"New Direction" at Rotunda Gallery

“New Directions,”a group exhibition by Filipino young contemporary artists, is currently on view at the Rotunda Gallery. The exhibit will run until October 29, 2006.

"New Directions” presents some of Philippines’ most innovative and progressive young contemporary artists. Mostly award winning, artists with different backgrounds and a wide variety of media will be showing their latest work for the first time in Thailand. The works on show at The Rotunda Gallery represent fresh and new directions on both figurative and abstract art in the Philippines today.

Award winning artists like Ronald Ventura, Jason Oliveria, Maya Munoz, Winner Jumalon, Kawayan de Guia and Don Salubayba are included in the list of exhibiting artists. Alfredo Aquilizan, participant in the 2004 Venice Bienalle, and the Havanna Bienalle, and Jose Legaspi, participant in the 2006 Sydney Bienalle, and the Asia Pacific Trienalle will also be part of the exhibition.

The last ten years have been an exciting period for Philippine Contemporary Art. Fresh approaches and new medias have been explored by artists. Participation in international bienalles and art events have given young Filipino artists immense opportunities to show their art and get recognized, as well as getting exposed to other art forms in the process. International exchange programs and scholarships have also been availed of and given to deserving artists. Successful collaborative exhibitions with galleries in the region have also been taking place, deepening further the exposure and appreciation for Philippine Contemporary Art by the public and international art collectors.

"New Directions” is a joint effort of the Rotunda Gallery and The Drawing Room, an innovative art gallery in Metro Manila. The Drawing Room is known for its support to artists that do innovative and serious work in different media. The gallery represents some of the most outstanding emerging and mid-career artists in the Philippines. The gallery has participated in regional art fairs in, for example, Singapore and Taipei and has done collaborative exhibitions in Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Recently, it has embarked on a program to show also regional artists in Manila.

If you would like further information about the Philippine Contemporary Art or about one or more of artists in particular, please contact Susanne van Laarhoven, Curator of the Rotunda Gallery, by e-mail at susannevl@yahoo.com or mobile phone at 07 800 8965.

The Rotunda opening hours are: Tuesday-Sunday 9.30am - 5.00 pm. Visit: http://www.neilsonhayslibrary.com/rotunda.htm