While Art Fair Philippines 2025 is only a week away, excited art lovers and enthusiasts can already dive into the vibrant world of Filipino art through 10 Days of Art, the fair’s lead-up event that highlights a series of free art installations and events around Manila (emphasis on free!).
From February 14 to 23, 10 Days of Art transforms the city’s public spaces and galleries into platforms for thought-provoking exhibitions and performances, offering a fresh perspective on Filipino creativity.
There are so many standout exhibitions in this year’s 10 Days of Art. From anonymous urban artist SpY’s outdoor installation Barrier Tape 2 to organization TLYR Collective’s digital art experience Walk with Me, the event brings a diverse range of creative expressions to the streets of Manila. As we kick off this year’s 10 Days of Art, here’s a look at some of the most exciting installations you won’t want to miss.
Jefrë’s ‘Talking Heads’
Ayala Malls Circuit, Makati
February 14 – 23
As the name playfully suggests, the public art installation Taking Heads features giant plastic heads suspended mid-air in a gallery, with brightly colored neon lights shining from within them, spelling out, “I am loved, I am beautiful, I am free” in different languages. Each head celebrates the individual and the role they play in shaping the broader collective. Filipino-American visual artist Jefrë invites viewers to reflect on their own identities, reminding them of their inherent value and the importance of embracing both their uniqueness and shared experiences.
SpY Studio’s ‘Barrier Tape 2’
Ayala Triangle Garden Area, Makati
February 14 – 23
At the media launch of Art Fair Philippines 2025, co-founder Trickie Lopa hinted that anonymous urban artist SpY had been placing large orders for an undisclosed material from Shopee and Lazada for his upcoming installation. Now that Barrier Tape 2 is open to the public, it’s clear the artist was sourcing red-and-white barrier tape to hang from an old acacia tree in Ayala Triangle Gardens.
“I take an element from daily life or from today’s imagery, something everybody has seen, knows and takes for granted, then I multiply and arrange it in an unprecedented pattern,” says SpY in his artist statement. “This alone creates a novel situation for the viewer and sparks an intriguing first impression.”
Beyond being a beautiful visual statement, Barrier Tape 2 also invites us to reflect on the transformations a city undergoes and how these changes affect the lives of its residents. “[Cities] are in constant evolution,” says SpY.
furball Ex-Machina
Modeka Art, 20A La Fuerza Plaza I, 2241 Chino Roces Ave., Makati
February 14 – March 5
From the late 1990s to the early aughts, alternative art spaces in the Philippines resembled exciting, unstructured “tambay” spots where artists could hang out, share their art, and swap radical ideas with other artists around them. For the Cubao-based artist collective furball, a group of eclectic filmmakers, visual artists, designers, and musicians, these spaces became incubators for their mix of ideas, artistic practices, and ethos. As part of 10 Days of Art, furball Ex Machina presents new work from the collective, “all in cathode-ray television sets, raging against the planned obsolescence of our technologies, the ravages of middle age, and the comforts of a comfortable life making paintings instead.”
TLYR Collective’s ‘Walk with Me’
Paseo De Roxas-Villar Underpass, Makati
February 14-23
Four years ago, a group of Filipino digital artists came together online, forming what was initially known as Cryptoartph — a post-pandemic movement that connected artists from all corners of the Philippines. Now, under the name TLYR Collective, this community has evolved, expanding its vision and redefining its creative boundaries.
Walk with Me serves as both a reflection on the collective’s journey, and a milestone in its growth, showcasing how they have shaped a space for Filipino artists in the digital realm, embraced technology-driven art, and redefined the nature of artistic expression in the internet era. A prominent feature of their work is augmented reality (AR), which transforms passive viewing into immersive, interactive experiences; this allows audiences to engage with the artwork in a personal and lasting way. Walk with Me highlights key moments from their journey, blending technology, art, and human connection, while looking ahead to new possibilities, deeper stories, and more meaningful ways to engage with the world through art.
Unfolding (언폴딩)
University of the Philippines (UP) Vargas Museum, UP Diliman, Quezon City
February 14 – February 22
Unfolding (언폴딩) examines the lived experiences of South Korean artists Inhwan Oh and Kyungmook Kim, who navigate marginalized identities in a society largely shaped by masculine ideals. Through their film and video works, the two artists unpack their experiences living in South Korea as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Presented by the UP Vargas Museum in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, the Korea Arts Management Service, and the Fund for Korean Art Abroad, Unfolding (언폴딩) explores the contrast between spaces of confinement, such as prisons, and those of freedom and celebration.
FotomotoPH’s ‘FOTOMOTO: Beneath the Streets’
Ayala-Legazpi Underpass, Makati
February 14 – 23
Philippines-based photography collective FotomotoPH presents FOTOMOTO: Beneath the Streets, a captivating photography exhibition that highlights contemporary Philippine photography. Featuring selections from two open calls centered around the themes of portraits and home, FOTOMOTO: Beneath the Streets has taken over the walls and ceiling of the Legazpi Underpass, turning the space into a dynamic visual narrative. The exhibition features a stunning array of works by renowned photographers like E.S.L. Chen, Wawi Navarroza, Steve Tirona, and MM Yu, alongside an immersive video installation that brings the power of Philippine photography to life.
