SOME OF the old established art galleries in Artwalk at the fourth level of SM Megamall are leaving the mall scene. Finale Art File, Gallery Genesis, and West Gallery will be moving out soon, says artist and gallery owner Soler Santos of West Gallery.
According to Soler, Finale will be closing down its Megamall gallery this month and will concentrate on its new art space at La Fuerza Compound on Pasong Tamo Street, Makati. West Gallery, after 16 years in Artwalk, is leaving Megamall in February 2009 and will just operate its main gallery on West Avenue, Quezon City.
High rent in malls has put a dent on art galleries’ incomes over the years. West Gallery, for instance, used to have branches in Glorietta 4 and The Power Plant, but closed them down a few years ago. Galleria Duemila left Megamall earlier, and now operates from its space on Loring Street in Pasay City. The trend now seems to be to locate art galleries outside central business districts to lower overhead costs. Doing so also allows galleries to have free rein over their storefront designs, which they cannot have when doing business in a mall as tenants.
The Artwalk in SM Megamall was conceived as a venue to create awareness and bring art to the general public. This purpose has already been fulfilled, says Soler. “People have been exposed already to various kinds of art. Before, some would say, ‘Kaya ko rin ‘yan’ (I can do that too.) But we don’t hear those kinds of comments anymore. Nasanay na ang mga tao (People got used to it),” he says.
Indeed, last weekend at Bago, the recent group show of young new artists shown at The Art Center in SM Megamall, people, both young and old, freely moved about and took in the artworks showing a variety of themes.
The newer art galleries are still around at The Artwalk, such as Big & Small Art Co. and Renaissance. Of the original tenants, Crucible Gallery and Gallery Y are still holding the fort. Let’s hope they last long as looking at some art is like a breath of fresh air in a busy crowded shopping mall.
(Photo shows part of Soler’s current exhibit Stratus ongoing until October 7 at Finale Art File, Artwalk, SM Megamall. Photo courtesy of Soler)
