On the third weekend of August, from August 19 to 21, The Peninsula Manila welcomes back MaArte, the elegant fundraising bazaar that benefits the Museum Foundation of the Philippines.  The foundation’s mission is to raise funds and awareness for the National Museum of the Philippines and its network.

MaArte had its beginnings in February 2009 as a complementary event to HABI, The Second ASEAN Traditional Textiles Symposium, a four-day international conference held in Manila.  As the conference’s Market Encounter, it allowed delegates the opportunity to appreciate and acquire Philippine textiles and jewelry.

Since then, MaArte has grown in scope and has undergone several iterations in various venues.  In 2017, it found a new home in The Peninsula Manila and has since been rebranded as MaArte at The Pen.

To date, MaArte at The Pen is a much-awaited event that celebrates Filipino craftsmanship. After two years of the COVID pandemic, the 2022 edition will bring back previous participants who offer a varied array of thoughtfully-made merchandise while introducing elements that signal the event’s emergence into a new normal. 

The overarching theme of MaArte at The Pen 2022 is to celebrate the Filipino creative soul.

MaArte at The Pen 2022 will recognize not just traditional Filipino craft and design but also bring to the fore contemporary Philippine design in the fields of fashion, furniture, and accessories. 

Philippine Art Events Inc., the group that owns and operates Art Fair Philippines and Art in the Park will run MaArte at The Pen 2022.  The event is supported by Major Sponsors Ayala Land Premier and BPI.  

“We are glad to support an event that promotes Filipino craftsmanship and design, and at the same time provides our clients with special experiences and empowering financial solutions,” said Jenelyn Z. Lacerna, BPI SVP and Unsecured Lending and Cards, Product and Sales Head.

A Special Exhibit:  SLIM at The Lobby

Salvacion Lim Higgins, known by the acronym Slim, was a fashion designer whose career began in post-World War II Manila, from 1947 until her passing in 1990. The first decade of her career is considered a golden era in Philippine fashion. She was known for creating some of the most avant-garde silhouettes of her time, both for evening gowns and ternos. Considered a master in her techniques of draping and embellishment, her beautiful creations have been the subject of a retrospective at the National Museum of the Philippines in 2009. In June of this year, the Philippine government recognized her with the distinction of National Artist for Fashion Design.

MaArte at The Pen puts together a vignette of ensembles by Slim featuring native influences such as jusi, cutwork embroidery, and raffia trimming. The dresses date from 1952 to the early 1980s and have been loaned from the archives of Slim’s Fashion & Arts School.  Nine of her fabulous creations will be on view at The Lobby from August 15 to 27, 2022.  

Painter Mark Lewis Higgins, the late designer’s son who serves as the current Director of Slim’s Fashion & Arts School, will curate this special exhibit. 

PHxMaArte, a section on contemporary fashion

For 2022, MaArte at The Pen will bring contemporary Philippine fashion to the forefront.  

To spotlight the breadth of Filipino fashion design, this year’s bazaar works together with the PHx Fashion Group to introduce PHxMaArte, a section that will acquaint MaArte visitors with the next generation of Filipino designers.  They trumpet unconventional lines and global mindsets.  Among those debuting new collections in this section are BAGASÁO, NeilFelipp, and Kelvin Morales, labels coming off stints at Tokyo Fashion Week.   Jude Macasinag flies in Manifesto, recently presented for his bachelor graduation collection at the Institut Francais de la Mode in Paris.

The PHx Fashion Group also worked in consultation with fashion schools SoFA Design Institute and iAcademy, as well as the fashion design department of the De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde to feature three graduates as part of the PHxMaArte selection.  

Apparel and Fashion Accessories

MaArte takes pride in the role it has played in propelling into the mainstream apparel brands that have advocated the use of traditional Filipino textiles.  Incorporating indigenous embroidery patterns and techniques into their merchandise are the hallmarks of MaArte at The Pen pioneers, brands like Filip+Inna and Good Luck Humans.   This year’s MaArte brings back these beloved labels, along with, among others, Rurungan Collective,  WYC Wear Your Culture, Two Chic, and Creative Definitions + Lakat Sustainables. 

The Heirloom and the Current in Home Accessories, Furniture, and Jewelry Design

The choices for MaArte visitors will suit a range of inclinations.  To highlight our rich traditions, respected purveyors of Philippine antiques, tribal art, and maps Unang Panahon, Gallery Deus, Leon Gallery, and Gallery of Prints will debut choice pieces in their first-ever MaArte appearances.  

Likewise, MaArte at The Pen’s selection of jewelry from, among others, Riqueza, Micki Olaguer, Tim Tam Ong, and Natalya Lagdameo, will run from pre-colonial gold trinkets to vintage estate jewelry to accessories in wood, bone, and brass for casual everyday wear. 

Also marking his first time at MaArte is Ito Kish.  The home accessories and furniture carried by his eponymous shop reflect an enduring passion for design.  Joining him are MaArte stalwarts Beyond Borders, DOMESTICITY – TILIA,  and the non-profit Gifts and Graces. 

To add more depth to the home section, MaArte organizers consulted architect, furniture designer, and former Bluprint magazine editor Tina Bonoan.  Her lineup includes Azcor Lighting Systems,Touch of Craft, and HOLICOW, all found at the 6th floor.  

Traditional Textiles

Harking back to its very first bazaar, fabric collections that highlight native Filipino traditions always have a place at the event.  This year, some of the brands featuring them are Balay ni Atong and WVN Living, plus Ifugao-based community weaver Marlon Martin. 

MaArte Talks at Salon de Ning

Presented by Ayala Land Premier, the lecture series MaArte Talks runs at 2:00 pm daily from August 19 to 21 at the hotel’s Salon de Ning.  The schedule is as follows:

August 19:       A TEAPOT’S JOURNEY: A BRIEF HISTORY

Sheryl Ebon-Martinez shares her fascination with tea and how this beverage carved a path for her as a potter at 40 years old. 

Take in a brief history and the origin of tea, and subsequently, tea ware.  Marvel at how this has birthed numerous tea cultures and traditions, thousands of functional designs, and even works of art from all over the world, 5,000 years after tea was first discovered.

August 20:       PHILIPPINE DESIGN AND CRAFT TODAY BY NAZARENO/ LICHAUCO

                        Nazareno/Lichauco’s Rita Nazareno (Zacarias 1925) and Gabby Lichauco (Open 

                        Studio) will share their insights, experiences, and practices regarding today’s

                        Philippine contemporary craft and design landscape

August 21:       PARIS & MANILA: A TALE OF TWO CITIES :  

            The Golden Age of Haute Couture on the Opposite Sides of the World.

Mark Lewis Higgins will discuss the twilight of World War II, and the decade of 1947 to 1957, as a backdrop to two parallel stories and careers that were happening in two capital cities – Paris and Manila. The designers were Christian Dior and Salvacion Lim Higgins. This period is what fashion historians now refer to as the Golden Age of Haute Couture. 

MaArte Fair 2022 participants 

With an expected participant list of 94, MaArte at The Pen 2022 promises to more than make up for its two-year absence, bringing back to the hotel a stylish buzz for the exquisitely Philippine-made. 

The complete list of participants is as follows:

PHxMaArte:  Alexie, BAGASÁO, Basic Movement x Polo Redux, Café City Club, ec / Eustacia, Feanne, HA.MÜ, J Makitalo, Jill Lao, Jude Macasinag, Kelvin Morales, Land of Nod, Lilianna Manahan, Mich Dulce, Neil Felipp, nicolò, RANDOLF, Tropik Beatnik, and Viña Romero. 

PHx MaArte also collaborated with fashion schools to present the works by CLIO DL by Clio de Leon  (De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde), Kill Joy Studios by Eugene Malabad  (iAcademy), and Le Ngok by Jiale Zhang  (SoFa Design Institute).

Apparel: ALLENA, Antukin Sleepwear, COCO & TRES, CREATIVE DEFINITIONS + LAKAT, Ethnique, Filip + Inna, Good Luck, Humans, Maison Métisse, Mich Araullo, PNay, Rurungan Collective, Two Chic, WYC Wear Your Culture

Fashion accessories: Aranaz, Beatriz, Capricho, Cariñosa, LALLY DIZON DESIGN CONCEPTS, Matthew and Melka Accessories by Ken Samudio, TdLG, MCV Designs, Vesti, Yvette’s Bags and Beads Collection, Raja Watch Co., Ramir, Siklo Pilipinas

Traditional Textiles: Balay ni Atong, Ifugao Nation, La Herminia, WVN Living

Furniture: ITO KISH, OSMUNDO FURNITURE GALLERY, Zarate Manila, Azcor Lighting Systems

Heirloom:  Gallery Deus, Gallery of Prints, Treasures of Time Fine Antiques, León Gallery, and Unang Panahon Arts and Antiques.

Home Accessories: Beyond Borders Philippines, Cabaña Workshop, Daily Schedule PH, DOMESTICITY – TILIA, Gifts and Graces Fair Trade Foundation, Iraya Mangyan Art, Kassa, Milvidas, Touch of Craft, HOLICOW  PH, Bicol Sweetgrass Handicrafts, OLIVER & MAUDE Home, Oscar Mejia III, PINTA + PIKA PIKA, Provenciana, Silahis Center, Whimsy by Silay Export, Inc., Vallehermoso Helping Hands Foundation Inc.

Jewelry:  CARO WILSON, Maria Angelica Rare Finds, Micki Olaguer, NLagdameo, Riqueza Jewellery by Erica Concepcion-Reyes, Tim Tam Ong, and Whisenhunt Fine Jewelry. 

Pottery: Joey De Castro Pottery, ORYOQI Ceramics, and Siegrid Bangyay Pottery.

Food and Beverage: Auro Chocolate, The Pantry \ Domicillo Selections, and Tsaa Laya.

For more information and updates, follow the MaArte Fair on Instagram @maartefair and Facebook at www.facebook.com/maartefair. 

BPI will be the exclusive payments partner for MaArte at the Pen 2022, providing special offers and flexible payment options. BPI Credit Cardholders will be able to enjoy up to 6 months Real 0% Special Installment Plan and Buy Now Pay 3 months later on installment purchases.