Why turn the lens on Filipino art?

Filipino-Australians are one of the largest diaspora communities in this country and yet we know little about the art of this close regional neighbour.
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Bayanihan – the tradition and heart of Filipino community finds understanding in art in Australia

Arguably Australian artists have been visiting the Philippines since Ian Fairweather set up studio there in the 1930s. His masterpiece Anak Bayan (1957) – which translates as ‘son of the country’ – is held within the collection of the Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW), and suggests the kind of energy and community typical of Manila’s streets.

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Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina