The 80-piece exhibit runs through Feb. 24, 2026 across five galleries in Metro Manila.
With National Arts Month well underway, there are a lot of celebrations happening around the metro that showcase the spirit and passion of Filipino creativity. Among those worth exploring is Art Lounge Manila’s “Buhay Pinoy,” where both the resilience of Philippine culture and local Genre Painting take center stage.
Philippine Genre Painting celebrates a vibrant tradition that, while shaped during the colonial period, has long been embraced and transformed by Filipino artists as a powerful expression of cultural pride. It refers to a style of art that depicts scenes featuring ordinary people engaged in various activities in their everyday life. They are usually rendered in a realistic and true-to-life manner, offering a glimpse into the ordinary—yet also impactful—experiences of society.
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Early masters such as Damián Domingo, Honorato Lozano, and Fernando Amorsolo turned their gaze toward everyday life—markets bustling with trade, fields overflowing with harvest, rituals of faith, and moments of leisure—laying the foundations of a visual language rooted in the Filipino experience. Over time, this genre evolved into something deeply personal and joyful: a way of seeing ourselves with warmth, dignity, and confidence.
In Art Lounge Manila’s “Buhay Pinoy” contemporary artists such as Lydia Velasco, Michael Cacnio, Norma Belleza, Francis Nacion, and many others, gather to continue and reimagine this legacy through painting and sculpture. The exhibit showcases over eighty artworks that all delight in scenes of family, faith, work, play, and community—moments that resonate not because they are idealized, but because they are real, generous, and familiar.
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Especially in times of uncertainty, Philippine genre painting reminds Filipinos of what sustains them. It offers comfort, joy, and a sense of belonging—anchoring society in shared values and everyday rituals. Far from nostalgia, the genre remains a living, celebratory affirmation of the richness and resilience of Philippine culture. “Buhay Pinoy” truly celebrates what is beautiful in the everyday lives of Filipinos.
The exhibit will be on in the following galleries during Philippine National Arts Month 2026:
- Art Lounge Manila – The Podium: February 3 to 13
- Galerie Francesca – Festival Mall: February 5 to 18
- Galerie Joaquin – BGC: February 7 to 17
- Galerie Joaquin – The Podium: February 11 to 22
- Galleria Nicolas – Greenbelt: February 13 to 24
For more information about Art Lounge Manila, you can visit www.artloungemanila.com or its social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
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