Do you love art, photography and museums? Then here's something you and your family or friends can absolutely enjoy! Now stay close as I take you around this amazing colorful world!
Just near the busy roads of Cubao in Quezon City, Philippines, there is a hidden color-filled gem waiting for all the art lovers to be discovered. Probably this place isn't new to most of my fellow Filipino bitLanders buddies but for everyone else who doesn't, I would like to introduce to you this interesting 3D art museum in the metro—Art in Island!
(image source: Katsanslimites)
Katsanslimites explores the colorful worlf of Art in Island!
Art in Island is an interactive art museum that allows visitors to be a part of their art through their three-dimensional(3D) optical illusion paintings. This art technique they call "illusion art" is a two-dimensional(2D) art form that plays with the colors, angles and shadows to deceive our vision making the subject appear realistic, alive and as if just right infront of us.
Most of us would probably imagine ourselves strolling and viewing paintings in an art museum. And that's it. Well, if that thing is kind of ordinary for you then you might want to try Art in Island. It's new, one of a kind and fun! Just like what I've said, visitors can be a part of their 3D paintings. With a dash of creativity and right angle, you can have the most out of this world to the most elegant photo you could ever imagine! In this museum, you can be your own director or the lead star that would fill the missing piece to complete and give life to the masterpiece.
This art museum is a two-storey building around 3,800 square meters wide filled with tons of 3D art paintings designed by four Filipino graphic designers and painted by eighteen Korean 3D artists. Art in Island is divided into 11 zones like aquatic, European, Christmas, winter, animal, and religion to name some. The museum began its construction around the year 2014 and open its doors to the public last January 2015. I heard the artists took four months to create all of the paintings.
ENTRANCE FEES AND IMPORTANT REMINDERS
(image source: Katsanslimites)
Art in Island tickets!
How much is the ticket?
This is one of first questions one would surely ask. Well, I would like to break your hearts for a moment and tell you that this museum is NOT FREE. Adults would have to pay PHP 500(estimatedly USD 11) to enter the museum. Sounds a bit pricey for Filipinos, right? But don't worry that's just the standard price. If you are a student or a senior citizen, you can avail for a 20% discount by presenting your I.D. at the ticket booth. Persons with disabilities also has a discount of 20%. And for children whose height isn't more than 3 feet, he/she can enter the museum's premises for FREE!
But wait there's more!(This line sounds very familiar! Lol)
Tickets may be pricey but they are also very kind and generous, you know! Here's a tip! Art in Island has a special gift for people celebrating their birthdays. To avail their birthday promo, all you have to do is come to the museum a day before, during, or a day after your birthday and you can enter Art in Island for FREE! Yes, for free! But to get this promo, you need to present an I.D. proving the date of your birth.(We visited the museum a day before our friend's birthday and so she was able to avail of the birthday promo. Lucky!)
There's also a group promo where you can avail a 20% discount if you're a group of 15 people or more. This promo is very beneficial for school trips, large group of friends and families.
Lastly, do not throw your tickets because it will still be useful the second time you visit Art in Island. Present your previous ticket and you automatically get a 50% discount!
(video source: Youtube.com)
Art in Island featured on a local television show.
Important things to consider when visiting Art in Island:
▪ Turn off your camera flash
It is recommended to turn off your camera's flash because flash distorts the original color of the painting. Don't worry because the whole area inside is well-lighted accordingly. You'll never get to experience a poorly lighted photo.
▪ No bringing of tripods
Sadly, tripods are not allowed although I guess selfie sticks are okay. We brought and used a selfie stick to take our photos inside.
▪ No outside foods and drinks
It is a major trouble if you accidentally spilled your drink or food and nobody wants to have that embarrassing memory, right? If you think the museum is starving you by prohibiting foods then you're completely mistaken. They actually have two cafeterias inside, one at the second floor and the other just down the exit stairs. This, too, is a way to maintain the cleanliness of the place.
▪ No pets allowed
Sorry, but you can't have a picture with your lovely pet/s inside. I guess this is because their nails might cause scratches on the paintings especially those on the floor. I'm not sure though if the museum has a designated area where you can leave your pet/s temporarily.
▪ Shoes are strictly not allowed
Surprise! You can't take your beautiful shoes with you to complete your OOTD(outfit of the day) photo. People are only allowed to wear socks. So wear socks that would match your outfit instead. The dirt and friction on the soles of our shoes will obviously ruin the artworks. And so, prohibition of shoes is also one of their ways to keep the museum clean.
Please do not roam around when you still have your shoes on and always take note of the line near the shoe counter that sets the area of until where shoes are only allowed. I remember there was a guy who unknowingly went just a few inches past the line and the staff was quick to call for his attention. The shoe counter where you can safely leave your shoes is just at the entrance, so deposit your shoes first before taking snaps. If you forgot to bring socks then going in barefooted is okay. Just be sure that you can withstand a cold floor for a long period of time because the museum has a centralized air conditioning system. Good luck!
6 TIPS TO FULLY ENJOY ART IN ISLAND!
#1 Store up lots of energy!
(image source: Katsanslimites)
We sure don't have acrophobia.
Lots of it! Make sure to charge yourself full before hitting the museum because you will have to walk around a vast two-storey building and pose or take photos on several 3D paintings. Getting photographed and taking pictures sure sounds a lot of fun—well only at the beginning. By the time you reach three-quarters of the area you'll definitely feel the exhaustion creep in and you'll just wish to finish everything soon and walk down the exit. That is why stocking up energy is very important. Have a nice rest before going. You don't want to be a wet blanket to the group and I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss the fun. If you really are feeling tired, you can go to their cafeterias to take a rest or you could just sit on the floor for awhile and just watch your group do their thing. There are no chairs inside the gallery area but I suggest that when you take a sit on the floor to rest, make sure you're not blocking anybody's view. Who wants to be included in someone else's photo anyway?
Speaking of energy, make sure that not only yourself is ready for the fun but also your gadgets. Yes, do not forget to bring a camera! Your phone's camera will do and it doesn't have to be those expensive cameras. Charge them full and don't forget to free some large amount of space on your device's memory because they're going to do a lot of work. They have the most important role on this trip. Remember that visiting this art museum without tons of photos to bring home is useless.
#2 The more, the merrier!
(image source: Katsanslimites)
Getting rich together. #friendshipgoals (LOL)
Why, of course! The more, the merrier! Grab your friends or your family to join you in Art in Island, I'm sure they'll love it. This is a perfect way to spend some fun and quality time with your treasured people. It could also help build a much closer relationship with them because I believe that people who take fun pictures together develops a better and harmonious relationship. Aside from that, you'll have a lot of really cool photos with your favorite people.Photos that might be even better than those of the photo studios. Why? Because you can choose from different backgrounds or themes while endlessly trying different poses! Have a little contest of who has the best pose and discover how weird your friends' or family's imagination can get. And since you are all together, this is the best chance to take a photo of your group to be posted at your social media with the hashtag "friendship goals" or "family goals".(Lol!) You could also ask your friend or a family member to take the best shot of you for your profile photo.(Just don't forget to take turns, okay? Don't just be infront of the camera, volunteer to take pictures too!)
In any circumstances you can't avoid to be alone, I heard you can ask a staff to take a few photos for you. But please do not drag the staff to take a photo of you in every artwork! He/She is not your personal photographer. Though I think this case is rare because during our visit I haven't seen anyone taking photos alone. Everyone inside was in a group.
Let me insert a short story. A friend and I originally planned to visit here last June 2015 but failed to go due to lack of time. But I have no regrets waiting for another year before I got to see this museum because my friends and I were all able to go this time! I highly suggest to go with people you love—bring lots of them!
#3 Look for photo points!
(image source: Katsanslimites)
One of the many photo points inside the museum.
First of all, what are photo points? These are circle markings that will guide you to an angle where you can take a nice shot. As we know, 3D art paintings are intentionally made distorted but with the right camera angle you can have a beautiful result making as if the paintings were popping out of the walls. Indeed, a photo point is a plus point! These markings are small and scattered over the floor. I would say the size of these markings is just a bit larger than an oreo cookie. Most 3D art has their own photo point, you just have to search for it carefully because some tend to be far from the subject and get mixed with other photo points. And so, always be aware of your surroundings before stepping on a photo point because you just might block somebody taking a photo across you. Be kind to let them finish taking their photos before you step in, or if not, be sneaky and try your best to dodge their lenses. But the best way is to take turns, of course.
Another thing we experienced about these photo points was the difficulty to look for it especially when there are lots of people on the area. People would leave their bags on the floor to take photos not aware that they had placed their bags on top of a photo point. This made it difficult for us to search for it but anyway the little markings were very helpful for us to easily find the perfect angle. Art in Island cares for their visitors and they support you on achieving your best photo.(Oh how I wish life has a photo point too! Hehe!)
#4 Shyness is a no-no!
(image source: Katsanslimites)
King Kong's on a rush she even wore different pairs of socks.
Okay, I'm a shy person especially infront of the camera. I don't usually take photos of myself as I feel very awkward about it. I don't know why. But being inside this wonderful museum brought me out of my bubble even for just a short time. I like art and so probably the feeling of being engrossed to the place topped my shyness.
My tip #2 also plays an important role to be able to overcome such fear. When you're in a group, everything gets less nerve-racking and embarrassing, isn't it? Besides, everyone else were there for the same reason—to take photos. They wouldn't really mind whatever pose you try as they are busy doing their own thing too! So be confident and do that pose you have in your mind! If you catch them staring at you, you're probably doing it right and they're just pretty amazed at how creative you are. Who knows they might be wishing that they could have thought something like that. See? Think positive and let go. Have the courage and express yourself! Go!
#5 Unleash the creative you!
(image source: Katsanslimites)
When the window is too high.
When you have overcome tip #4, the next thing you have to deal is how to be creative. This is the real challenge. Just imagine you have to make a pose on a seemingly endless room full of beautiful 3D art paintings. You didn't come all the way here just to stand and smile beside the artworks with your hand doing the peace sign or whatever hand sign. Where's the fun, right? You have to interact with the paintings and be part of it. So call all your creative energies for this is the time you need them most! Set up poses or scenarios that fits the mood of the art and play with your facial expressions. The floor is yours or should I say, the painting is yours? You'll be surprised at how good the results are for sure! Using some props is also a great idea!
An additional tip to boost your creativity is to look ahead for some creative poses before going to the museum because it sure does help! But of course it would be nicer if you do something original. Remember, it's totally okay when your group laughs at you, that means you're just being creative and it just happened to have overflowed in their mouths.(Lol!) Join their laughter and top it with a much interesting pose!
#6 Genuinely have fun!
(gif source: Katsanslimites; uploaded on Giphy.com)
My friends and I messing around a crumbling floor.
Most of all, embrace the beauty of art and just have fun! Take time to appreciate the majestic art around you. Forget your worries for the mean time and have a pure good time. For me, I really had a wonderful time inside this art museum. Surrounded by art and spending it with your favorite people was a total bliss. In addition to that, we are allowed to touch and feel the paintings literally with our body. You can step on it, hug, sit, etc. Whatever you can think of. Imagination is the limit! Just don't ruin the artworks, okay?
So capture as much photos as you want because it's certainly fine. The museum actually encourages everyone to take photos in the most creative way they can. So go on and press that camera button to death! Just don't take too much time in one painting and give chances to others to have their photo taken as well. Do not jeopardize the good vibe because you can always return later when they're done. I believe there is no time limit in their rules so you can just slow down and take your time. Build the best artistic photographs and memories for you and your special people to treasure forever!
WHERE IS ART IN ISLAND LOCATED?
(image source: Katsanslimites)
Art in Island building.
Art in Island is located at 175 15th Avenue, Brgy. Socorro, Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines. They are open from 9:30 in the morning until 9:30 in the evening from Tuesdays to Sundays. They also have a Facebook page where they actively post and answer queries.
Luckily, Art in Island was just a few minutes away from my friend's home so we were able to go there by walking enabling us to save some money. The photo you can see above is the facade of the Art in Island building and from there you can see the building's design and color was very simple which made me a bit surprised. It doesn't look much catchy like what's on my mind and if I wouldn't know this place, I would not think of it as art museum. Although as you walk closer, you'll notice two 3D paintings. The one on top has an ocean theme with sharks and turtles seemingly swimming out of the wall. The other painting below is a giant with eyes peeping from a crack.(I can't think of anything except for Attack on Titan on this one! Haha!) The second photo on the collage as you can see is Art in Island's beautiful logo. Below that is the way to the entrance and ticket booth area. Well, the outer appearance of the museum was completely in contrast of what's inside. But don't get me wrong! The 3D paintings outside were really astonishing!
I LOVE ART IN ISLAND!
(image source: Katsanslimites)
The people behind the awesome paintings.
Art in Island is my first 3D art museum experience and being the biggest in Asia got me overwhelmed more. I love everything about it. We were just enjoying the whole time even though it was a little tiring. Aside from the photos and ticket as souvenir, I also got a small bruise on my knees. It was a pretty bad souvenir I got from all the kneeling I did to do a pose.(Lol!) It healed after a few days so it's just okay. The bruises I got just proves that I'm careless. Just kidding! What I meant was, it shows that I enjoyed my time inside the museum.
Before you leave, do not forget to see the artists' corner located just near the exit door. You'll see a miniature version of the artists in a glass box like what you can see on the photo above. It's where I found out that the artists of the beautiful paintings were Koreans. Anyway, the miniatures were cute and somehow reflected the artist's personality and creativity. The one I like most was the miniature on the rightmost side of the photo where the artist was floating while using an oversized brush as his base. They also have a photo collage of the artists above their miniatures where you'll see their real faces.
Yun Jae Kyoung is Art in Island's Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Kim Kwang Hyun is the Director. They chose to build Art in Island in the Philippines because they know that Filipinos love taking photos. Aren't Filipinos very lucky to have this one of a kind 3D art museum in their homeland? Thanks for choosing Philippines!
Some videos I took around the museum.
My phone's video quality is quite bad but anyway, I had managed to record a few clips. These are just among the 3D paintings you'll first encounter when you start your journey inside. Some of the areas are a bit narrow but most of it were incredibly spacious like the huge room heading to the second floor where the walls are entirely painted. It can be tough to snap some photos when the area gets a bit crowded but such cases are only minimal. Most of the time, you'll have the room all by your group. If people start to come in then just proceed to the next room.
With the vast area of the building it is automatically understood that you'll be spending a lot of time to see all what's inside. It took us two hours to check out all the paintings in the museum. But on the last quarter of the museum, we hurried around because of lack of time. It was already past six in the evening that time and we still need to get back to our province Pangasinan that same day. So if you are planning to visit, I suggest you allot at least three hours so you could carefully look on each artwork. Two hours is not enough.
I would say, I really love this art museum from the bottom of my heart. This is honestly one of my favorite places in Manila and one of the best escape-to-Manila memories I'll treasure forever next to LiSA's Philippine mini concert.(Haha!) It was such a magical experience even finally having a photo of myself surfing through the large waves of the sea even though it wasn't real(although it looks real). I can't swim so it was a dream come true for me. Thanks a lot Art in Island! If by chance you're hesitating to visit this place, then you shouldn't. Go add it on your bucket list because I assure you this place is worth it and full of fun!
Thanks for reading!
✧ Katsanslimites
