Students who have a passion for visual arts had a new and exciting avenue to showcase their art pieces as SM Supermalls held its second Art for Everyone fair simultaneously in nine SM malls nationwide – SM Megamall, SM Aura Premier, SM Mall of Asia, SM City Dasmariñas, SM City Baguio, SM City Clark, SM City Cebu, SM City Bacolod, and SM Lanang Premier.
While gallery owners had showcased their artworks in select SM malls last year, the Art for Everyone exhibition this year featured works of students from various universities, colleges and institutions nationwide.
During the five-day art fair, the students’ artworks were exhibited and on sale. Art professionals and educators also held instructive workshops during the exhibit aimed at developing creative ideation as well as help unleash the full potential of students in visual arts.
Among the featured schools were the University of the Philippines Diliman and Manila, De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, Far Eastern University, University of Makati, Southville International School, CIIT College of Arts and Technology – Quezon City, University of Rizal System – Angono, Our Lady of Fatima University – Valenzuela and Antipolo, University of the East Caloocan, I-Academy, Philippine Women’s University, San Beda College Alabang, Asia Pacific College, Chiang Kai Shek, College of the Holy Spirit – Manila, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Technology – Manila, PAREF Woodrose School, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Technological University of the Philippines Manila.
“We noticed that there have been growing enthusiasm from the youth whenever we hold art-related events in our malls. We want to nourish that youthful passion, and what better way than to give them a space for their craft in our malls where they get a wider audience in our customers,” shares SM Supermalls Senior Vice President for Marketing Jonjon San Agustin.
With a renewed vision to promote professionally curated visual artwork ranging from paintings to mixed media made by students, the art fair was geared up to hold more activities for the students and their respective schools as their art pieces indulge mall-goers.
“As students try to explore their calling and style and find their place in the art world after school or after going through informal training, they look for platforms through which to present their work,” says Dr. Patrick Flores, of the University of the Philippines Vargas Museum, and lead of the Art for Everyone team. “This is an important time in their creative life as they come in contact with an audience and a potentially supportive public.”
With this, “Art for Everyone helps provide this opportunity to support young artists professionally and creatively, allowing them to reach their audience and public and giving them the chance to survive in a very competitive art world.”
Dr. Flores adds, “It also affords them a view of the artscape: where they are in relation to their peers and how they may be able to further develop their art. In other words, the platform becomes a gauge, a compass, a source of confidence and inspiration.”
Art for Everyone is one of the many exciting events at the SM Supermalls. For exclusive news about SM Supermalls, visit www.smsupermalls.com or follow SM’s official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and get an insider access to all the fun happenings at SM Supermalls nationwide through SM’s Viber Public Chat. #EverythingsHereAtSM
