(SPOT.ph) In February, the Walled City of Manila hosted the first ever Manila Biennale—an art festival geared towards the promotion of the heritage of Intramuros and the history of Manila. But more than celebrating arts and culture, the month-long festival paved the way for the indigent kids of the Metro to experience art like never before. One of the installations, an interactive sculpture by Latvian artist Aigars Bikse, has become a playground for local kids throughout the event.
Called "Red Slide," the one-storey children's slide at the Plaza Roma in front of the Manila Cathedral, depicts the image of a fallen soldier. It serves as a reminder on how war and conflict affects the children the most in any society. In a Facebook post on March 11, Manila Biennale organizer Carlos P. Celdran noticed that "hundreds of children have adopted it as their play space and safety zone," a welcome treat for the kids who don't have access to a "public playground, art, nor greenery."
Having been exposed to how much fun interactive art can be, the same set of kids were seen commuting on their own to Museo Pambata on March 10. "They are from Barangay 655 in Intramuros. All 18 of them took a jeep out of Intramuros hoping to find Museo Pambata. They saw our van somewhere in Kalaw and they followed it," narrated Museo Pambata Executive Director Maricel P. Montero in a post. The children would see them every Saturday during the Manila Biennale. "Apparently, they missed us and decided to come and visit," the director shares.
Because the Manila Biennale ended on March 5, the "Red Slide" will soon be sent back to the artist, unless Celdran and company could raise P875,000 to cover the cost, shipping expenses, and fee for Bikse.
To help, you can send a message to opencity@manilabiennale.ph or 0908-987-5515.
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