Brian O’Doherty wrote in “Inside the White Cube: Notes on the Gallery Space,” “A gallery is constructed along laws as rigorous as those for building a medieval church.”
The much-awaited annual Art Fair Philippines 2026 did not suffer from a lack of art. On the contrary, the works on view were strong and ambitious, often breathtaking, spanning across galleries, mediums, and regions. But what the fair wrestled with was the space itself—a converted office building with low ceilings, glass cubicles, and narrow corridors.
Since 2013, Art Fair PH has evolved from a thrilling, somewhat makeshift setup of booths and art presentations at The Link Carpark. It was these experimental early iterations where I first fell in love with contemporary art, visiting after classes in high school, returning later as a college intern, and eventually, facilitating sales as a gallery assistant.
Since 2013, Art Fair PH has evolved from a thrilling, somewhat makeshift setup… It was these experimental early iterations where I first fell in love with contemporary art.
More recently, in 2025, the fair moved to another location sprawling across the Ayala Triangle garden, which was praised for the high ceilings and spacious booths under towering white tents.
This year, the fair felt different. “Like a Hong Kong fair,” a gallerist told me, with “a little chaos.” They made the contrast to the “polish of Art SG,” which they instead likened to last year’s fair at Ayala Triangle Gardens.
It’s understandable that there is a push for Circuit Makati as a future hub for arts and culture, especially with developments underway for a 2,000-plus-square-meter Contemporary Art Museum in the area, set for completion by 2027.
But if, as Brian O’Doherty argues, the construction of gallery space has laws as stringent “as those for building a medieval church,” then Art Fair PH 2026 demonstrated how deeply space can shape the way art is experienced—the good, the bad, and the ugly, all considered.
Perhaps as a fellow editor suggested, “this year’s Art Fair was more reminiscent of the temple in the Bible, cramped with vendors that so enraged our Christ.”
The strengths
If there was one place where the fair genuinely asked viewers to slow down, it was through the selection of art. This especially shone in the Projects section, curated by the fair organizers themselves, and arguably the most cohesive part of Art Fair PH 2026.
Spanish artist Ampparito’s durational work was conceptually strong and engaging. He committed to handwriting every day in a calendar from this year until 2099, giving a visual representation of a fairgoer’s human lifespan. But then again, the space could’ve been stronger if it had more streamlined walls that weren’t interrupted by glass barriers or a nearby staircase.
Other strong projects included Max Balatbat’s chapel installation. Both fearsome yet intimate, the presentation curated by Norman Crisologo was extremely unsettling, yet very compelling. Meanwhile, Ged Merino’s kulambo-based work pulled you in with the way it accumulated time through its stitches, both hung from the ceiling and installed on the floor.
That said, expectations were higher for significant female artists at the Projects, particularly Imelda Cajipe Endaya and Brenda Fajardo, whose exhibited work felt less than expected for their stature. Perhaps it was because of the wide windows of the building. Although the open windows were decorated with sketches, the uncontrolled daylight seemed to pull attention away from the works, allowing the outside world to intrude, as cars passed by and people picnicked in the grass below.
This additional visual noise competed directly with the art. Gazing out the windows, it was also difficult not to think about how the underprivileged housing on the near horizon juxtaposed the expensive art and society people circling inside—an unintentional contrast between the outside world and the curated space inside.
As O’Doherty wrote on ideal conditions, “The outside world must not come in, so windows are usually sealed off. Walls are painted white. The ceiling becomes the source of light… The art is free… to take on its own life.”
“The outside world must not come in, so windows are usually sealed off. Walls are painted white… The art is free… to take on its own life.”
Beyond Projects, there were several individual galleries that had standout works. Columns Gallery and Ames Yavuz brought strong international presentations. Newcomer 125 Projects delivered one of the fair’s most exciting booths, too. Meanwhile, Archivo 1984 impressed with ambitious large-scale works, and León Gallery International held its ground. Photography spaces like Tarzeer Pictures and Fotomoto PH also offered refreshing counterpoints, and crowds gathered around Carlo Tanseco at J Studio.
Performance art was one of the fair’s most engaging aspects, with Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen’s presence. Artist-run initiative Triangulum brought in durational intensity in the work “The Standard” by Pitchapa Wangprasertkul, performed inside a glass enclosure. While initiatives complementary to the fair (like 10 Days of Art) extended the fair beyond the Circuit Makati buildings, making the city itself a more accessible site for art.
Even small touches mattered, and one of the great things this year was the bathrooms, which were clean and air-conditioned, a far cry from the porta-potties in the previous years at the car park.