HATCH Exhibit: The 6th Edition

The 6th edition of the HATCH exhibit debuts at The Manila Hotel, promising to inspire fresh creativity within the iconic spaces of the Grand Dame. Notably, this year’s exhibit features the participation of the inimitable National Artist of the Philippines for Film, Kidlat Tahimik.

“It’s a challenge I’ve never done before, mang-itlog (lay an egg), pero why not (But why not)? This octogenarian would like to remain innovative, even in his twilight years. So roll out your MB egg up to Baguio – and let’s see how my fantasy fertilizes this egg,” Kidlat shared via email correspondence, when invited to join this year’s HATCH.

HATCH challenges Filipino artists to unleash their talent on an unexpected canvas – a fiberglass egg. Past editions have seen these eggs transformed into whimsical, exotic, and even profound art pieces. Artists use everyday materials infused into the egg, turning them into masterpieces.

More than just an exhibit, HATCH is a platform for established and emerging artists to experiment, pushing their artistic boundaries. Expect diverse styles, innovative installations, and thought-provoking pieces that spark conversation and appreciation for Filipino art.

Beyond the gallery walls, HATCH fosters a vibrant community, connecting artists, art fans, and the public, offering a unique perspective on Filipino creativity.

A new generation of “egg-cited” artists has devoted their time, talent, and skills to showcase the creative genius of the Filipino mind. Featured artists include National Artist of the Philippines for film Kidlat Tahimik, Marcel Antonio, Melai Arguzon, Andre Chan, Elaine Clemente, Katrina Cuenca, Sean Go, Julie Lluch, Marlon Magbanua, Glenn Martinez, Dennis Montera, Bea Policarpio, Joel Reglos, Maxine Syjuco, Herminio Tan, Valerie Teng, and Manila City Vice Mayor John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto. Check out the album here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=OhmskiBlog&set=a.786861373463992

HATCH 6th Edition is on display at the Grand Lobby of The Manila Hotel from March 8 to April 7, 2024. Admission is free. 

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March into savings at SM Supermalls March Madness Sale!

Escape the early summer sizzle by heading to SM City Marikina, SM City Masinag, SM City San Mateo, and SM Cherry Antipolo for the March Madness Sale happening this March 15–17, 2024!

Whether you're shopping for fashion, electronics, home essentials, or anything in between, there's something for everyone. Dive into amazing deals and up to 50% off on discounted finds in all 4 malls with a chance to win P5,000 worth of SM Gift Passes in the raffle draw. Each mall will have three lucky winners chosen, with a total of P60,000 worth of gifts to be awarded.

The March Madness Sale is per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-188626, Series of 2024. Stay updated on all the details by following the official social media accounts of SM City Marikina, SM City Masinag, SM City San Mateo, and SM Cherry Antipolo.

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Must-See Art Events in Hong Kong this March 2024

Whether you're up for brand new events or the comeback of top exhibitions, discover incredible art experiences on both sides of Victoria Harbour this March and beyond.

It’s that time of year again! Hong Kong is gearing up to host an array of creative experiences this spring. From a mesmerising new teamLab installation to much-anticipated annual events like Art Basel Hong Kong, travellers will be immersed in art on the banks of Victoria Harbour.

Dazzling New Experiences to Explore

1. Art@Harbour 2024: teamLab “Continuous” - March 25 to June 2

Kick-start your artsy adventure with teamLab’s groundbreaking “Continuous” installation on Central Harbourfront. Part of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)’s Art@Harbour 2024, hundreds of glowing egg-shaped structures come alive with ever-changing colors and sounds, responding to visitors' interactions.

2. WestK FunFest: “Ephemeral” - March 16 to April 7

Next, admire digital art facades illuminating the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade, then continue the evening at WestK FunFest, where an award-winning, large-scale immersive art installation features a world of giant, vibrant inflatable “bubble-tecture”.

3. ComplexCon Hong Kong - March 22 to 24

A must for pop culture lovers, ComplexCon Hong Kong will also be in town. The expertly curated festival features the world's most influential brands and artists, creating an unforgettable experience that blends fashion, sneakers, art, food, music, inspiration, and more. It will be making its international debut at AsiaWorld Expo, just minutes away from Hong Kong International Airport.

The Return of Landmark Art Events

1. Art Basel Hong Kong - March 28 to 30

A cornerstone of the art season, Art Basel Hong Kong needs no introduction. Taking place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the prestigious art fair will return with more than 240 world-class galleries and 16 large-scale installations.

2. Art Central - March 27 to 31

Returning to Central Harbourfront after four years, Art Central will once again showcase boundary-pushing contemporary art from the region’s most forward-thinking galleries, as well as a new sector, “Neo”, devoted to first-time exhibitors.

3. Hong Kong Palace Museum & M+ - March 16 to April 11

Love the classics? In West Kowloon Cultural District, one of the harbour’s coolest districts, see masterpieces from London’s National Gallery at the Hong Kong Palace Museum’s “Botticelli to Van Gogh” exhibition, then pop over to M+ for the impressive “Noir & Blanc” exhibition on black-and-white photography.

Meanwhile, the Arts in Hong Kong Harbour Tour, arranged by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, will offer front-row seats to the artistic wonders along the sea. More details to follow on discoverhongkong.com. 

Can’t visit this spring? Don’t worry. As Asia’s leading art destination, Hong Kong offers exciting creative experiences all year. Book your trip to Hong Kong, where diverse art experiences await!

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Experience a Galactic Easter Eggspedition at The Manila Hotel

The Manila Hotel invites families to an outer space adventure with Easter Eggspedition, a cosmic event that promises a day brimming with joy, excitement, and unforgettable memories for all. Blasting off at the Fiesta Pavilion on March 31, 2024 from 1pm to 5pm, Easter Eggspedition offers an array of activities such as bouncy castles, face painting, cupcake making, arts and crafts, magic show, balloon twisting, interactive storytelling, popcorn and candy floss stations, and more.

No Easter celebration is complete without the traditional Easter egg hunt. Children will be provided with an Easter basket to fill with eggs scattered across the designated hunting area. Each discovered egg reveals special treats and corresponds to unique prizes.

A fee of Php 1,888 grants admission for one (1) adult aged 13 years old and above and one (1) child aged 12 years old and below. This all-inclusive pass ensures access to the festivities, creating an Easter experience that is out of this world.

The Manila Hotel’s Easter Room Offer
For those looking to extend the adventure, The Manila Hotel offers an exclusive room package for Php 10,000 nett that includes an overnight stay in a Deluxe room, breakfast buffet for two (2) persons at Café Ilang-Ilang, and two (2) tickets to Easter Eggspedition. Booking period is from March 6 to 30, 2024, while stay dates are on March 30 and 31, 2024. Terms and conditions apply.

Easter Mystery Egg Early Bird Offer
Crafted from premium Belgian chocolate, the Easter Mystery Egg is a giant hand-made egg designed for both children and adults to delight in as they crack it open, revealing the delightful surprises hidden within. With its regular price slashed from Php 1,580 down to Php 1,106 – this limited-time promotion offers a generous 30% discount for orders placed until March 20, 2024. Orders can be picked up starting March 21, 2024.

Easter Treats at the Delicatessen

Whether seeking the perfect gift or simply yearning for delectable goodies, the Easter treats at the Delicatessen cater to a diverse range of tastes. From artisanal chocolates to intricately crafted confections, there is something for everyone to savor during the Easter holiday. Available from March 15 to April 1, 2024.

 
For inquiries and reservations, please call +632 8527 0011 or +632 5301 5500, or email info@themanilahotel.com.

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Monet Through Modern Eyes: LG Philippines' Digital Innovation at Monet & Friends Alive

In a groundbreaking cultural endeavor, LG Philippines proudly announces its role as the Exhibit Partner for the Monet & Friends Alive. The exhibit has been enchanting art lovers at the BGC Arts Center since January. This marks a significant milestone as the Philippines hosts this immersive adventure into French Impressionism for the first time, bringing the timeless beauty of Claude Monet and his contemporaries to life in a way never before seen in the country.

Monet & Friends Alive, created and produced by the renowned Grande Experiences, offers a multi-sensory journey through the vibrant era of 19th century Europe. The exhibition, presented by the Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc. and made possible with the support of Del Monte Philippines, TicketWorld, LG Philippines, Alveo, and the City Government of Taguig, promises an unforgettable experience that celebrates over 150 years of Impressionist art.

LG Philippines, leveraging its expertise in cutting-edge digital display technology, transforms the BGC Arts Center into a canvas where the Impressionists' masterpieces are not just seen but felt. Following the success of Van Gogh Alive, LG continues to innovate, using state-of-the-art LG digital screens in the Art Studio and lobby to enhance the visual journey. These screens showcase the intricate details and vibrant colors of the artworks, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the bold brushstrokes and delicate hues of Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Cézanne, Degas, and more.

The exhibition's immersive technology, set to a powerful classical score, brings the art to life with an incredible application of light, allowing visitors to experience the Impressionists' depictions of modernity, movement, light, and shadow in a dynamic display. Through LG's innovative displays strategically placed in the Art Studio and lobby, the rich tapestry of colors, sounds, and even fragrances envelop the audience, offering a new perspective on the iconic images that have captivated generations.

LG TVs provide a clear exhibit virtual tour at the lobby

Art enthusiasts replicate Monet's 'The Japanese Footbridge' through an instructional video played in LG OLED TVs in the Art Studio

LG Philippines managing director Nakhyun Seong expressed his excitement with the new installation, saying "LG Philippines is thrilled to be at the forefront of blending technology with art, making the masterpieces of the Impressionist era accessible in a new and exhilarating way. Our partnership with the Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc. and Grande Experiences for Monet & Friends Alive exemplifies our commitment to enhancing cultural experiences through technology."

The exhibition opened on January 31, 2024, at the BGC Arts Center, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, for a strictly limited season. Don't miss this chance to witness the breathtaking beauty of French Impressionism come alive, illuminated by LG's unparalleled digital display technology.

Life’s about more than having the latest technology, rather, it’s about the experiences technology creates that impact our lives. LG Electronics Philippines delivers consumer electronics through top-of-the-line home entertainment, home appliances, and air solution products that prepare Filipinos for their greatest moments. LG promises to bring “Innovation for a Better Life” nationwide – from Luzon, to Visayas, and Mindanao. For more details, follow LG Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Tiktok. LG products are available in all authorized dealers nationwide both in-store and online. Visit lg.com/ph for a complete list of our retail partners. You can also visit LG’s Official Flagship Stores in Lazada and Shopee.

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Director Adam Wingard Returns to Helm and Raises the Stakes in "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

See the combined forces of Kong and Godzilla like never before in the ultimate titan team-up, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Kong’s journey to find his family leads to an undiscovered layer of Hollow Earth, and with it, the most dangerous threat to mankind yet.

Given the success of the previous film, the epic monster mash Godzilla vs. Kong, director, story writer and executive producer Adam Wingard decided to go another route for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. “I remember even as we were completing the last movie, that was the thing in the back of my mind. ‘Where do you go from here?’,” he says. “The characters—now that they’ve fought together, they’ve been in movies together—it’s pretty hard to imagine doing another movie without them. Once you put Godzilla and Kong together you can’t take them apart, but they’re never gonna get along really all that well. They both have too big of egos, and so what’s fun about them is that even when they do team-up, there’s always gonna be this sort of uneasy truce to it all,” he explains further, talking about what kind of relationship audiences will expect between the Titans.

As their relationship changes, audiences can look forward to Godzilla and Kong going through their own evolution as well. “In Godzilla vs. Kong, it was really important to me to make sure that there was continuity between the other movies—that Godzilla felt like the Godzilla that we had established in the Monsterverse, and Kong also felt like the same character. But for me, I was looking forward to having my opportunity to update the character, to give him a new look, and I didn’t want it to just be something that was just a random thing,” Wingard says, explaining his vision for the Titans’ updated look. “I wanted it to be driven by the story, and so I knew even at the early development phases, that I wanted to give Godzilla a new look, but I wanted to make sure that it was also motivated by something going on in the movie and that we would actually see the evolution happen within the film.”

The reason for the legendary team-up between the two Titans? A mysterious, powerful new villain: Skar King. “When you have a movie called Godzilla x Kong, you can’t just have another run-of-the-mill kind of situation for them to be in. You have to come up with something that is going to require a team to take it down,” says Wingard about how Skar King is going to shake things up for the duo. “Because of the humanity within Kong’s character, we were able to come up with a villain like the Skar King—it opened the door where we could tell that same ‘evil side of humanity’ story, but from the monster perspective, and that means creating an even bigger threat that the Skar King is in control of. In the way that humans have armies and weapons of mass destruction, the Skar King’s got his version of that, and it’s gonna take all the hero monsters in the world to band together to be able to stop him.”

Finally, Wingard talks about what people can expect in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, being inspired by the monster movies of old. “[Because] ultimately, I wanted to make not just another Monsterverse film, but a thrill ride like you’ve never seen before. I wanted it to be a mic drop moment for monster movies. Whatever kind of movies I make in the future, as far as monsters go, I want this to say everything, and I want to be able to walk away knowing that we did everything… and the kitchen sink!”

Get ready for the ultimate monster movie as Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire storms into Philippine cinemas on March 30.

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A bellycious adventure awaits Po in Kung Fu Panda 4

Po the Dragon Warrior is back with a new adventure!

In Kung Fu Panda 4, Po, the Dragon Warrior (Golden Globe nominee Jack Black), is called upon by destiny to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace.

“When Po steps into the shoes of Spiritual Leader, you get to see his whole internal struggle,” says Black, who himself steps back into Po’s shoes almost a decade after the third film. “He has the Staff of Wisdom, but he’s scratching his head wondering if he knows anything about wisdom at all. This chapter is like Po’s mid-kung fu-life crisis. More wisdom, fewer dumplings, but the same lovable Po.”

It’s the same lovable Po but in an entirely new adventure. “The Kung Fu Panda world continually evolves and expands,” DreamWorks Animation President Margie Cohn says. “Of all the journeys Po has been on, this story is his most emotional and exciting. As Po faces new challenges and characters like Zhen [played by Awkwafina], and the most menacing opponent the Valley of Peace has ever seen in The Chameleon, this film takes him, and in turn the audience, on a fantastical new adventure.”

Ensuring the continued success of this monumental franchise required the expertise of a director deeply immersed in its essence. Enter Mike Mitchell, a seasoned director with an impressive repertoire that includes iconic franchises Shrek and Trolls, and contributions to all the previous Kung Fu Panda films.

“My goal in any franchise, especially my favorites, is to remind everyone of what made the first film great,” Mitchell says. “Kung Fu Panda has a timeless quality, and we wanted to emphasize that. We wanted to infuse even more action, pushing boundaries with new camera techniques not explored in animation before. Think of cool GoPro-style action, typically seen in live-action films. We aimed to bring that dynamic energy into the animated world, and what better canvas than a Kung Fu Panda film? Our aim was to create the biggest and best installment of this franchise, with a grander scale, more humor and the best action yet.”

A spark in all of us
A lot of that action is thanks to all the trouble caused by this installment’s formidable new villain Chameleon, voiced by Oscar winner Viola Davis, who attributes the franchise’s enduring popularity to its characters being reluctant heroes. “I think that sparks something in all of us,” Davis says. “Po doesn’t necessarily look like a warrior, but it sparks the imagination and allows the viewer to envision what they can become. It feels great to be part of this group now. I’ve always wanted to do an animated movie, and with this film, I felt like the right character and the right group of people found me, and I’m just happy to be in their company.”

For Awkwafina (voice of Zhen), another newcomer to the franchise, joining the Kung Fu Panda family holds personal significance. “It means a lot to me because this isn’t just an animated franchise, it’s a beloved world that’s resonated with audiences for so many years. And being able to contribute to a film that pays homage to the beauty of Chinese culture adds an extra layer of personal significance.”

A must-watch for the entire family, Kung Fu Panda 4, also featuring the voices of Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Ian McShane and Ke Huy Quan and distributed by Universal Pictures International, now in cinemas.

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