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SCMP Reporter

Q 'Buy low, sell high,' they say. That's why so many people are collecting art from developing Southeast Asian countries, where you can still find cheap  original works.  But I hear that Filipino art is now the hot ticket. How do I start? What names should I look for?

WHAT THE EXPERT SAYS:

John Batten, whose gallery stocks many Filipino artists at similar prices to galleries in Manila, divides the art into two categories. 'There are the Ermita artists, who are tourist artists. They depict rural, idyllic lifestyles and their works have a naive aspect. There's a small group of collectors who now buy some of it because they see it as fitting into a historical continuum.  But it's a counterpoint to what most of  us collect: the social realists.'

'The training of the Filipino artist is one of the best in Asia, apart from, maybe, China. You get very technically good paintings,' says Batten.    'But Filipino art has  a message. It's got soul.'

THREE GROUPS:

Batten divides the Filipino social realists into three groups: 'The first  began work in the 1970s.  One of the great  artists of that  era, Santiago Bose,  was born in 1949 and  died recently. A lot of Nunelucio Alvarado's work talks about the oppression of the sugarcane workers in Negros.'

Other notable artists of that era include Bencab,  Brenda Fajardo,  Norberto Roldan,  Charlie Co,  Antipas Delotavo,  Jose Tence  Ruiz  and Robert Feleo.

The second,  which began work in the late 1980s and early 1990s, includes Elmer Borlongan,  Jose Legaspi,  Mark Justiniani,  Karen Flores,  Alfredo Esquillo,  John Frank Sabado,  Joel Ferraris,  Justo Cascante and Jeho Bitancor.

These two groups have strong  political messages, and use social realism  predominantly.

'The last group is more international in style and uses performance, installation, video and photography to convey both social and personal statements - often with a tinge of Dada or Surrealism,' Batten says. This group began work in the late 1990s, and is dominated by groups of artists with names such as 'Surrounded by Water' and 'Big Sky Mind'. These include Wire Tuazon, Louie Cordero, Lena Cobangbang and Nona Garcia.

'There are two major themes,'   says Batten. 'The role of Christianity,  and the American influence in Filipino society.'

Alfredo Esquillo's Christ-Mickey Mouse work is a prime example. 'He's got a new series  called Banig, which means 'mat' in Tagalog.'

Batten says many collectors are put off by the religious iconography in Filipino art. 'I find that quite sad,' he says, 'because if you look at all the great art, most of it is Christian.'

NEW COLLECTOR TIPS:

Collectors should look at what  is being shown at big curator shows, Batten says.  Two major Asian exhibitions are  the Asia Pacific Triennial in Brisbane and the Fukuoka Biennial.

'The big Sotheby's and Christie's auctions get their biggest prices from the early modernist Indonesian and Filipino art,' he says.

'But we don't  see any of that in Hong Kong.  There's a better market in Manila. There's a greater range of galleries, and a middle class that buys it. Exhibitions are often sold out.

Fiipino art is extremely affordable, Batten says. 'And the best way to find Filipino art is to go to the source: go to Manila.'

Batten's final warning: 'There's a lot of decorative art, paintings of flowers and things - cut  that out.'

RESOURCES:

Alice Guillermo's essays in Asian Art News, which is published in Hong Kong.

In Manila, there are some 15 galleries worth visiting at  4/F, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong.  In Hong Kong, visit John Batten Gallery, G/F, 64 Peel Street, tel: 2854 1018 or www.johnbattengallery.com. His seventh anniversary exhibit, which opened yesterday,  includes works of several Filipino artists.



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