Art in the Park is something art enthusiasts look forward to every year. It promises of a fun day out, some booze, and of course, interesting works of art from artists all over the country. It’s also an important opportunity for artists to gain recognition in the local community, as well as display their art for all to enjoy.
Every year, the organizers select a handful of artists to display special exhibitions as one of the fair’s highlights. This year, the three featured artists will be abstractionists Pepe Delfin and Clarence Chun, and multimedia graphic artist Demi Padua.
Pepe Delfin is an abstractionist painter that focuses on “exploring abstract forms through geometric shapes, squiggles, and lines.” The artist takes a methodical approach to her work—expressed in the visually mathematically accurate placement of all her shapes—which she accomplishes freehand.
For this year’s fair, Delfin will be exhibiting several of her works, as well as an interactive mural for audiences to enjoy and participate in.
Clarence Chun is another abstractionist painter that pulls inspiration from his childhood spent in Leyte, his adulthood in Hawaii, and then coming home to the Philippines. His work weaves together narratives that focus on his connection and relationships with the places he’s lived in, and reflects his experiences as a first-generation immigrant.
Part of Chun’s process is “destroying” his finished work with a splatter of paint in order for it to “live outside of himself.”
Completing this year’s roster of featured artists is Demi Padua. Padua is a multimedia graphic artist that handpaints photorealistic, visual collages that blend figurative and abstract elements in a singular body of work. Most recently, Padua was also featured in Art Fair 2024 and has been exhibited in every edition of Art in the Park since its inception in 2006.
The annual fair attracts collectors, fans, and artists from all over the country. For newbie collectors, it’s also the perfect place to score a piece since all works are capped at P70,000.
This year’s Art in the Park will be held at its usual stomping grounds at Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati City on Sunday, March 17, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Entrance is free, and there’s much art to be enjoyed.