Vlad Bunoan

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Gallery owners:

Leah C. Salterio

MANILA — ALT Art returns to the SMX Convention Center from February 13 to 15 with its largest edition yet, gathering more than 300 artists across 5,000 square meters of exhibition space in what organizers call the collective’s most ambitious showcase to date.The exhibit takes place at the SMX Mall of Asia Manila Halls 1 and 2 this Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.ALT Art is organized by the ALT Collective, comprised of nine of the country’s premier galleries which came together to present the exhibit: Artinformal, Blanc, The Drawing Room, Galleria Duemila, Finale Art File, Mo_Space, Underground, Vinyl on Vinyl and West Gallery.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17707699756181.JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Gallery owners: (standing L-R) Cesar Villalon Jr. of The Drawing Room, Gaby dela Merced of Vinyl on Vinyl, Mawen Ong of MO_Space, Isabel Santos of West Gallery, Pia Reyes of Vinyl on Vinyl, and Jay Amante of Blanc; (seated L-R) Tina Fernandez of Artinformal and Silvana Ancellotti-Diaz of Galleria Duemila</div>Representing the participating galleries were Tina Fernandez of Artinformal, a co-founding member of ALT Art; Cesar Villalon Jr. of The Drawing Room; Gaby de la Merced and Pia Reyes of Vinyl on Vinyl; Isabel Santos of West Gallery; Mawen Ong of Mo_Space; Silvana Ancellotti-Diaz of Galleria Duemila, which marks its 50th anniversary in 2026; and Jay Amante of Blanc.Also present were curator and art critic Stephanie Frondoso and Baby Imperial of All at Once. Evita Sarenas of Finale Art File and Manny de Castro of Underground were unable to attend.ALT is not an acronym but a reference to “alternative,” reflecting the collective’s approach to presenting contemporary art.“We are very happy to be working together,” Fernandez told ABS-CBN News. “This is a concerted effort. We put all our muscles into this for the past two years. Our last presentation of ALT Art was in 2024. We mustered all our strength and given out a lot of our time and influence over Baby [Imperial] to help us put together ALT Art for 2026.”This year’s edition comes amid a busy National Arts Month marked by various events and gatherings across the metro. Organizers acknowledged the influence of Art Fair Philippines and Manila Art, both of which have helped shape and inspire ALT Art’s growth over the years.“We are grateful that we are all bonding together for art this month,” said Fernandez, who also thanked the artists, gallerists, collectors, museums and the curators, in order for the general public to experience art month.”Villalon said the nine galleries came together in 2020, with the clear understanding that existing formats are no longer reflective of how artists of the work or what they wanted to place in the center of contemporary art practice.“Its intent was broader to allow nine galleries to present their programs with clarity and depth to focus on their artists without compromise and to engage the community that includes artists, patrons, students and the wider public that animates the eco-art system,” Villalon said.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17707700929282.JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Gallery owners: Cesar Villalon Jr. of The Drawing Room, Tina Fernandez of Artinformal, Gaby dela Merced of Vinyl on Vinyl, Mawen Ong of MO_Space, Isabel Santos of West Gallery, Silvana Ancellotti-Diaz of Galleria Duemila, Pia Reyes of Vinyl on Vinyl, and Jay Amante of Blanc </div>Added Frondoso: “We are very happy to collaborate with ALT Art in shaping the space with how the public encounters art, how they are able to view it and how they are able to appreciate art.“We work with the idea of structures and what lies within and beneath, so the artists are given the opportunity to be able to showcase the ideas that they have to share with the public. Art is visible in many ways, in an expansive way.This year, Frondoso said they created a convergence area, where people are &quot;able to exchange energies and share their thoughts, so everyone has an opportunity to sit down and speak to another person, since art is meant for sharing with artists, gallerists, curators within sight.”One of the co-presenters of the exhibit, Nagaraya, will dedicate a space for multi-media artist Miguel Lorenzo Uy.In its latest edition, ALT Art will feature 12 project spaces, 11 of which are presented by the nine participating galleries. The collective brings together artists across generations, showcasing a wide range of media and subject matter, including photography, sculpture, sound art and painting.“There is no one, particular theme in this year’s presentation of ALT Art,” informed Frondoso. “As you know, artists reflect what is happening in society, whether it be political, social or anything else. It can be their own lives that they are talking about.“A lot of artists are socio-political. They can make comments of what’s been going on. We want our artists to express what they want to express. The theme is how art is giving the artist the freedom to express themselves in a venue and a designed space that will allow them that kind of clarity and expression. All very different but generates a critical discourse on transforming the environment, yet it reinforces a very firm, territorial focus.”For 50 years, Galeria Duemila, has been promoting Filipino artists who have been abroad for a long time. “We are also very much involved with social-political commentary,” said Ancellotti-Diaz.“West End Gallery is the only one in QC, so there are a lot of people who look for art there,” added Santos, whose father and grandfather are also artists. “This ALT Art is giving us the opportunity to have more eyes on us and our artists.”“There are no rules in appreciating art, just don’t touch the art work,” insisted Santos. “You go there [to the exhibit] and whatever that feeling that stays with you, that’s what it’s supposed to be.”De la Merced said she wants people to leave ALT Art with an impression or an impact. “Nowadays, everything is so fast-paced. We have a tendency to move on to the next step. If any piece of work can impact someone and they take it with them, they remember it years from now or in some random event, I think our exhibit has done its job.”Mawen Ong of Mo_Space shared, “We, the art collectors and art designers, prioritize the artists and their concept, above all else. We deeply understand how good environment designed at its best, can shape the experience of viewing art. Example are the project spaces which are not necessarily encased within four walls.“Instead, the supporting exhibition design is built around the needs of the art work. So that’s the other way around. We are building around the needs of the art work and the artist and have in mind its need to either be accessible to the viewer or to be in a quiet, dark corner of the hall.“Our wish is to have a show that will create an immersive experience where the audience will really appreciate the scale and depth of the works, feeling that they are part of it rather observing it from the outside. I feel that really creates better art appreciation. The artists are inspired to make a work for ALT Art because of the space and collaborative opportunities. That’s a very good thing because we can let the art work speak for themselves.”ALT Art will honor icons Mauro Malang Santos and Julie Lluch who have both established enduring legacies in the Philippine art community.Also featured are established artists such as Christina Ramilo Quisumbing, MM Yu, Buen Calubayan, Kiri Dalena, Ben Brix, Raffy Napay, Iwan Effendi from Indonesia.Also highlighted is a younger generation of artists gaining momentum and establishing their presence in the art world, including Kolown, Christina Lopez, Lesley Ann Cao and Cynthia Lorenzo Uy.Though early in their careers, their works have drawn critical attention and are noted for their progressive approaches to subject matter and use of technology.Regular admission price is P500 and P250 for students.

ALT Art makes its much-anticipated return from Feb. 13 to 15 at the SMX Convention Center, mounting its biggest edition yet with over 300 artists and 5,000 square meters of exhibition space in a bold expansion of the collective’s vision.

ALT Art makes its much-anticipated return from Feb. 13 to 15 at the SMX Convention Center, mounting its biggest edition yet with over 300 artists and 5,000 square meters of exhibition space in a bold expansion of the collective’s vision.

ALT Art brings 300 artists to SMX for 2026 edition

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ALT Art brings 300 artists to SMX for 2026 edition

Leah C. Salterio

Published February 11, 2026 06:29 PM PHT

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