The Biennale Comes to Manila – A First of Its Kind

See Intramuros in a different lens and rekindle centuries-lost art and culture through a one-month art festival.

A biennale is an art exhibition that only happens one every two years. Its roots can be found in Italy, where the Venice Biennale has become a popular and anticipated event in the city. In 2018, Manila will get its first taste of its own – and no better place to hold it than in Manila famed walled city, Intramuros.

On February 3, Intramuros is an “Open City” – the theme of Manila Biennale, homage to the walled city’s beginnings as a port for the Galleon Trade, a time when our capital opened itself up to the world and welcomed new ideas, products, and people. Spearheaded by Carlos Celdran and the Walk This Way Tours team, expect a four-week showcase of art in different forms – it’s a theater, performance art, visual arts, music, design, fashion, and architecture treat to all festival goers. Apart from its aim is to bring the spirit of Intramuros back through a presentation of local artistry, creativity and talent, it’s also a memorial to the Battle of Manila where three centuries of art and built heritage were destroyed, apart from the walled city’s  destruction and thousands lost lives in its aftermath.

The Manila Biennale experience will be different. Unlike other art fairs, nothing will be sold, but the experience itself. Roam around its gardens, halls, and streets that will be transformed into galleries, performance venues, lecture spots, and pop-up shops, among other things. Only festival passport holders will be entitled to enter the premises and enjoy the lineup of activities prepared for the whole month of celebrations, such as exclusive exhibits, fashion shows, music performances, the masquerade Artists’ Ball, and more.  Only a limited number of passes will also be available, so securing a slot early on will give you perks come the actual event.

Sounds like an event not to miss, if you ask us.

For more information on how to purchase festival passports, visit www.facebook.com/ManilaBiennale. Photos from @manilabiennale and DiamondHotel.com.