If you are looking for an inspiring weekend stop or a quick weekday art fix around the metro, the 2026 Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) Exhibition is running its final days at The Metropolitan Museum of Manila (The M). Titled Traverse: Creativity in Motion, this annual showcase continues to spotlight the remarkable breadth of emerging Filipino artistry.
Curated by May Lyn Cruz, Associate Professor at the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts, this year’s exhibition brings together nearly 100 paintings, sculptures, and mixed media works chosen from over 600 nationwide submissions. What sets this edition apart is its active, choose-your-own-adventure approach to viewing. Rather than navigating static white cubes in standard fashion, guests begin at the Discovery Concourse. By answering five simple questions and connecting responses via a continuous thread, visitors uncover their specific “Explorer Archetype”—Cartographer, Scout, or Pathfinder.
From there, you are guided through tailored routes across the gallery’s six zones. Along the way, you can collect craft punches at designated stations to craft a souvenir bookmark and unlock an exclusive MADE sticker—a thoughtful, tactile touch that transforms the visit into a personalized map of journeys.
At the heart of Traverse are the three Grand Awardees, whose works demonstrate sharp social commentary and artistic mastery:
- Aldrin B. Olaguir (Grand Awardee for Sculpture) presents Hinahalal, Binabanal (The Chosen, the Sanctified), which interrogates societal and institutional power structures through a striking, reimagined holy water font.
- Kennette A. Luague (Grand Awardee for Mixed Media) reflects on laborers’ resilience and dreams with Taya (Bet), featuring a wall-mounted rotating format.
- Vince Martin A. Macatangay (Grand Awardee for Oil or Acrylic on Canvas) captures the quiet, layered poetry of urban existence in Sonder: Sa Bawat Mundong ’Di Ko Matahak (Sonder: In Worlds Beyond My Reach), portraying intersecting human moments through fluid movement.
Metrobank Foundation President Philip Francisco Dy highlighted that the works serve as mirrors to “help us better understand ourselves, one another, and the society we aspire to build.” Whether you are an avid visual arts enthusiast or looking for a meaningful weekend outing, the interactive setup makes contemporary local art deeply accessible.
Plan Your Visit
Admission to the 2026 MADE exhibition is free and open to the public:
Venue: The Metropolitan Museum of Manila (The M), Bonifacio Global City
Dates: Running until Sunday, October 18, 2026
Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Saturday to Sunday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tours & Updates: Guided group tours can be scheduled via The M’s official website, and latest updates are on Instagram via @metrobankartanddesign.
If you have some free time before Sunday, drop by The M to collect your stamps, support our local artists, and see where your creative path leads.
