Written by Joseph Cesar
Photos by Jeff Pascual
For many millennials, Friday nights mean meeting friends to go out to party. That’s certainly what happened when I visited The Pop Up at Katipunan, a new open-air mall built entirely out of container vans. My friends and I went to The Block Party, where we got to see bands like She’s Only Sixteen, Jess Connelly, Lustbass, and more.
It was a perfect party with snacks, drinks, activities, and music, but there was one part that really made the night exciting: the Decidium-created Passionite booth, which let us collaborate with art and technology by making decisions throughtout the night. It explores our passion for vision, taste, and sound!
Decidium—making parties into an artform
When I asked around, the people at the Passionite booth told me it all began in Decidium, an on-going collaborative project by a group of emerging artists who are taking experiences and parties into a form of art. What these artists do, apparently, is take ordinary things—things we take for granted in our everyday lives—and make new wonderful things with them as a statement of their passion. The resulting works from their explorations are featured and showcased in events like Passionites!
What is a party without music?
The interactive musical installation co-created by WSK, a sound art collective, is called the Sound Walk. The seemingly blank and bare booth had a secret within. Made possible by science and inspiration, you have to hold onto the two railings and make music with your movement, and even transform yourself into a musical instrument! This was the perfect backdrop to the bands performing on stage the whole night.
With the music now going, we need some snacks!
This is where pastry Chef Miko Aspiras comes in with his artistic popcorn flavors. Aspiras, the man behind Le Petit Souffle, Scout’s Honor, and Poison Doughnuts, created unique, captivating, and most of all, delicious popcorn, which had flavors like Vanilla Sugar, Chocolate, Garam Masala, and Tamarind Chili. Salty, spicy, and sweet – there’s a flavor for everyone! You can’t get these flavors anywhere else.
Finally, the drinks!
This is where it gets fun. I was asked to pick a card that corresponds to the emotion I’m feeling, which then determines which drink will suit me best! I was feeling a bit down so I picked the “sad” card to which the host said, “well, you won’t be after this drink!” as she handed me the drink. Don’t be fooled! Just a few of these sweet shots by liquido maestro and mixologist Kalel Demetrio will get you tipsy.
Freebies!!
Completing all the booths earned us points so we got some great freebies. Things might’ve been hazy because we were having so much fun, but these freebies will definitely help us remember! With a trio of delicious popcorn, a sleek cap, and a rechargeable plasma lighter, our night was definitely one to remember!
Overall, Passionites moves beyond what people are used to, where they may discover their own passion by participating in unconventional activities powered by their own decisions. In summary, the night was “complete”- complete with snacks, drinks, and activities, all taken to the next level!
As the night ended, we didn’t wait till we get home to check out Decidium.ph (the website for the on-going collaborative space of the artists behind Passionites) to check out when and where the next Passionites is happening. Check out their upcoming parties by clicking here!
