Pintô Art Museum ends 2021 with a 100-plus artist showcase

Opening on Dec. 5 at the Pinto Art Museum is “20|21,” a yearender exhibition that features the works of over 100 artists working in a variety of media, themes and styles.

Filling the halls of Ilustrado I and II of Gallery 7, the paintings, sculptures and mixed-media works capture the current art scene in a nutshell, offering viewers the latest engagements of contemporary Filipino artists, from the up-and-coming to the mid-career, to the fairly established.

Curated by Ferdie Montemayor, “20|21” is an offshoot of the “20|20” show last year, which was meant to be a venue for artists to continue to have a platform for their works in light of the pandemic which saw the cancellation of exhibitions and directly affected livelihoods.

Coming on the heels of downgraded restrictions and the opening of more art venues, this year’s iteration strikes a tone of hope as the artists move forward and embrace the possibilities of the emerging new normal.

While a yearender show invariably showcases a plurality of visions and voices, the artists were encouraged to paint or work within the two-by-two-foot format, in order to crystallize their ideas within a compact space.

The resulting exhibition presents the pleasing regularity of similarly sized works juxtaposed side by side, which are individually packed with the exuberant energy, creativity and imagination of their respective artists.