is ongoing until May 30, showcasing and underscoring the inclusive nature of public art.
“Art has always been part of the city’s fabric,” Arts Program Manager Monica Llamas said in a news conference. “We want to provide the public interactive art.” With the city as their canvas, esteemed international and local mural artists are painting their creations on the building walls of One Global Place, Bonifacio Technology Center and the Palace Pool Club, to name a few, inspired by different themes: music, entertainment, lifestyle, productivity and literature.
Some of the visiting artists include Brooklyn-based mural artist duo Faile, composed of Patrick McNeal and Patrick Miller, who are known for their pop-culture references; hyper-realistic mural artist Nate Frizzell; two-man artist collective Cyrcle (David Leavitt and David Torres); and Filipino grafitti artist Egg Fiasco.
Portuguese artist Akacorleone, famous for her multicolored geometric paintings; Kristinn Farr; Los Angeles-based Drew Meritt; and Behance Philippines co-founder Anjo Bolarda join the stellar lineup.
Different watching sessions are scheduled in the weeklong art fest as all artists paint their larger-than-life masterpieces in different parts of the city.
Starting on Saturday afternoon, May 23, at the open lot on the corner of 26th Street and 5th Avenue, rough sketches of the mural artists’ planned designs will be projected on the walls as they prepare to paint. From then on, the public may drop by the different painting locations as these artists start painting nonstop.
By May 27 the festivities will move two blocks as Cyrcle starts painting at the open lot on 7th Avenue corner 25th Street.
Bonifacio Art Foundation Inc., with Los Angeles-based art consultancy LeBasse, will set up booths where the public may have drinks and snacks as they witness these artists’ creative process unfold with soulful beats and the afternoon skies for a backdrop.
And on the last day of the art fest, May 30, starting at 3 pm, a film festival with documentaries from American filmmakers Aleks Kocev and Blain Suque, together with local outfit Dissident Pictures will be shown, as they capture the weeklong festivities through their lens.
By nighttime, Taken by Cars, Pupil and more local music acts will treat the public with live performances with some Filipino artists simultaneously showcasing live painting. The public may also paint their own masterpieces on the so-called Freedom Wall.
If the thought of taking in all these art activities at different locations seems more than a tad daunting given the unbearable temperatures of the Summer of 2015, shuttle buses will be available to transfer the general public from one painting session to another.
Manila has seen all kinds of art festivals but not this kind, and which could very well spur a deeper affiliation with the artists and creatives and their stunning visions. It would also be a refreshing way to cap off this summer that’s shaping up to be unlike any other in more ways than one.