An abandoned office floor in Manila's RCBC Plaza has been transformed into a raw exhibition space for a group show titled "Audacity," curated by Chloe Magpayo. Featuring over 20 artists, the show includes works by Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan's Fruitjuice Factory Studio, Matt Trinidad, Kristoffer Ardeña, Christina Lopez, Marty Carsi Cruz, Hideki Ito, Bienvenido Tamayo, Mano Gonzales, Marionne Contreras, Luis Antonio Santos, James Clar, Doktor Karayom, Denver Garza, and Maricar Tolentino. The exhibition runs through October in the same space that previously hosted "Here & Now & Now & Then" curated by Nilo Ilarde.
The show matters because it challenges conventional exhibition formats by using an unfinished, non-white-cube corporate space to present contemporary art that emphasizes materiality and boundary-pushing practices. Curator Magpayo's deliberate choice of the title "Audacity" reflects both the venue's raw character and the artists' willingness to explore themes of displacement, migration, memory, fragility, and identity through unconventional materials like found fabrics, salvaged signage, leather, and textile works. This approach signals a growing trend in Manila's art scene toward site-responsive, community-engaged exhibitions that break from institutional norms.