Filipino-Australians are one of the largest diaspora communities in this country and yet we know little about the art of this close regional neighbour.
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Visual Arts
Bayanihan – the tradition and heart of Filipino community finds understanding in art in Australia
Arguably Australian artists have been visiting the Philippines since Ian Fairweather set up studio there in the 1930s. His masterpiece Anak Bayan (1957) – which translates as ‘son of the country’ – is held within the collection of the Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW), and suggests the kind of energy and community typical of Manila’s streets.
Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's Senior Contributor, after 12 years in the role as National Visual Arts Editor. She has worked for extended periods in America and Southeast Asia, as gallerist, arts administrator and regional contributing editor for a number of magazines, including Hong Kong based Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. She is an Art Tour leader for the AGNSW Members, and lectures regularly on the state of the arts. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW.
Instagram: fairleygina
