Global dystopia. Political scandals. Imperialist aspirations, invasions, and occupations. Environmental and economic crises. Poverty of the spirit. Livelihood inequities. Unattainable justice. Phobias and corruption abound. The list of social ills goes on and on. And yet, this writer can still find solace, empowerment, and hope through the prevalence of art, artists, and their diverse outputs disseminated in public spaces. When addressing the practice of art and the business of art, there are inevitable cultural, social, political, economic, and educational factors that come into play. They are not monolithic but situational. Against all odds, artists continue to express and reflect upon the times in which they live. How and what they create is their prerogative, driven by passion rather than the dictates of the art market, which continued to profit even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Art and culture are necessary to insure the health and survival of a society’s fluid national and cultural identity. Founded in 2020, ALT ART, a prominent cog in the Philippine-art-machinery-wheel, continues its aspirations to instill pride in art and culture that reflects today’s art practices; innovations; aesthetic, intellectual, and social concerns. In tandem with Art Fair Philippines (AFP), these art fairs primarily supported by corporate art patrons – AyalaLand and SM Prime Holdings, Inc., respectively – share the ability to reach a larger general audience within a specific timeframe. This year, the ALT Collective: Art Informal, Blanc, The Drawing Room, Galleria Duemila, Finale Art File, MO_Space, Underground, Vinyl on Vinyl, and West Gallery is featuring larger fair spaces, Special Exhibitions, and Discoveries Projects. Through their impressive rented public space, albeit in a gigantic shopping mall, they seek to democratize art. Within this context of broadening the accessibility to high art/high culture, the three-day venue serves as a magnet for audience numbers greater than that of collectors with the potential to be an informal site for art and cultural education. Beyond the expected selling and buying of art, ALT ART 2026 provides an exciting opportunity for all those who pass through the SMX Convention Center doors to experience a thriving subculture.
