MANILA, PHILIPPINES – This May, Calle Wright opens a time capsule of visual rebellion and artistic reinvention. Titled “Early Philippine Contemporary Art (1969–1985): Works and Documents from the Collection of Judy Freya Sibayan,” the exhibition is not just a look back – it’s a rediscovery of the radical years that shaped today’s contemporary art scene.
Running from May 25 to August 31, 2025, the show dives deep into the personal archive of conceptual artist Judy Freya Sibayan – a living chronicle of the era when Filipino artists began pushing past the modern to explore the conceptual, the ephemeral, and the political.
Expect a curated constellation of works and documents from the likes of Roberto Chabet, Ray Albano, Johnny Manahan, and Huego Bartolome, the luminaries who helped build the artistic identity of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in its early years. Add to that rare gems from Thirteen Artists Award recipients such as Bencab, Nap Jamir II, and Fernando Modesto, and you’ve got a lineup that reads like a who’s who of Philippine art history.
On May 25 at 4:30 PM, Sibayan returns to Calle Wright with a live performance of “Reframing Art”, a poetic full-circle moment from artist to archivist to agent provocateur.
Early Philippine Contemporary Art (1969-1985): Works and Documents from the Collection of Judy Freya Sibayan runs from 25 May – 31 August 2025 at Calle Wright, 1890 Vasquez St., Malate, Manila.
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