MANILA BIENNALE PRESS RELEASE

January 22, 2018

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PRESS RELEASE:
MANILA BIENNALE:OPENCITY2018
ARTISTS INVADE INTRAMUROS FOR FIRST MANILA BIENNALE

Within the ancient walls of Intramuros, Manila, a major artistic transformation is now underway for the first time in its 400-year history.

Nearly 100 artists from the Philippines and overseas will enter the gates of Manila’s ancient walled city to exhibit works for the first Manila Biennale this February 3 to March 5, 2018. Heralded as the “first art experience festival in the history of the city”, Intramuros will reinvent itself as a vast art exposition for sculpture, painting, video, film, performance, architecture, and installation.

Carlos Celdran, artist, activist, and executive director of the event, stresses the urgency and relevance of this artistic intervention, which has been going under slogan, “Bring back the soul of the city.”

“It’s time to put the city on show. Intramuros is the origin of our city’s identity. The walled city was Manila’s first depository and laboratory for art and science. Unfortunately, since it’s destruction back in 1945, the walled city’s relevance and history has been all but forgotten. I’m hoping that the biennale will re- establish Intramuros’ role in the development of our capital’s culture and identity.”

Throughout the history of Manila since 1571, Intramuros has played colonial bastion, military fortification, seat of government and religion, residential area, and as of late, a tourist attraction. This year, Intramuros’ famous parks and gardens, as well as a newly constructed venue that has not yet been unveiled to the public, will play the new role of art exhibition space.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Open City,” which references December 26, 1945, a vulnerable period in Manila’s history during World War II. The term Open City takes on a new meaning today according to the creative interpretation of this year’s curators and artists. “It may reference open minds, open dialogues, open markets, and any metaphor that which connotes freedom of speech, freedom of thought and the open exchange of ideas.

This is the first contemporary art biennale for the Philippines. The tradition of holding a biennale — which literally means “every other year”– was first conceived in Venice, Italy, in 1895. Several other cities have followed the Venice archetype since then, the most famous of which are the Whitney Biennale in New York City, the Sydney Biennale, Manifesta in Europe, and Dokumenta in Germany.

As opposed to an art fair, a Biennale’s primary purpose is to put the host city as a platform for contemporary artistic expression. The Manila Biennale was born out of a collaboration among the Philippines’s foremost cultural institutions and festivals:

1. Intramuros Administration
2. Anthology Architecture and Design Festival
3. Cultural Center of the Philippines
4. Short + Sweet Theater Festival
5. Manila Transitio: An art memorial dedicated to the memory of the Battle of Manila 1945 by Carlos Celdran and VivaManila
6. Fringe Manila

The public is enjoined to support this initiative through participation in Manila Biennale tours, lectures, events.

WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE

PRODUCERS:

LEAD SPONSORS:
PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
BPI-PHILAM ASSURANCE

OFFICIAL RUM:
DON PAPA RUM

OFFICIAL COFFEE:
PAPER CUP INTRAMUROS

CULTURAL AGENCY PARTNERS:
PINTO MUSEUM
ARCHIVO 1984

OFFICIAL LOGISTICS SPONSOR:
LBC EXPRESS

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNERS:
ART PLUS MAGAZINE
ADOBO MAGAZINE
MANILA BULLETIN
MABUHAY MAGAZINE
ROGUE MAGAZINE

OFFICIAL WIFI:
SMART PLDT

PRINTING SPONSOR:
TESORO’S

HOTEL PARTNERS and SPONSORS:
AMELIE HOTEL
BAYLEAF HOTEL
HENRY HOTEL
HOTEL 2016
LA CORONA BEST WESTERN

OFFICIAL PAINT SPONSOR:
JOTUN PAINTS

INSTITUTIONAL SPONSORS:
GOETHE INSTITUT MANILA
INSTITUTO CERVANTES MANILA
JAPAN FOUNDATION
EMBASSY OF MEXICO
EMBASSY OF SPAIN
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AMBASSADE DE FRANCE AUX PHILIPPINES
SOCIETY OF FILIPINO ARCHIVISTS FOR FILM

PARTNERS:
DESTILERIA LIMTUACO
BENCH LIFESTYLE + CLOTHING
CONNECTOURS.ORG
KLOOK

For further information you may contact the Manila Biennale Office:
Phone: +632 4844945
Cellphone: +63 936 8886478
Email: opencity@manilabiennale.ph (Mariah)