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Art in the City: Murals in BGC

Kara Santos

Street art or public art is a big part of urban culture. Unlike art you find in museums, this kind of media staged in the streets, walkways and buildings make art more accessible to the public.

Certain places around the world like George Town in Penang and Sao Paolo in Brazil are known for their vibrant street art, which is a big tourism draw in itself. Just check out this list of the best cities in the World for Street Art. In the Philippines, one of the best places to see big scale public art is Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig. 

The murals you can spot around BGC by international and local artists are products of yearly ArtBGC festivals organized by the Bonifacio Arts Foundation (BAFI) in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) district which they started in 2015. I don’t go to BGC a lot, but every time I go here, I spot something new.

If it’s your first time in Manila and you have a couple of hours to spare or are looking for something free and Instagram-worthy, the area is worth visiting. I think they add a bit of character to otherwise boring malls and public spaces. The murals are also popular backdrops for lifestyle photo shoots and Instagram users.

TRAVEL TIP: If you’d like a guided tour, go to the Alveo Showroom on Bonifacio High Street, where walking tours depart daily at 5:30PM. But you can just easily walk or bike around the area to hunt for the different murals. BGC is very bike-friendly with lots of bike parking. It’s easy to get around by motorcycle too.

Welcome to Hawkins / Stranger Things

ASEAN-ROK Graffiti Collaborative Painting

Pilandok (Philippine Mouse-Deer)

Pangako

May You Find Comfort Here

Between the Lines

Mother Nature: Four Seasons

Pop Art

Magic in Manila

Kids with Spray Paint creations

The Heart of God’s Country

 

“The Heart Of God’s Country,” finished Mural by Andrew Schoultz. This wall stands over 85 ft high and it the largest wall that @aschoultz has ever painted. See it on the W Fifth building, overlooking 5th Ave and 32nd. It’s one of the city’s busiest intersections. #artbgc

A photo posted by ArtBGC (@artbgc) on

Kapit Kamay 

 

Nature and art. What a great start to the new day, don’t you agree BGCitizens? #ExploreBGC and see this mural by the Biskeg Pangasinan Artist Collective at the corner of Uniqlo Building along 30th St. (photo credit: @livingmagicaldreams)

A post shared by Bonifacio Global City (@bonifacioglobalcity) on

Dating Tagpuan

Owl / In the Clouds

 

Wall #1 with the scaffold down (and me actually looking relatively clean and slightly rested) thank you again @lebasseprojects @artbgc and Manila for having me! Best experience ever!! #bunniereiss #manilamural #lebasseprojects #artbcg

A photo posted by Bunnie Reiss! (@bunnieluvrocks) on

Calamansi and Sampaguita

 

“Calamansi and Sampaguita” by Francisco Diaz Based on ancient local traditions, these plants have a native symbolism that switched during the last times. Since 1565, Philippines has been invaded by different countries and regions, being always in a large social and political transition trying to preserve the native spirit. Calamansi is a plant used during filipino´s funerals as way of purify the body, while the Sampaguita (national flower) use to represent humility and reverence, actually is the flower that young kids use to sell on the streets just to survive. ? by @pastelfd #artbgc

A photo posted by ArtBGC (@artbgc) on

Let’s Roll

 

Dog & Pony’s 2016 mural for ArtBGC is located on the back wall of Bonifacio Stopover, overlooking the Shell gas station and facing 32nd Street. Dog and Pony is an international artist collective specializing in public art. The collective is inspired by society and its relationship within the urban landscape. Dog and Pony strives to create work that helps reconnect community engagement. #artbgc

A photo posted by ArtBGC (@artbgc) on

Magsasaka (Farmer)

 

Check out the ‘Magsasaka’ (Farmer) by local artists Archie & Aleili – now complete at Burgos Eats on Rizal Av by @teriyakiboy_ph – see you at lunch?

A photo posted by ArtBGC (@artbgc) on

Wallflowers

 

‘Wallflowers’ …my finished wall for @artbgc 2016… big thanks to all my friends who helped out to finish this piece. #artbgc #spraypaint #urbanart #philippines #manila #flowers #trip63 #mural #streetart @instagrafite @muralfestival @bonifacioglobalcity ????@shutterpandagram

A photo posted by Tripp Sixtythree (@trip63) on

Manpower

 

“Manpower” Manila, Philippines A tribute to the labor force of our nation! ???????? It’s a celebration of the collective human strength and power that can transform a community. We are giving these unsung heroes a chance to identify themselves in the city that might be foreign to them. It’s a visual reminder to all people of how big their roles are in nation building and progress. #change #elevate #progress #constructionworkers #builders #laborers #manpower #menatwork #safetyfirst #streetart #urbanart #murals #artbgc #artbgc2016 #lebasseprojects #mabuhay

A photo posted by KRIS ABRIGO (@krisabrigo) on

Untitled (The one with the girl and the moon)

Additional photos courtesy of my cousins Blu & Les. Thanks, guys! 🙂

NOTE: As of November 2017, the Andres Bonifacio mural has been blocked by another building and they painted over Wonderland by Faile with the ASEAN 2017 mural and  so it’s no longer visible. 🙁 

Andres, Katipunan Supremo

Wonderland

To help you with your mural hunting, here’s a map with most of the locations.

Bonifacio Global City (BGC) or The Fort is located in Taguig, Philippines. For more information on the public art pieces, check out:

Bike parking map around BGC:

 

Hey, BGCitizens! Here’s an updated map of the bike parking locations in the city! #ExploreBGC

A photo posted by Bonifacio Global City (@bonifacioglobalcity) on

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