'Banksy Universe' to open at Metropolitan Museum of Manila on May 14—here's a first look
The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is set to open its immersive exhibit centering on renowned street artist Banksy this May 14.
Organized by the museum along with Banksy Universe Collective, the Banksy Universe | Manila 2024 recreates the artist's famous "anti-authoritarian art" that are sprayed in public spaces.
Art lovers can expect to see "very detailed and oriented" Banksy pieces from the UK, the US, and Palestine.
Chris Johnson of Banksy Universe Collective told PhilSTAR L!fe that the immersive experience offers to promote the universal messages that Banksy portrays through his art, which he described as "highly relatable to all countries in the world," including the Philippines.
"Everything, from world conflicts to LGBTQ+ to domestic abuse to child slavery to human trafficking, these are all themes that Banksy emphasizes on and portrays through his art," Johnson said.
"We believe that it's important for the Filipino audience to get educated about who this artist is, why does he do what he does, and how this could encourage a wave of creativity from other parts of the world, which may have been silenced or don't think that their art can can transmit a similar type of messages," he added.
As Banky's original works are impossible to display as they're being made in various parts of the world, Johnson said that they enlisted the help of artists who reproduced Banky's artworks privately in their homes.
"They flew here to Manila to help use these murals in real-life size for a Philippine audience that maybe cannot afford to travel to certain areas of the world to actually experience the murals in real life," Johnson explained.
He clarified, however, that Banksy Universe | Manila 2024 does not intend to encourage vandalism, but rather to "elevate the quality of the messages that we put out in our art."
"If you are a talented artist, and you want to put out a message, there are different ways of doing this peacefully without having to end up in any conflict, or any trespassing with the law," Johnson highlighted.
"I want the visitors to keep an open mind when they visit our exhibits. I want them to read a lot around the arts and try to relate to the real world problems that we face in Southeast Asia and just trying to relate to the these messages," he added.
The Banksy Universe | Manila 2024 will run until Nov. 20 this year at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila in Bonifacio Global City. To enter the exhibit, you must first register at least a day prior to your visit through this link.
The museum offers an All Day Access Pass priced at P550. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities are discounted to P440 while students only have to pay P275.
Note that the museum is only open from Tuesdays to Saturdays. (with reports from Saihjee Galang)