Orange Project and Art District: Creating Bacolod City’s Contemporary Art Hub

(SPOT.ph) Orange Project in Bacolod City continues to break boundaries for Philippine regional art. The contemporary art space became a driving force in expanding the conversations and possibilities of art while tucked in the middle of Lopue’s Mandalagan, a local shopping and business complex. The 18-year-old space started out as an artist-run selling gallery in 2005, hoping to create a market accessible to Negrense artists. Over the years, the focus shifted from a market-oriented perspective to a space developing young artists in Negros Occidental.

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From Gallery Orange to Orange Project in Bacolod City

The story started with a serendipitous meeting of founders visual artist Charlie Co and artist-entrepreneur Victor Benjamin "Bong" Lopue III at a gas station. Co, at the time, was already known nationally and globally. Lopue, the younger of the two, was seeking to expand their family business. With shared love and passion for the arts, they talked about creating a space where young artists could go and develop their practice. In line with the expansion of Lopue’s Mandalagan, they dedicated space at the annex for Gallery Orange, then fondly called "Bridge of Love."

Regional galleries at the time were uncommon, yet they persisted. As Lopue’s Mandalagan expanded, so did Gallery Orange. It is easy to assume that the gallery was a market success, given its constant programs and growth over the years. Yet, it was mostly from the patronage of Co and Lopue that the gallery thrived. Their so-called Phase 2 in 2014, provided a bigger space despite the lack of financial returns. Aside from Negrense artists, they opened the space for Filipino and foreign artists, so they may collaborate with local artists and engage with the community.

Ever excited for growth, they transferred again after four years in 2018. This time, to a massive two-level building in the heart of Lopue’s Mandalagan. At this point, they also renamed the space into Orange Project, given the focus is beyond what they initially envisioned as a professional gallery. Similar to contemporary art spaces in art cities and centers, they went beyond the white cube approach and started exploring the possibilities and nuances of contemporary art. The artworks range from wall-bound works and sculptures to assemblage, installation, video and sound art, and collaborative projects.

Orange Project and the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic was unexpected and disrupted the world in early 2020. Orange Project, still two years into its new building and experimental approach, struggled to find its role amidst the unstable lockdowns across the country. Co, one of the founders, was a transplant recipient and was at risk, especially at a time when little was known about the virus. Despite all such limitations, the collective decided to go back to the basics, starting with delivering food and essentials to artists around the region.

Securing the needs of the artists, and by extension the community, became the focus of Orange Projects in the early months of 2020. One key part of Lopue’s Mandalagan as a business is the grocery store, with Lopue owning a chain across the region. Unlike most businesses that had to close down, the grocery store thrived, as people purchased more—either for personal use or for donating to those in need. This enabled Orange Project to provide for their artists and, later, the artists were able to bring food and basic supplies to the rest of the community.

Community relationships were always at the heart of Orange Project as a space, and the pandemic highlighted this connection.  When the situation eased down, they reopened their spaces for exhibitions and projects, engaging the community through creative practices once again.

To bridge the gap created by the pandemic, Orange Project also hired more people instead of letting the ones they had go. Aside from activating the physical space and community, they also engaged the online world by creating an official website, being more accessible via social media, and producing online programs that are accessible to a wider audience.

Art District as Artists’ Playground

Orange Project goes beyond the walls of the gallery. Around the area is the Art District, where other galleries, artist-run establishments, and what seems like endless murals are located.

White Space Gallery, a more traditional gallery within the compound, is a home for plenty of Bacolod-based and Negrense artists who continually develop a skills-based approach to artistic production. The Open Space - Art District, an alternative art center, offers art classes for various ages to develop creative passion in the community. Another interesting spot is Block 17 Art Space, a small gallery with a more experimental and adventurous approach in its exhibition programs.

Where there is art, there is also a need for artists, creatives, and members of the community to eat, drink, and hang out. Akin to the playground approach, artist-run establishments in the Art District provide spaces for conversations over food, coffee, or beer.

Tropicalia Pizza, run by visual artist Jun Jun Montelibano, is arguably the best pizza in town, and where a number of artists may be found at any given time. For evening hangouts, you can catch a gig at the Grey Room, a gallery-cafe run by visual artist RA Tijing and sculptor Moreen Austria. Grey Room often opens its doors to young performers of different genres, further cultivating another side of creative life in Bacolod. For dinner and drinks into the late hours, Cafe Joint—a bar run by film and video artist Manny Montelibano—is where people usually end up.

One important hub of the Art District is Safehouse Theatre, a small movie theater dedicated to showcasing Negrense filmmakers. Negros has a thriving filmmaking tradition, which is largely cultivated by critically acclaimed director Peque Gallaga and the generations of filmmakers who followed him. Gallaga’s death in 2020 was a painful moment and his legacy and contributions are referenced in the mural around Safehouse Theatre. But more importantly, filmmakers followed Gallaga’s lead, making Bacolod and by extension, Negros, into a film hub. Safehouse Theatre often features independent and experimental films, several of which garnered national and international recognition.

Bacolod as a Socio-Political Site

Orange Project is situated in Bacolod City, which has a complicated history. Bacolod is on Negros Island, which was turned into a sugar mono-crop region in colonial times. This came to a head in the 1980s as the sugar industry crashed. The decrease in the global market combined with the first Marcos administration’s mismanagement of the crisis resulted in massive poverty within the region. The widespread famine affected the region, including Bacolod. The situation also brought to light the exploitative labor conditions of sugar farmers through the hacienda system.

Artists around the region responded to the situation through their works. Black Artists of Asia was formed by Orange Project founder Charlie Co with Nunelucio Alvarado, Dennis Escalon, and Norberto Roldan.

Though the region will eventually recover, artists and their works are inextricably linked to the history and the struggle of the people. Orange Project will continue with this tradition. Co, along with running and building up Orange Project, never stops producing critically charged artworks,  which are reflective of the local, national, and global situation. Ascalon and Alvarado, with their individual projects, maintain a close relationship with Orange Project. The next generation of artists, like Montelibano, continue the production of socially-engaged art, finding themselves at the intersection of art and political discourse, including all of its complications.

One of the challenges Orange Project may find itself in is the continuation of political discourse amidst the current conditions of the country. Montelibano’s solo exhibition Going Nowhere in early 2020 was undoubtedly thought-provoking. Art District notably hung pink parols in support of the opposing candidate who eventually lost. Co collaborated with Neil Benavente in the installation “Balay ni John D” (2022), taking the viewer inside a home where there was an alleged drug bust, alluding to the violent drug war the country finds itself in. Though Orange Project, thus far, shows no signs of shying away from difficult discourses, the complications of producing critical art remain.

Emerging From the Region

Orange Project’s anchor is its community. The year 2023 opened with the continuation of Majica Elemental, a collaborative exhibition tied with Bacolod’s MassKara Festival. Unlike the festivities, Majica removes the mask and explores the various experiences of the people. Generations of Negrense artists collaborated on various projects, particularly lending a hand to younger artists to develop their personal projects and explore their art and creative careers. The largest iteration of the annual exhibition to date, it engages the post-pandemic realities and experiences inside and outside the region.

Soon after the closing of Majica Elemental was the opening of OWN in early March for Women’s Month. Curated by Karina Broce-Gonzaga, the exhibition included works of 33 women artists engaging in the conversation of the challenges and successes of Filipino women. The large-scale exhibitions centering on Negrense artists and experiences are still the key trajectory of the Orange Project.

Even after 18 years, Orange Project continues to move and expand when needed. The gallery became a notable presence at Art Fair Philippines, not only as one of the participating exhibitors but as one of the spaces for the fair's residency programs.

Ato Bala, which was Orange Project's presentation for Art Fair Philippines 2023, put the spotlight on the experimental works of young Negrense artists. Brandon Braza’s interactive installation draws in the crowd, as well as Aeson Baldevia’s shadow projection and lightboxes of his memories of Silay City. Expanding on culture and food was Daryl Feril’s installation involving cloth and paper. Megumi Miura juxtaposed playful paper mache with children deprived of play. Tying the stories of Negros together are the visual paintings of Erika Mayo and Guenivere Decena. It was curated by Moreen Austria.

Orange Project also joined Art in the Park 2023 as the much-awaited art event returned at Salcedo Park. At the same time, the other artists of the gallery went to Pangasinan for the first-ever Galila Arts Festival, where they engaged and collaborated with local artists for over a week.

Though Orange Project broke the norm of relying on Metro Manila for art spaces and engagement, they recognized the need to create relationships with spaces and institutions outside the region. Whether in the city center or other regions of the country, they continually explored opportunities for growth and engagement.

The Future is Orange

Orange Project shows no signs of slowing down. Despite the lack of notable profit and financial gain, Co and Lopue are dedicated to expanding the space and ensuring the development of artists in Negros. Though they do not depend on Metro Manila, traditionally the center for art market and engagement, they do not reject possible partnerships. They participate in major art events and support artists as they exhibit their works outside of the gallery.

With the growth of other art hubs around the country, Orange Project creates connections with such spaces, strengthening the role and position of regional art. These developments are a long time coming, hopefully creating and establishing a sincere, inclusive, and representative practice.

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Orange Project is at Art District, Lopue’s Annex Building, Mandalagan, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. For more information, visit Orange Project's website.

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