A Newer Art Chapter in Manila
I wonder what would this new chapter bring? I am excited for the run. A thrill for the unexpected and a high for the journey. I am back in Manila for a long time. There are some changes that are here to stay. I've looked back in the past and have had my share of hangups, insecurities, confrontations and challenges. Perhaps I have counted what I had missed rather than what I have gained. Material commodities and security are gains that one could expound when one had them. I appreciate my journey more for having them. Knowing what you are capable of and understanding the playing field. Just doing your research is a big contentment for me. I rather felt guilty that I opted for a hiatus when everyone was finally sitting down and working. Stress brings out the best in me or rather the stubborn facet in me. I had stretched myself far and distanced myself too long for comfort in these few years. A long meditation of three years seems to be a good idea then. I appreciate it now even more being there once with the immediacy of the current situation... Well, I am back for good. I am very happy about what I see on the field. A lot of artists have taken the international level seriously... They have come back with new works that we could only be better with. Some have not come back and that is there loss. A new taste and distinctions have whet the appreciation more for good Filipino art.It is not one's fault that we face a bigger challenge with the world economic situation. It is a boon now for us seeing the market has always been there albeit temporarily unstable. I am now ready for a new chapter with the newer people in the field. I hope I am ready for it with a newer zest for changes...Recession has affected a lot of industries and the art scene has not been left untouched and coming up with newer works could be financially breaking with the audiences eyeing the market viability and liquidity. Remembering that understanding and always learning would equip ourselves with our tools to survive. The market will always have its supporters for gains and detractors for losses. One could always appreciate buying when the prices are lower or selling when it is higher. Now I guess is the time to produce more and exhibit often... We have newer audiences with our youth coming of age and newer artists to welcome in our folds.The international art fairs, biennale and auctions might have just closed its doors but it would open new avenues for a different venue for the Filipino artists or rather the Filipino Art. Galleries have opened and committed themselves. Weathering out this temporary set back is the attitude. Reinventing themselves opens up a newer appreciation and a wider support. A few years back we rue the lack of venues for art viewing that brought the ARS and now that we have better galleries would we rue again? In bigger playing fields we should play bigger and better. Hiding now is a waste of time unless you want to regroup. It is time for the foundations to widen and encompass the newer set of players - the younger artists. They have always been aggressive and more so now that a better future awaits them with more exposure, easy tested access and knowledge for better works.One could be brilliant about one's approach. Learning the ropes first before jumping in should be automatic... A time and tested strategy. Changing or rather to let it run its full course and understand the flow before rushing in has its advantages... Changes need not be confrontational but going with the current rather than against it and coursing it to different direction to lessen the strength. Here we gather the strength to make it run over mountains and over falls. In this case the 2009 recession in the Philippines will be a cinch. It will be here for the next couple of years but we Filipinos will survive and now we will chart a new direction with other Asian artists with our awareness of standing up when we stumble and being stronger. Let's paddle some more art for the coming years.
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Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™' s connection to the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) serves as a defining pillar of his professional journey, most recently celebrated through the launch of the ACC Global Alumni Network.As a 2003 Starr Foundation Grantee, Roldan participated in a transformative ten-month fellowship in the United States. This opportunity allowed him to observe contemporary art movements, engage with an international community of artists and curators, and develop a new body of work that bridges local and global perspectives.Featured Work: Bridges Beyond Borders His featured work, Bridges Beyond Borders: ACC's Global Cultural Collaboration, has been chosen as the visual identity for the newly launched ACC Global Alumni Network.Symbol of Connection: The piece represents a private collaborative space designed to unite over 6,000 ACC alumni across various disciplines and regions.Artistic Vision: The work embodies the ACC's core mission of advancing international dialogue and cultural exchange to foster a more harmonious world.Legacy of Excellence: By serving as the face of this initiative, Roldan's art highlights the enduring impact of the ACC fellowship on his career and his role in the global artistic community.Just featured at https://www.pressenza.com/2026/01/the-asian-cultural-council-global-alumni-network-amiel-gerald-a-roldan/
He is a Filipino multidisciplinary visual artist, printmaker, painter, independent curator, researcher, writer, and cultural worker whose practice spans contemporary art, curatorial work, and cultural advocacy. He has been active in the Philippine art scene since the late 1990s and has worked with galleries, museums, artist-run spaces, and international cultural organizations.
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A multidisciplinary Filipino artist, poet, researcher, and cultural worker whose practice spans painting, printmaking, photography, installation, and writing. He is deeply rooted in cultural memory, postcolonial critique, and in bridging creative practice with scholarly infrastructure—building counter-archives, annotating speculative poetry like Southeast Asian manuscripts, and fostering regional solidarity through ethical art collaboration.
He has been active in the Philippine art scene since the late 1990s and has worked with galleries, museums, artist-run spaces, and international cultural organizations.His practice appears to represent several interconnected concerns:
Cultural work as artistic practice. Roldan has argued that the labor of curating, organizing exhibitions, teaching, documentation, and cultural administration should be understood as creative work rather than merely support work. This perspective has been reflected in his writings and exhibitions.
Social and political engagement. His artworks frequently address politics, religion, faith, denial, courage, social inequality, and the everyday experiences of Filipinos. He has stated that he draws inspiration from Filipino cultural practices while approaching painting, printmaking, and installation from a conceptual perspective.Printmaking and conceptual art. Roldan is particularly recognized for his printmaking, with works shown internationally, including exhibitions in Japan and France. His practice also encompasses painting, photography, installation, and curatorial research.International cultural exchange. A significant milestone in his career was receiving an Asian Cultural Council fellowship in 2003, which enabled him to undertake research and create work in the United States while engaging with artists and curators internationally.
More broadly, Roldan's work represents an attempt to bridge artistic production, curatorial practice, scholarship, and cultural activism . His writings often emphasize postcolonial discourse, cultural memory, and the ethics of artistic collaboration, positioning the artist not only as a maker of objects but also as a builder of cultural infrastructure.
In the Philippine contemporary art context, he can be understood as representing the figure of the artist-curator-cultural worker —someone who contributes both through making artworks and through developing exhibitions, mentoring artists, and fostering institutional and independent cultural initiatives.
Recent show at ILOMOCA
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Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™ started Independent Curatorial Manila™ as a nonprofit philanthropy while working for institutions simultaneously early on.
The Independent Curatorial Manila™ or ICM™ is a curatorial services and guide for emerging artists in the Philippines. It is an independent/voluntary services entity and aims to remain so. Selection is through proposal and a prerogative temporarily. Contact above for inquiries.
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