Manila just got a new major gallery
Confabulations. At first glance, the word sounds whimsical. Its root words are the Latin “fabula,” a tale or story, and “con,” meaning to talk together. It brings to mind a sense of fabulousness, which makes sense with its real meaning, referring to psychology and the phenomenon when the mind invents an experience that never happened, yet feels completely true. This is the metaphor being explored for the inaugural exhibition of Gajah Gallery’s new Manila space, “Confabulations: A Fantasy of the Real,” curated by Singaporean curator, creative producer, and arts professional Joyce Toh.
In Southeast Asia, artists have often used their work to document and respond to social and environmental challenges, from inequality and abuses of power to the unseen dynamics shaping daily life. Realism in art can go beyond straightforward representation. Truths can emerge through surrealism or abstraction, too. As Pablo Picasso said, “Art is a lie that makes us realize truth.”
The gallery’s arrival in Manila has been long-awaited. For nearly three decades, Gajah Gallery has nurtured spaces in Singapore, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta, all while championing Southeast Asian contemporary art. You might have spotted their booth at Art Fair Philippines or passed their spaces on trips abroad.
Last Nov. 28, their Mandaluyong space officially opened, marking a milestone moment punctuated by a major exhibit gathering artists across the region.
Why Manila and why now?
When asked what inspired the decision to finally open in the Philippines, Jasdeep Sandhu, founder of Gajah Gallery, shares, “From its inception, the gallery has sought to bring Southeast Asian artists and collectors closer… opening a space in Manila felt like a natural next step in strengthening that dialogue.”
He lauds artists from the Philippines, citing Gajah Gallery’s collaborations with Filipinos, such as “Tiw-Tiwong: Tales & Turns in the Art of Baguio and the Cordilleras” in Singapore in 2024 and “Libang/Hibang” at Yogyakarta this year. Most recently, they presented a solo by Leslie de Chavez in Singapore, “A Kiss on the Ground (Halik sa Lupa).”
“Establishing a physical presence in Manila will allow us to build on this foundation with greater intention, offering a sustainable platform for artists while also contributing to a more interconnected regional art ecosystem,” he adds.
With a vision to put Southeast Asian contemporary art on the map for global conversations, they emphasize deepening regional conversations. The founder cites Indonesian artist Rosit Mulyadi’s “The Unfinishable” as an example, describing how his work reflects “how progress can still coexist with inequality, and how inherited hierarchies remain ‘unfinished’ business.”
“Bringing works like his into Manila allows audiences here to connect with the shared realities and complexities that artists across Southeast Asia are grappling with,” Sandhu says on Mulyadi.
A shifting terrain of perceptions
The parallelisms of art across Southeast Asia are uncanny, as Sandhu says. “These conversations deepen the sense that our challenges—and our innovations—are interconnected.”
That said, “Confabulations” invites audiences into a space where reality is neither singular nor stable, but presents a shifting terrain of perceptions, with realms of possibilities through the variety of work.
Curator Toh notes how the show deepens cross-regional conversation. “Philippine art and artists are very strong, but I wanted this exhibition to have the wider lens of Southeast Asian art… in conversation with one another.”
The exhibition even includes an expansive roster. Works by Filipino artists include a zoetrope, a pre-film animation device by Mark Justiniani as well as a powerful painting and whimsical sculpture by Bacolod-based artist Charlie Co. Leslie de Chavez presents an arresting sculpture of a rotund man in a barong Tagalog, donning a ski mask with nails like claws.
Marina Cruz depicts her signature children’s dresses as twin bronze-colored sculptures, while Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera—a frequent collaborator of Gajah Gallery—shows sculptures of both lovers and mother and child. You can also look out for striking works by Kiri Dalena and Kawayan de Guia.
The selection expands with works of artists from across Southeast Asia, such as young artist Kayleigh Goh from Malaysia, with contemplative paintings that seem to look out of windows into serene landscapes. Suzann Victor, a renowned Singaporean artist based in Australia, presents the stunning “People’s Lantern,” which is about 7×13 feet in diameter. Toh describes that viewers can immerse themselves in the large-scale visual experience, “and enjoy its utter visuality.” You’ll also find the distinctive imaginative styles of Yunizar.
Realism reimagined in “Confabulations”
Through all these works by Southeast Asian artists, “Confabulations” explores realism in its many forms: surreal, hyperreal, speculative, and spiritual.
“These include critical engagements with social issues and colonial histories; a consideration of nature and the world around—as well as the universe ‘inside’ us… Heritage and lineage are also felt; imagination and the spirit of play also animate many of the works,” says Toh.
Curating the exhibition also presented its own challenges: “An exhibition is a conversation in space, by many ‘speakers’ (the artists), and this is a relational situation—artworks are not seen in isolation but are experienced alongside one another,” says Toh.
“We made a number of shifts and adjustments for the exhibition flow, and as always, there are wonderful, happy surprises that come out from the ‘accidents’ as well.”
Building community in Manila
For Sandhu, Gajah Gallery in Manila is a long-term commitment for “a platform for sustained and meaningful dialogue” in the Philippines and the region.
He emphasized their belief in critical discourse, research, and publishing, all pillars that have long defined the gallery’s work abroad. “We want the gallery to feel like a place where people can meaningfully participate in shared cultural dialogue… Supporting established artists and nurturing emerging talent go hand in hand.”
While still in its early phases, Gajah Gallery promises ambitious plans for programming in Manila: “Audiences can look forward to distinctive exhibitions that showcase the depth and diversity of Southeast Asian contemporary art… While I can’t reveal too much just yet, I hope we’ll be able to redefine what a gallery experience can be in Manila.”
For a region whose stories are increasingly shaping global art histories, the arrival of Gajah Gallery Manila feels like both an expansion and a homecoming, with a new chapter of Southeast Asian interconnection, new imaginations, and, of course, a sense of confabulation.
“Confabulations: A Fantasy of the Real” opened Nov. 28 at Gajah Gallery, 25 Pioneer Street, Brgy. Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City
