Okay, so the Albert Avellana Art Gallery isn't the easiest to come to. Especially on a Friday…read morenight, especially when there's a storm and especially when you don't' have a car. But I had to be there, it was my bestfriend's exhibit and I promised her that I would not miss it. So, after a cab ride that I had walked out from right on bumper to bumper EDSA, a 15-minute walk to the MRT, a 40-minute sardine ride in it and a 20-minute cab ride driven by a sketchy driver, I finally made it. Walking into the compound made me feel like I was in 1950s old Manila. With a slew of wooden houses enveloped by gardens and trees-it was exactly how I imagine old-fashioned Manila to have been. The gallery is a charming old space filled with retro-modern functional art and being inside the compound made me forget the diesel fumes and blaring horns outside.

If it wasn't for the guard at Warehouse 2, I wouldn't even know about Archivo 1984. It's like the…read moreshy sister or brother of Vinyl on Vinyl. They share the same warehouse space along Chino Roces Avenue but it's at the end of the warehouse. It has a white sliding door as your entrance which I don't think you'd take as a sliding door at first. I thought it was a door that would slide up! Going up to Archivo 1984 is one of a protagonist's stop to unveil a mystery in a movie (or a book). It's very steep and you'd be excited and curious to know what's upstairs as your second impression of the gallery. Once I saw what the first level gallery looked like, I was wowed! Elodie Brunet's textile pieces were showcased at the gallery until 6th of June. They were perched up the ceiling and when the wind blows, it looked so pretty. They circled the first level of the gallery and it felt like being in a movie! There are three rooms at Archivo 1984, the main gallery, the upstairs gallery and an anteroom. Mylene, the curator, told me that they house mostly Filipino artists. The owner loves to showcase Filipino artwork and join art fairs as well. They even have a Manansala art work on hand! The feel of the place is very homely. It's very relaxing and the lighting was perfect. I stayed for a while and talked to Mylene about the gallery. The upper gallery also has the younger artists creations on display. They cater to a mix of art made by Filipinos for Filipinos (and international community).

Having experienced living in BF for a couple of years, what I really love about this village is…read morethat it has a little bit of everything from outside its own bubble that it leaves you with very little excuse to venture out into the world (except for, you know, going to work/school). Even if it's a bit of arts and culture you're craving, BF's got you covered, too. Artists Haven Gallery and Cafe is along Aguirre Avenue, the subdivisions' main road known also as a foodie destination in itself. From the outside it does seem really small, like what might be just another gallery.. perhaps a room and some paintings. Little did I know that it's truly like a "haven" for artists--spacious and beautifully designed interiors, a well-curated collection of paintings and sculptures, and they have a cafe too! It's a place that anyone would really be inspired to create in, or if you'd simply want to forget that you're in BF for a while, this is the place to go to "rejuvenate" your soul... or something. They also offer art workshops for kids and adults, too! If you're not much into the arts, don't walk away, they have a charming cafe for you. The dishes are named after painters! Though for vegetarians/vegans, there are only a few veggie options: just soups and salads, for which you'd have to still request to remove ingredients X, Y and Z from, just ask). I tried one of their best sellers, Crispy Suman con Tsokolate (you can request for dairy to be omitted), which is a good choice for a light merienda. I was able to chat with the owner of a place, and news is that they're coming up with regular events that involve live music and wine!

When you step foot inside Finale Art File, you'll see how massive it is inside. It has two floors…read more The tall gallery is for bigger exhibits and installations of like bigger proportions. The upstairs gallery is for smaller scale solo exhibitions. Next to the upstairs gallery is a video room. I was really excited about seeing Finale Art File today because I've seen photos from past exhibitions. While I was expecting a white-walled gallery, I was surprised to see it in shades of green and a vibrance of colours. It was fitting of the vision and style of artist Geraldine Javier. Her exhibition until May 30 is entitled Landscape as a State of Mind is a Landscape. She embroidered scenes of ultra-violence from A Clockwork Orange by Stanley Kubrick! That should be enough for you to drop by! Finale Art File is open from Mondays 'til Saturdays (10am to 7pm). Bring a friend with you (or opt to go alone like I did).

This is probably one of the biggest events for all the art lovers in the Philippines. Art in the…read morePark happens only once a year for only one weekend which is why once it opens or even before it does, people are already in the area scouting for possible paintings and artwork that they can get their hands on. I'll tell you honestly, it can get crazy! What I love most about this event is that it allows people like me (who don't have much money, who don't know much about the art world) to be more exposed to all the young and old artists, the famous ones or the rising stars and have a greater appreciation of art. It also gives artists who are not always featured in the big and fancy museums to showcase their work in the public. You never know, you might find the next Manansala or Luna amidst it all.

Deep sigh. This is just going to be a rant on Philippine Art, move on while you still can!…read more Art in the Park is another exercise in showing who-you-know and is more of a"seen and be seen" kind of thing, more than anything else. Sure, there are cool artworks displayed that's under 20,000 pesos, and that brings down art to a level where the "Average" Filipino can afford it (Cause seriously, some paintings? scary. That's my annual income already.) And some works are really simple, letting people understand and experience art in an open, and less stuffy setting than, say, in a museum or one of those international galleries that are intimidating to set foot in. Apart from that? It's a lot of hipster kids dressing up in their weekend best, go around the park with a bottle of beer and a cigarette in the other hand. It's kind of... well. I don't think it brings the community together at all. Oh, well. Maybe next time would be better? (I am one of those kids trying to fit in with the "cool crowd". Haha, please notice me so I can sell artworks too.)

When I was still in New York, once a week, we get to do gallery walks in one of our classes in all…read morepossible places in Manhattan. It was something that I missed and wished that I could do in Manila every week as well. It's truly nice to see and discover art both from local and international artists. So while doing research for a possible gallery itinerary, all signs pointed to Silverlens. I did my own version of a gallery lakwatsa here today and Silverlens was my first stop and the nearest one from my house. It's very modern and I wanted a mold of that as my house! That's my house peg. Big windows, white with hints of black and grey, minimal decorations and a spacious area for just about any activity. Imagine the parties I get to host. Playing Just Dance on XBox is easier with more space! Day dreaming aside, I like how structured it is: modern with a strong hint of industrial. The art curated there that day were from four artists with three varying themes. The first one I went to on the west wing was Martha Atienza's Study in Reality No. 3. On the east wing were creations by Allan Balisi & Victor Balanon's There's A Story Here Somewhere, It Got Lost Along The Way and Catalina Africa's Reverse Boomerangs and Other Exercises For Pleasure (Warm Up/ Cool Down). It's easy to identify, too, what kind of art they curate. There are contemporary pieces and traditional ones. So, if you're a fan of either (or both), stopping by for some art-charged day or just to get a new perspective will be a good experience here.

I've always been enamored by Silverlens. Their space is halved into two with their outdoor…read morestaircase taking you to their space and an outdoor elevated bridgeway taking you to the other half of Silverlens. Even their main show area stretches and curves out, rather than most other gallery's square spaces. Given their unusual dimensions, the art that they present are hardly conventional. I've been to Silverlens often before, with the last show of theirs I've seen being Gabriel Barredo's "Opera," full of gut-churning curiosities and macabre installations that I enjoyed. You could tell it was a great collaboration between artist and gallery space, as the exhibit stretched along with the gallery's expanse, akin to the muscle, flesh, and bone which were the subjects of the show. Following the length of the gallery, or the pocket spaces in the extension space, you would be taken to an uncomfortable nearness to the subjects, confronting you with death itself. Wind chimes (or maybe more like wind gongs?) were even installed outside to complete the experience. Not all the shows would be like this of course, but there is never a doubt that Silverlens can transport you to worlds that thrive only in artists' imaginations.

Nova Gallery is in the same compound as Finale Art File. You could hit two birds with one stone…read morewith a visit at La Fuerza Compound in Chino Roces. Unlike Finale Art File, Nova Gallery is smaller than its neighbour. It's very minimalist with its white walls and wood work at the upstairs gallery. It also houses art work of international and local artists. I absolutely love how this gallery was assembled. Its art is very contemporary. When I dropped by today, it was their 7th Gallery Collection Show: Do You See What I See?. They featured the works from Takashi Murakami (Japan), Naoko Tosa (Japan), Anne Morgan Spalter (USA), Youki Hirakawa (Japan), Patrick Wilson (USA), Miya Ando (USA) and Willy Rojas (Colombia). Each of the art works shown there varied in medium and form. There were aluminum canvases, LED and film, photography and paintings. There's something to showcase for your visual stimulation. Actually, the show wasn't just visuals! Audio played a part in some of the work shown there. Another quirk that I like about Nova is that they have the 60-in-1 Classic Arcade Games on the upper gallery. Games are art, too! And the addition of it there may be temporary. I didn't get to ask but I enjoyed playing Pac-Man! It brought a lot of nostalgic feels. I think I stayed quite a time there and realised that I was almost late for my yoga class. I look forward to seeing more art work from Nova Gallery. I was really impressed with how this seventh show was curated.

Ysobel Art Gallery is among the cluster of art galleries found on the second floor of Serendra…read more They're home to contemporary art from masters and emerging artists from the local art scene. It is a very small gallery and you can view all the pieces in one go. You could just stay in the middle of the gallery and you'll see everything. Currently on exhibit is Ronante Maratas' first solo show entitled Fragile Bones. The show had its run until today, June 1st. Depending on where you go up the escalator at Serendra, don't miss out this gallery. It may be small but it packs a lot of content. They really love colorful contemporary art! And they do shows, too, and join art fairs.

Vinyl on Vinyl found a new home in 2135 Chino Roces Avenue. It's on the second floor of Warehouse…read more2. Now, if that leaves you confused as to where to find it, just look above and if you see the water tower of American Wire, then you're in the right place. I've been to Vinyl on Vinyl in its old location at The Collective. They're a very eclectic gallery where toys, art and music merge into one space. It appeals to a younger crowd. Last Sunday, they held an event for Jeremyville in Manila along with artists Rai Cruz and Dennis Bato. The selections were very interesting and the gallery was crowded! There was still enough space to move around but the turn out was really great for a Sunday. Artist Jeremyville was there and a looooooong line of followers (both old and new) queued for a chance to get a sketch made by him on the freaking spot. I asked him to draw me a bat. For the very reason that I'm a Zabat. Ha! I can be so punny at times. He finished my sketch in under five minutes and he got me right in the feels. Rai Cruz' work wasn't one to miss as well! His collection was called Urban Modifications and it was an explosion of colour, figures and interesting take on every day objects and animals. I was close to getting the cat artwork at the upper gallery!

Why, Vinyl on Vinyl?!? Why did you have to move from The Collective to some warehouse in Pasong…read moreTamo? WHY? Okay, don't answer that. I know exactly why you guys bailed out of there. Am just miffed that my most favorite gallery/vinyl toys/vinyl place got a bit harder to go to, that's all. Anyway, VOV was always a favorite of mine, stemming back to their Collective days as they simply had the best exhibits and shows. They're like Silverlens, if Silverlens was smaller and grungier. I credit VOV for introducing me to the works of artists such as Tokwa Peñaflorida, Isobel Francisco, and JP Cuison. Just one of the best galleries in the city.

We visited this 3D art gallery last Oct. 25. For only 150 pesos you can visit the place and be…read moreamazed with their arts. It is located at Level 4 Market Market, just beside the cellphone shops. It's open from 10:00 AM till 9:00 PM. I suggest that you go there early so there won't be lots of visitors. If you're visiting alone, the staff are very accommodating and they would love to help you take your photos. The gallery is suitable for children, but I'm not sure with toddlers. Mine is 2 years old and he was running all around the gallery. Good thing the staff were nice! If you have lots of stuff with you, you can just leave it at their reception so you can enjoy having your photos taken without the luggage. If you're in Market Market, why not visit Miracle Art and let us know what you think!