Beyond The Canvas: Inside The Living Pulse of Visayan Art Fair 2025
That time I visited and joined the fair, modern day arts was one of the most obvious to witness throughout the fair's venue, almost it fominates the whole exhibition. Big paintings also filled many galleries, which some are so impossible to not give attention to because of their bold colors and textured strokes, which creates intrigued to the viewers. There were many abstract and interpretative pieces where forms moved freely and emotions were carried by color alone...a fantastic sight to see as an art enthusiast. Right beside them were poetic works like portraits, figures, and scenes that represents everyday life and personal stories that many of us can relate.
During the event, there was a clear shift from abstract to realist experience as you walked around the exhibition which created a natural harmony between art styles and human interaction, making each turn to al corners feel like an exciting encounter yet to unfold before we reach our hands on them.
The best part of the exhibit for me were the sculptures and installation pieces displayed that added another beautiful layer to my experience. There were wooden and metal works stood in open areas, allowing viewers to move around them and see how they changed from different angle as viewers explore them. Some artists in the exhibition utilized natural materials such as driftwood, pebbles, and fabric, and subtly connect their pieces to particular topics. These works brought new idea to visitors that art is not limited to flat surfaces only, that it can also exist in space, in forms, and in texture. There was also artworks I found that has a ruined photograph on it captured by the artists and craft it like mosaic to complete the piece, which really was emotional for me to find an art brought into life again.
As I walk around, overwhelmed of what I was witnessing, which must be a natural feeling to witness these extraordinary artworks, I saw many conceptual arts around that also took a big place in the fair. There were several pieces that used symbols, text frgaments and odd materials like ruined photographs, and actual objects that required more than just an eye but also the ability to think deeply to understand these works. .
It was long hours of taking turns and conversation with others on the fair, and sometimes I would find myself looking at street-inspired and interactive works in the event that ignited a different kind of energy. There was a ive painting sessions that excited me, some collaborative pieces, and freedom walls, containing words of anger and hostility towards what is pressingly happening in the world, allowed visitors to witness creativity as it happened naturally. The process became part of the exhibition itself. It was more personal, as if the boundary between artist and audience disappeared for a while and became one.
It was a right decision to register and join the event. The experience and the knowledge learned from the event made the fair more memorable, to think it was not just about the number of artists gathered but also the variety of voices in one place. Such as the mnimalist pieces which stood beside intricate mixed-media works. Also, the calm landscapes that contrasted with bold conceptual statements. They formed a space where differences were not
competing but coexisting perfectly.
It was more than just an exhibition because the Visayas Art Fair became a reminder for us that art is alive in the whole region. It continues to respond to social topics, to carry culture, and to create serious conversations that challenges stigma and hostile acts. Stepping out of the venue was a serious act, because what remained with me after the experience was not only the memory of the artworks, but the feeling that creativity here is unbound and constantly moving forward in Visayas. Indeed, Visayas is a glorious region.
