Noted contemporary artists Marc Aran Reyes and Sid Natividad recently held the first-ever contemporary art exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History in Ermita, Manila. The artists’ blended exhibits explored the passage of time and personal histories. It also showcased the potential of art tourism.

The simultaneous exhibits of Reyes’ (an)other and Natividad’s Sentiment Debris aimed to define and establish their shared creative DNA as Filipino artists.

Inspired by the architectural concept (double helix) of the National Museum of Natural History, both exhibitions were anchored on one conceptual theme — the passage of time in defining a moment, a history and a story.

THE ANNEXT, short for The Alternative Nest for the Next Rising and Emerging Artists, is an experimental art initiative that aims to conceptualize and curate innovative and ground-breaking contemporary art exhibitions with galleries, design brands and cultural institutions to help elevate art appreciation and understanding.

For this rare and monumental pair exhibition, Reyes and Natividad, through their art pieces, explored and reflected on the following questions: How do you see your past? What are the things that you once held most valuable but can no longer hold? What are things you can only wish for to be part of your present? Are there things you wish to hold on to that continually and forever define you, your present, and your future? How do you make your past part of your present and future?

In their oeuvres, the exploration of time and personal histories was represented and captured in the vastness of space (Reyes) or body of water (Natividad), the use of artifacts (Reyes) or memorabilia (Natividad) and lyrical movements in their visual composition.