PH Artists Exhibit Works at Art Fair Tokyo

BY FLORENDA CORPUZ

TOKYO – Five talented contemporary artists from the Philippines showcased their works at the Art Fair Tokyo (AFT) 2023 held at the Tokyo International Forum from March 10 to 12 are catered to the Japanese market,” said Sierra Isabelle Castillo, marketing and events manager of Galerie Stephanie.

Tejido, one of the three artists present during the three-day art show, expressed his aspirations for participating in AFT. He aims to attract new collectors and see how viewers from other Asian countries respond to his art.

“Although Japan is still in Asia, it is like New York, a melting pot of many races. It is a great way to showcase my art to the world without being too far from the Philippines,” he told Filipino-Japanese Journal.

When asked what is unique about his works, Tejido, who started painting professionally in 2007, shared that his uniqueness lies in how he plays with forms and colors that display happiness despite the seasons.

“’Yung nandito na works ko ‘yasumi’ ibig sabihin ‘vacation’. So para sa akin, ‘yung pagpunta sa Japan despite sa anong season, para sa akin masaya. So ‘yun ang nire-reflect ng paintings ko – very playful, whimsical, happy,” he added.

This year’s edition of AFT, the largest international art fair in Japan and the oldest in Asia, brought together 143 galleries from Japan and abroad, including Manila-based Galerie Stephanie.

The “PH Mode x TYO” runway show, held at STUMP Studio in Aoyama on March 17, showcased the autumn/ winter collection of Alodia Cecilia, Azucar, Barba, Ellis Co, Jor-el Espina, Thian Rodriguez, and STOI|C. These designers creatively combined indigenous Philippine materials with sustainable textiles from STYLEM, a renowned textile company in Japan.

Jackie Aquino, the show director, revealed that the Filipino designers used Japanese fabrics as the base material and incorporated indigenous fibers like piña and binakol to make their unique pieces. Despite feeling nervous about how the Japanese audience would receive the creations, Aquino, a veteran in the industry with a 39-year career, expressed confidence in the Filipino designers’