Immersing in Philippine Culture through Artistic Expressions

Our experiences of a country's traditions, customs, and lifestyles can be enjoyed thru various forms. And while there are countless ways to approach them, nothing compares to the actual encounters or live immersions of their national treasures. Without a doubt, art is absolutely one of them!

I happened to be in Davao City, the largest metropolis in the Philippines, sometime ago during their Kadayawan Festival. This renowned festivity is a major celebration basically honoring Mother Nature by showcasing tremendous gratitude for the abundant harvests and other blessings received from her through various cultural programs held within the city. It's an annual event and occurs during the month of August.

Hence, while checking out the several activities offered by the Davaoeños, I accidentally stumbled upon an amazing art exhibition within one of their popular boutique shopping malls called the Poblacion Market Central.

What makes this special shopping center stand out from the other commercial establishments was their dedication to art, obviously embedded in the mall’s design. Despite the simplicity of its architecture, they have managed to include striking works of art and other creative decorations into the building’s framework. You definitely won't miss them if you happen to be here.

Most importantly, I was particularly drawn to a small gallery within one of the interior chambers of this remarkable landmark. The art exhibit was entitled “Kada Agosto” (which means "Every August" in English). I was immediately stunned when I saw several paintings displayed within the exhibition hall due to their distinctive artistic expressions.

Join me as we’ll be artwork-hopping today. If you're an art-lover like me, this small environment will surely entice your creative curiosities, and invite you to investigate further.

Upon entering the art gallery, you’ll be warmly welcomed by their prominent signage with some colorful paintings on display.

And as you continue inside, you'll be initially greeted by the nationally acclaimed creations of Kublai Millan, a highly recognized and influential artist, painter, sculptor, and cultural advocate from the distinguished Philippine island of Mindanao.

You wouldn't want to miss his outstanding works because of the immensely valuable contributions he has bestowed to the Philippines in the field of art. I've already witnessed some of his incredible artworks and sculptures in other well-known places such as the Davao International Airport, People's Park, his family-owned hotel, and many others.

Therefore, when I knew that some of his outstanding creations were on display inside this shopping center’s art gallery, I was thrilled more than ever.

Kublai Millan is highly respected for his unique art style and for this specific exhibition, he showed us some abstract interpretations of his creative productions. Can you decipher some of his paintings and tell us what they mean to you?

Moreover, there are also other stunning pieces of art as you walk deeper into the gallery.

My visit’s timing was great because no other visitor was present. Thus, I had the entire exhibition space to myself.

All the incredible artworks on display were brightly illuminated and organized with enough viewing room for the onlooker’s appreciation and interpretation.

And as I strolled deeper into the exhibition chamber, more colorful artworks caught my discerning eyes. There were even 3D paintings that had embossed textures in their manner of presentation apart from the flat paintings displayed.