When I went to Art in the Park last year, I was overwhelmed by the immensity of all the art in the park (pun not intended), there were just too many and I felt like I didn’t have any time to really look and fully enjoy the whole art vibe. My experience wasn’t exactly the best one and I knew why, you really have to come early to get the best deals. This is what I did this time around, accompanying my two sisters, brother-in-law, and my niece I got the best seat of the whole Art in the Park, from its opening to the hustle and bustle of activity.
*to read my entry from last year, check it out here
*to read my entry from last year, check it out here
For many first timers, Art in the Park will be a physically exhausting experience, one has to master how to weave in and out of crowds all while doing it gracefully lest you step into a branded footwear or worse knock something out and believe me there are a lot of people. Visitors will spend minutes ogling and touching everything they can lay their hands on, their eyes calculating and for the experienced visitor the deft movement of their hands signal that they have found something interesting in this sea of colors.
Weaving my way to and fro going from tent to tent, I saw a lot of interesting art pieces that would definitely make a nice addition to my bookshelf. There were a lot of sculptures this time around and a lot of eclectic and eccentric subjects for art. In one tent I saw beautiful paintings similar to those found in storybooks; in another varied interpretations of pop culture icons in different forms and poses.
Coming early has someperks, I had unobstructed views of the paintings and the atmosphere was still relaxed enough to enjoy a pig-shaped cotton candy while I worked my way around the whole park. There wasn't a lot of people yet and this was great, my sister and I would spend time just enjoying and appreciating a lot of the work in every tent, we would comment with oohs and aahs and every now and then we would spot something cute or cool.
As the crowd swelled art pieces were being snapped up as quickly as you can see them, the lines to the cashier became as long as the MRT's and people strutted about with their bubble-covered packages. The more intrepid ones perused the boxes in front of almost every tent hoping to catch something that another person missed out. It was a zero-sum game of art and it was enjoyable to watch while I fanned myself and eyeing a geisha painting I had seen earlier on.
For what it’s work, waking up bright and early and heading into Makati to catch this annual event was a great experience. For many artists this is the perfect place to make up for the slow days and to get some recognition. For the casual goer like me, I just simply love basking and enjoying the beautiful brush strokes and wonderful interpretations of many things. Next year I hope to have a fatter wallet to bring home some more interesting pieces, and like I said last year “All of the items on display has a price, it's all just a matter of finding one that can fit your budget or at least your car”