MANILA, Philippines – It’s the first month of the new year, and there’s already a growing number of different art-related events around Metro Manila that you can choose from.

The best part is that each event caters to a different kind of art enthusiast — from those who want to get into pottery to those with a penchant for stickers, zines, and prints. 

Here’s a list of the events you can attend throughout January to nurture your inner art lover!

CCP’s Tanod-Lupa

Tanod-Lupa is a public art installation that features illuminated depictions of mythical beings from Philippine folklore, such as the kapre, nuno sa punso, tikbalang, diwata, manananggal, and duwende. All art in this installation are created by multimedia artist Abdulmari “Toym” de Leon Imao Jr. 

Tanod-Lupa will be on display from January 2 to 31, from 6:30 pm to 9 pm, at the Liwasang Kalikasan, Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Pasay City. Admission is free. 

Silverlens’ solo exhibitions

Silverlens will be putting two artists’ solo exhibitions on view at their Manila art gallery from January 9 to February 5. 

First up is Keka Enriquez’s “Points and Endings.” The exhibit will feature a wide selection of works that Enriquez made in Manila in the 1980s, along with ones she made in San Francisco, her hometown for the past 20 years. 

In “Points and Endings,” Enriquez’s art, marked by bold colors and strokes, will see the artist’s exploration of a house “as both a familiar place and an aspirational ideal,” according to Silverlens. 

Also on view will be Yvonne Quisumbing’s “Sanctuary,” which is a part of her “apothecary series.” The solo exhibition — Quisumbing’s third with Silverlens — will feature her artistic takes on the healing plants found in Barangay Lugo in Cebu, where her farmland is located. The paintings are oil on aluminum substrate. 

“Each work in the series is painted not on a flat surface but a sculptural form, resembling a creased piece of paper,” Nicole Soriano described the pieces in the solo exhibition. 

Silverlens is located in Makati City.

Kittybug & Friends Pop Up + Market

Kittybug Press from New York City is mounting its first-ever event in the Philippines: the Kittybug & Friends Pop Up + Market on January 11 at Imperial Mow’s in Kowloon House, Quezon City. Founded by Rice Gallardo and Anna Marcelo, Kittybug Press is an independent micropress and artist collective whose goal is to champion Filipino female and/or LGBTQ+ artists in the Philippines or in the diaspora.

The event will have several major parts: the artists market, the zine library, the live comic reading, and the afterparty rave. The artists market — the main draw of the event — will feature exhibitors from both New York City and Manila. 

Wet Market’s ‘The Virgin Market‘

On January 11, Wet Market: Art Market is heading to HUB: Make Lab at the First United Building in Escolta, Binondo, Manila City for “The Virgin Market.” As its name suggests, “The Virgin Market” will feature local artists who will experience tabling at an art market for the first time. 

The event will run from 11 am to 7 pm. Admission is free. 

Tahanan Pottery’s workshops

Tahanan Pottery in Quezon City is hosting multiple workshops throughout the month. 

On January 18, there will be a marbled-cup-making workshop, where participants will learn how to use marbled clay and add color to the cups they will be personalizing. The fee is P2,300 per student.

Meanwhile, the basic sculptural clay class is a six-session class that will teach attendees how to make ceramic sculptures using clay through hand-building techniques. The first session will be held on January 18, from 2 to 5 pm, and will run until March 1. The fee is P9,000 per student.

You can also learn how to make and glaze origami cups at the two-session origami cup workshop. Here, you’ll be taught clay-folding and double-glazing techniques to create uniquely shaped and colored cups. The first session will be held on January 25, while the second session will be announced at a later date. The fee is P2,900 per student.

Which event will you be attending? – Rappler.com

This story will be updated as more events are announced.