The Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI), through its visual arts program Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE), partnered with technology giant Samsung to elevate how audiences experience art in its exhibit showcasing masterpieces of past and present MADE awardees.

For the first time in the 39-year history of MADE, MBFI welcomed Samsung as its co-presenter to transform the two-week MADE exhibit into a space where the public can enter the world of young artists.

MADE held its “Kaugnayan: Enduring Connection in Contemporary Philippine Art” art exhibit at the 2nd floor galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila or The M, located in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig from September 22 to October 6, 2023.

Samsung’s Lifestyle TVs featuring MADE’s history, works from current and former MADE awardees, the permanent collection and exhibit notes from the curator were put in strategic locations in the exhibit area.

Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto M. Sobrepeña said their partnership with Samsung not only heightened the art experience for the public, but it also solidified its goal for the 2023 exhibit to form deeper connections between artists and their audiences.

“The Metrobank Foundation has since remained steadfast in its promise to support young artists. This year, our resolve to strengthen ties and take bolder strides for Philippine art and culture has never been stronger. We are beyond grateful that we have teamed up with Samsung Philippines in fulfilling this mission in our art exhibit this year,” Sobrepeña said.

2023 MADE Grand Awardee for Painting Recognition Program Watermedia on Paper category Jerome Santos’ winning work “ha(PAG PAG)kaing pinagkainan” is seen using Samsung’s The Serif.

For its part, Samsung said their partnership with Metrobank Foundation is aligned with their global advocacy for the arts and culture through bringing art to users’ daily lives by incorporating art into its electronic products.

“Samsung will always advocate supporting the arts to showcase culture, including here in the Philippines. This partnership highlights our innovative technology, and how it aligns with the mission of the MADE Program to promote the talent of Filipino artists and designers,” said Chris Almazan, Head of AV for Samsung Electronics Philippines Corp. (SEPCO).

Almazan also said SEPCO is always keen to support art initiatives, especially as the local industry is now gradually leaning towards the digital and experiential art space.

“Our technology is designed to enhance human experiences, and this will always include the way art can be enjoyed and experienced,” he added.

Event details can be seen at a glance as featured in Samsung’s The Sero.

Located in various locations in the exhibit space were products from Samsung’s Lifestyle TV range—The Frame, The Serif, The Sero, The Premiere and The Freestyle—creating innovative ways to uncover the captivating stories woven into the artworks.

The Frame, designed to look like a slim picture frame, featured works under the MADE Permanent Collection. On the other hand, the Serif, with its sculptural “I” profile, showcased dynamic content that helped viewers connect with the masterpieces on display. Meanwhile, Samsung’s most mobile-friendly TV, The Sero, which can be rotated either in portrait or landscape mode, created the best viewing experience for the animated media in the exhibition.

Samsung’s projectors, The Premiere and The Freestyle, also breathed life into the exhibit space by transforming the gallery walls into an animated canvas. The Premiere, an ultra-bright, 4k laser projector, delivered dramatic pictures and, room-filling sound, while The Freestyle boasts of a 180-degree design that allowed for flexibility to project content to any surface.

Artworks come to life as projected by Samsung’s The Freestyle.

 

Attendees also listened to talks during the exhibition walkthrough and Art MADE Public. The presentations were displayed through Samsung’s The Premiere.

The exhibit reflected MADE’s almost four decades of recognizing artistic excellence and cultivating the future of Philippine art. The space was divided into two main sections with a curatorial design that juxtaposes the old and the new with the goal of opening alternative paths that affirm a sense of open-endedness and a desire for self-determination.

Curated by Dumaguete-based artist, consultant, educator, and researcher Sandra Palomar, the exhibit featured the winning works of 2023 MADE awardees including the semifinalists and finalists. Also, on display were select pieces from the MADE Permanent Collection including the first ever winning work from 1984, the year when the program started.

Established in 1984 by the late Metrobank Group founder and chairman Dr. George S.K. Ty, MADE has served as a platform for discovery for the most passionate and persistent creative visionaries in the country. To date, more than 500 visual artists and design professionals have been recognized. Most of them are now carving significant names in the local and even international art and design scenes. Past awardees include Elmer Borlongan, Mark Justiniani, Jan Leeroy New, Alfredo Esquillo, Andres Barrioquinto, Yeo Kaa, and Cedrick dela Paz.

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