This Is for Olivia

Me and artist Pardo de Leon

The past month was really hectic for any art lover. There were several openings and happenings. Art fairs. Talks. Exhibits. Plays. I really do not know where to start.

At the Art Fair with National Artist Bencab and Annie Sarthou

Being in the Arts for 30 years, the schedules were a bit hectic for me. But I only saw some. It was ALT that I visited first. The 10 renegade galleries that left the annual Art Fair. It was the last day that my wife and I went. We were in the area and it was a typical Sunday so we decided to look and see the clusters that I heard about. Upon entrance of ALT it was Finale Art Files exhibition we saw first. A little history here. Finale was the first gallery that took me in, in the early 90’s. I had about 3 exhibitions with them.

Performance artist Jelly Fish at the Art Fair 2020

My relationship with owner Vita Sarenas is that of a mother and child (no pun intended) I still dot on her. She is still very nice , no , loving towards me. That is how I feel. I asked Gilbert one of Finale’s assistants about the artists they were showing. I really liked the way of the lay out. The exhibition was pulling you in. And there were others. Vinyl on Vinyl had a performance artist called Jellyfish Kisses who was inside like an aquarium. With a television set and stuffed animals.

I would run into Anton when we have openings at Pasilio 18 La Fuerza and him as a DJ when I go to 20 20 or XX XX. This time club culture is in mainstream art. I was not surprised.

I remember my club kid days and how I would place these things in my art. Looking back I felt a kinship to what he was doing. Performance Art is a discipline I have forays in. There were other galleries. Duemila also had an exhibition that I liked. 

Always like their direction. And there were more. The highlight of being at ALT were or was seeing friends old and new. Having coffee at Cibo, I recognized this tall beauty coming towards us. Pardo de Leon in her brand new Doc Martens.

An artwork from Pardo de Leon

 More than peers in the world of art we are friends. I actually call her Ate Bubs. Our friendship goes way back 1987. At the University of the Philippines, we fine art students had a famous tambayan. With our Mother hen Aling Babes, but that is another story. Ate Bubs ordered coffee and we sat and talked. We were discussing our reunion show with Popo San Pascual and Jet Melencio. 

And I was making asking her where and when i could see her up in Baguio whe Benguet fires happened a week later. Guys there are so much more to tell you . 
On my next column, the story will continue. Again this is for Olivia.