This artist props up independent art spaces from Bacolod to Copenhagen 

MANILA, Philippines – Bacolod, famous for its food, festivals, and many attractions, is also home to renowned Filipino visual artist Charlie Co. As the founder of the independent art space Orange Project, he has helped build the region’s vibrant art community through the years.

Co will represent the Filipino art scene in “Gathering,” a seminar on the conditions of independent art spaces and initiatives, scheduled in Copenhagen, Denmark from April 4 to 5. 

In collaboration with Art Hub Copenhagen, the two-day international seminar is organized by another Filipino, Vanini Belarmino, independent curator and founder of Belarmino&Partners. 

Belarmino said this project, which has been in the making since 2022, aims to convene artists, curators, and cultural practitioners to talk about the evolving landscape of independent art spaces across the world. 

For Co, this opportunity is very important in sharing the story not just of his own but also of the emerging local artists in Bacolod. 

“[The seminar is] very important because we now have a voice. There’s a story to tell that nothing is impossible…Sharing [the challenges of local artists] in the Philippines, especially outside Manila. Telling them why the Orange Project survived 20 years without government funding, being only funded by artists. Telling them that it is possible,” he shared.   

Carving out orange spaces

Created as an art space for emerging artists in Bacolod, Orange Project was established in 2005 with the help of Co’s business partner Bong Lopue III. Co described it as serendipitous.

“It was like serendipity, my business partner who owns the Lopue Business Area approached me 20 years ago,” he shared.

“At that point also… Bacolod needed a space for its artists parang wala eh (it seemed like there was none). Parang tugma na (It seemed just right since) he had a space and I also wanted a space for our local artists to tell their stories. It started from there.” 

The orange-colored building where they first started eventually led them to calling their space as the Orange Gallery, which later on became the Orange Project. 

“Orange is like the sun, it’s a magnet for good energy,” he added.

Unwavering space and support

However, putting up an independent art space is no easy feat, even more so in the province. 

“[It is] challenging, because even in my career when you’re based in Bacolod, outside the center, it’s quite challenging,” Co said.

But despite challenges such as financial sustainability, he argued their mission remains steadfast: “That great satisfaction of seeing young artists benefit from what we’re doing, it’s more gratifying than the financial.”

Hence why despite the added challenges brought about by the pandemic in 2020, Orange Project still continued providing not just space for artists but also support.  

“During the pandemic we are at the frontline. We raised funds, we created art hills, we used the platform of social media selling works. We were able to sell works, we were able to give money to our artists, we even bought groceries for them,” Co shared.

Gathering artistic collaborations

Through these stories of the Orange Project, Co now looks forward to inspiring other artists not just to listen but more so to collaborate through his upcoming talk in the “Gathering.” 

“After they listen to my story and our stories in the community, I can tell them ‘Let’s go, let’s do it! Let’s collaborate!’ It’s like we can stop talking now and start doing projects.”

Some of the recent collaborative projects initiated by the Orange Project include “Pagtitipon-tipon” in 2024 where they put up an exhibit to promote regional contemporary art with six other local independent art spaces. 

Aside from Co, “Gathering” also invited the following artists and curators to share their perspectives:

• Mook Attakanwong (ATT19, Bangkok, Thailand)
• Liza Ho (BackroomKL & The Zhongshan Building, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
• Elena Tzotzi (Signal – Center for Contemporary Art, Malmö, Sweden)
• Adelie Kueh & Hazel Lim-Schlegel (Critical Craft Collective, Singapore)
• Ashley Chiam (Supper House, Singapore)

– Rappler.com

To check out the full program details and registration of ‘Gathering,’ visit Art Hub Copenhagen.