PHL traditional & contemporary arts & culture to be featured in New South Wales

The Art Gallery of New South Wales launches the Bayanihan Philippines Art Project with Alwin Reamillo’s ‘Hopping house spirit’, dance, music and more. (Photo: The Art Gallery of New South Wales/Facebook)

MANILA—Philippine traditional and contemporary arts and culture and its links to Australia will be featured in New South Wales, Sydney, from June 24 to November 12, 2017 in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Australia.

Dubbed as “Bayanihan Art Project,” the project will bring masterpieces from the National Museum of the Philippines to Australia for the first time.

The highlight of the project will be an exhibition entitled, “Passion and Procession: art from the Philippines.”

A coordinated series of exhibitions, performances, creative writing, and community programs across multiple venues will be held in 2017.

The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney is collaborating with the National Museum of the Philippines, the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) and five partner-institutions, namely, the Mosman Art Gallery, the Blacktown Arts Centre, the Campbelltown Arts Centre, the Peacock Gallery Auburn, and the Museums & Galleries of New South Wales, on the project.

Also present at the launch were Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, Dr. Ana Labrador, Assistant Director of the National Museum of the Philippines, Mr. Matt Cox, Curator of Asian Art of the AGNSW, Mr. Jenny Bisset, Director of the Blacktown Arts Centre, Mr. Michael Dagostino, Director of the Campbelltown Arts Centre, and Ms. Jenny Cheeseman, Arts Coordinator of the Cumberland Council.

Dr. Labrador, who flew in from Manila to grace the launch and to meet with AGNSW officials on the preparations for the 2017 Philippine art exhibition at the Art Gallery, noted that the launch was taking place on the day that the National Museum of the Philippines was celebrating its 115th Anniversary.

She looked forward to the opening of the exhibition at the Art Gallery next year, which would feature the rich and diverse art history of the Philippines.

In her speech, Consul General Louis thanked the host of the event, Mr. Richardson of the AGNSW, and the Learning and Participation Department of the Art Gallery for putting together the program for the launch of the Bayanihan Philippines Art Project.

She also thanked the officials from the partner-institutions involved in the project, as well as the members of the Filipino community who performed and contributed to the success of the launch. She encouraged the Filipino community to support the series of exhibitions and other activities that would be held under the project next year.