Hundreds turned out last weekend in Bonifacio Global City as the Modern and Contemporary Art Festival returned with a wide-ranging showcase of exhibitions, performances, and public programs.
Held from July 11 to 13 at the Marquis Events Place, the festival brought together more than 50 galleries and over 200 artists from the Philippines and Asia.
Among the centerpiece works was Debugging, a 12-foot sculpture by Toym Leon Imao, first exhibited at the Gwangju Biennale in South Korea. Made from industrial materials shaped with traditional forms, the piece explored themes of collapse and renewal in cultural and structural systems.
Bryan Teves presented The Beauty of Becoming, a series rooted in his background in henna design. His layered compositions reflected on memory and quiet transformation through dramatic imagery.
Glass artist Ramon Orlina exhibited alongside his children, Anna and Michael, in a series that emphasized shared technique and continuity. In a separate show, Daryl Andre Victoria, also known as Qwark, presented To Carry a Crown, a portrait series of ceremonial headwear as symbols of duty, heritage, and personal identity.
The festival reflected a broad range of artistic approaches. Some works drew from folk and religious traditions, while others turned to digital media, pop culture, and everyday subjects. Many addressed questions of memory, identity, and cultural change through both traditional and experimental methods.
MoCAF’s Discoveries program introduced 22 first-time participants, selected from a pool of 32 emerging artists. Among them were PauPau, DanaMatrix, John Nabor, France Daffon, Walang Maria, Genzel, and Chriixx, whose works ranged from narrative-driven pieces to conceptual explorations.
They exhibited alongside Jo Balborama, Dennis Bato, Pinky Ibarra Urmaza, Norma Belleza, Gerrico Blanco, Katrina Cuenca, AR Manalo, Raul Obemio, Jaspher Penuliar, Sais, Juanito Torres, Jesse Camacho, and Demi Padua. A tribute to the late Juvenal Sanso featured selected works highlighting his control of color, form, and surface.
Nine international galleries joined this year’s edition, including Parallel Plus from Hong Kong, Artemis Art of Indonesia, Core Contemporary Art from Malaysia, Gallery Kogure of Japan, and Vin Gallery from Vietnam. Local participants included Arcadia Art Gallery, White Walls, and Space Encounters, alongside returning exhibitors Art For Space, Ysobel Art Gallery, and Village Art Gallery.
Other galleries included Galerie Joaquin, Art Underground, Art Toys PH, Very Good Gallery, Vinyl on Vinyl, Rojo Galerie, J Studio, R Gallery, M Gallery, Art Lounge Manila and Kaida Contemporary among others.
Workshops and talks also drew participants. On July 12, Kathleen Baraan and Anna Ruth Conde led a watercolor workshop on orchid portraiture. Diana Aviado and Luigi Azura demonstrated intaglio printmaking, followed by a talk on Filipino typographic identity from Jo Malinis and Jeth Torres. The day ended with theatrical and drag performances by Tita Baby and Lumina Klum.
The final day opened with Doodles by Dice, a children’s art session led by Jeska Barayuga and Patricia Ramos. A panel on art and artificial intelligence followed, moderated by Portia Placino and Mac Andre Arboleda. Christian Aguilar and Matthew Lopez later gave a lecture on the legacy of National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz. Busking Community PH closed the festival with a live outdoor performance.
Running alongside the exhibitions, MoCAF Artisans featured nearly 40 exhibitors offering handmade items in fashion, homeware, wellness, and design, including textiles, ceramics, jewelry, and native crafts.
The festival also expanded its outreach efforts. Fundacion Sanso awarded scholarships through its ScholarSIP program. The Mbrace Project partnered with creative therapists to offer art therapy sessions for children with disabilities.
Festival director Coleen Wong said MoCAF remained focused on fostering dialogue between artists and audiences. “We want MoCAF to be a place where people discover and reflect through art,” Wong said.
MoCAF 2025 closed with strong participation and reaffirmed its role as a gathering space for creative exchange and evolving perspectives in contemporary art.
