Bitto and Apl.de.ap share the stage with host Jaz Reyes as they talk about the creative process of their first phygital art collaboration
The Philippines is a hub not just for beaches and biodiversity, but also for innovative art. In 2022, the country's creative economy surged to a staggering P1.6 trillion, marking a 12% increase from the previous year. However, Filipino artists are not complacent and are actively embracing phygital art. It is a novel form of storytelling that blends traditional art with interactive digital elements, allowing audiences to immerse, engage, and interact with different narratives in unique ways.
Leading the phygital art revolution are two Filipino artists who have made their mark in the global arena: Apl.de.Ap, the Grammy-winning rapper of the Black Eyed Peas, and Bitto, the Manila-based contemporary artist behind the Bittoverse.
Luis Buenaventura, GCash head of Web3, kicks off the program by sharing the importance of Filipino artists having more than one avenue for displaying their works.
Together, they have created the Agents of Peace and Love, the Apl.de.Ap and Bitto Phygital Art Collection, in partnership with GCash, the finance super app, and GCrypto, its Web3 arm.
“We are delighted to work with Apl.de.Ap and Bitto, two Filipino artists who have established their marks in the global space, as they break artistic boundaries,” said Luis Buenaventura, GCash head of Web3. “This collaboration is in line with our goal of amplifying more local talents to the global stage while enabling more Filipino creatives and collectors to access premium art collaborations.”
The Agents of Peace and Love collection was launched at the Apl.de.Ap x Bitto Phygital Art Launch in Apotheka Makati, Poblacion, where art lovers and NFT collectors gathered to witness the fusion of Apl.de.Ap’s NFT music and Bitto’s Bittoverse artworks.
The highlight of the event was an art auction featuring a unique canvas painting by Bitto, accompanied by an original unreleased song by Apl de Ap, which will benefit the Apl.de.Ap Foundation. Collectors also got their hands on limited edition sculptures with embedded music, and signed event-exclusive art prints.
“Finally, a Bitto artwork piece but it’s even more special since it’s also a collaboration with Apl! It’s something you don't see often: a collaboration of two big names in the creative/art space,” shared Jax Reyes, winning bidder of the 4x5ft canvass painting that comes with the ownership of Apl’s exclusive song ‘Turnaround.’ Asked what inspired him to bid for the artwork, Reyes said “More than anything else, it's the cause. It’s the portion that will be donated to nurture the youth through education and [help them] explore their creative side.”
The Agents of Peace and Love: Apl.de.Ap x Bitto Phygital Art collection is a showcase of technology and creativity where colors, shapes, and emotions come alive. As a pioneer in the fintech industry, GCrypto staged the art launch to bring together the best of blockchain technology and physical art, featuring a digital certificate of authentication (COA) that records the transaction on the blockchain to ensure peace of mind for both artists and buyers.
“I'm excited to have my foundation collaborating with Bitto to release our first physical art launch, 'Agents of Peace and Love.' It means a lot to see the art move into a myriad of dimensions," said Apl.de.Ap.
“It’s really an honor for me to be working together with Apl and APLFI through GCrypto. I’m truly grateful to know that I created a few artworks for this project that could provide support and grant opportunities to the youth in the Philippines," added Bitto.
Apl.de.Ap, the multi-awarded Filipino Grammy winner of the hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas, has been a champion of the Filipino creative industry through Web3. Before the launch of his phygital art collaboration with Bitto, he announced an NFT collaboration with Sevi, a 10-year-old artist with autism and a beneficiary of the First Mint Fund at the 2022 Philippine Web3 Festival. He also established the Apl.de.Ap Foundation to empower Filipino youth with grant opportunities through arts, technology, and healthcare.
Bitto, the Manila-based modern and contemporary artist, draws inspiration from nature, textiles, Japanese fashion magazines, and pop culture. He is known for his Bittoverse, a colorful and whimsical world of characters and stories that he expresses through various mediums such as paintings, sculptures, murals, and digital art.