Art talks are also held in 98B under their Design and Community program. “TALKS,” a series of presentations, serves as an experimental platform for exchanging and exploring perspectives among artists and the local community.
In “rePORTS,” a newly launched subseries under TALKS, local artists present their experiences in other countries to encourage other creative individuals to share their inspiring stories before, during, and after their trips abroad.
98B also provides a public haven of books, brochures, exhibition catalogues, journals, magazines, posters, recordings, and videos. Aside from the Open Library program, 98B also has a Digital Library that is intended to share an extensive reference to other networks around the world.
“98B aspires to make art more accessible by involving and incorporating different stakeholders towards organically fostering a dynamic creative community,” they said.
One of their biggest projects to date is the first Behance Portfolio Review in the Philippines, which was held last November 2012. The event called for art submissions that incorporated the word “Manila.”
“The participants were given the chance to have their portfolios reviewed by professionals in the field. It was a good opportunity for mentorship and guidance,” they added.
“YokohaManila,” a curated guidebook of Manila, is 98B’s most successful international art collaborations to date. A part of their Residency program, the project is targeted to create a multi-layered cultural exchange where an artist could explore his practice in a different setting.
YokohaManila, in cooperation with the Koganecho Bazaar, uniquely chronicles the month-long stay of Japanese architect Yumiko Ishihara and Japanese artist Jun Homma, together with local artists Con Cabrera and Don Dalmacio, who are also part of the 98B team.
The cultural similarities and differences between the Filipino and Japanese cultures were visually illustrated using flyovers around the metro and, at the same, “metaphorically bridged the two cultures,” they added.
Earlier this year, “FOR THE RECORD,” a dialogue on historiography versus performance, was also organized by 98B. The forum included Jef Carnay, Lena Cobangbang, Boyet Demesa, and Judy Sibayan as panellists, and Eileen Legaspi Ramirez as the moderator.
The 98B team is composed of Mark Salvatus, founder and co-director; Con Cabrera, head of research and development; Pau Reyes, future market; Vermont Coronel III and Don Dalmacio, design and community; Mik Laborde, communications and finances; Gabriel Villegas, kitchen, IT, and web; Marika Constantino, special projects; and Anjo Bolarda, design studio.
Through 98B’s initiative on re-instilling the value of having places where artists can merge their abilities, Manila’s flourishing art and culture scene is now more conducive to birthing new ideas and continuous learning. Hopefully, more local groups will be inspired to relive old places and turn them again into what they used to be.
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98B: Reviving Manila through collaborative art
