Giving shoppers an experience that is far beyond just retail
Since their beginnings, malls and shopping destinations have always been a Mecca of beauty. Fashion labels, both commercial and high-end, create displays worthy of being included in galleries. So it is just natural for retail establishments to bring more of the arts into their spaces, giving shoppers an experience that is far beyond just retail. Among those that pioneered the gallery-in-the-mall concept is SM Supermalls.
Since the 1980s, the shopping mall has housed the works of various National Artists and cultural guards of artisanal crafts. Today, it continues its mission with the “My City, My SM, My Art.” In the latest edition of “My City, My SM” series, the arts initiative launches a new journey with the “My City, My SM, My Art” book exhibit in SM City Masinag.
Just in time for the celebration of National Arts Month this February, the exhibit features pages from the book, a compilation of the “My City, My SM, My Art” campaign highlighting the best of Philippine visual arts—painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and filmmaking. During its three-year cultural journey from 2016 to 2019, “My City, My SM, My Art” featured masters, modernists, and millennials in a roadshow around the SM Supermalls as far north as the Cordilleras and as far south as General Santos.
In the exhibit, mallgoers catch a rare glimpse of the book at the My Art house, which is inspired by Luzon’s Bahay na Bato. The pages of this larger-than-life book showcase the life and works of National Artist for Painting Carlos “Botong” Francisco, as well as Pinto Art Museum’s Erwin Leaño, Jerson, Pogs, and Jaypee Samson, NCCA Ani ng Dangal Awardee Danny Victoriano, and select alumni of University of Rizal System Angono College of Fine Arts, who were featured in the My Art Stop at SM City Masinag in June 2017.
Also showcased in the exhibit is a capsule collection from Carlos “Totong” Francisco II, a full-time visual artist and the grandson of Botong Francisco. He is also the estate keeper of the Francisco Family collection and assets.
“Art not only celebrates our culture and heritage, but brings us joy, inspiration, and—it is said—even healing during difficult times. With this in mind, we have tried to bring the visual arts closer to shoppers in our stores and malls through the years,” says Tessie Sy-Coson, vice-chair of SM Investments Corporation. “‘My City, My SM, My Art’ is SM’s tribute to the immense talent, creativity, and innovative spirit of the Filipino visual artists.”
Visit mystorymysm.com and its Youtube channel to learn more about the “My City, My SM, My Art” campaign.
Hello, readers! Do you have a story you want us to feature? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and Twitter and let’s talk about it.