Interview with Art Whale Shop, Philippines

Quezon City is the largest city in the Philippines with almost three million people who call it home. In 2020, an art supplies shop called Art Whale opened to serve the massive creative community, in their cosy corner in the Teachers’ Village neighborhood and through their online store. 

MTN News caught up with one of the shop’s resident artists, Kuki, to find out a little more about the role of Montana Colors products in the Philippine art scene.

Who are you?

Art Whale is an independent art shop in the university area of Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. In our team of five, we have two artists: one member of the Philippine guild of children's book illustrators (me, Kuki) and one recent art school graduate who does murals and customizes bikes and bike accessories as another job (Nat, who was featured in the video.)

Tell us the story of the shop opening.

We started out as an online shop selling one brand of homemade watercolors from the United States. Our original plan was to focus on independently manufactured art materials and lesser-known Asian art supply brands, but we've ditched our strategy of being too "curated" and generally just go with suppliers who seem like nice people.  

The location of our physical store is right in the middle of Teachers' Village, a pretty fun neighborhood near a lot of universities. We designed the interiors to feel like a swimming pool, since we're avid swimmers ourselves. That's how un-"focus grouped" we are; we just throw ideas to the wall and see what sticks. Of course, the Montana shelves are eye-catching and appealing - we've even had middle-aged parents and burned-out doctors getting into spray painting, just by looking at all the colors lined up. 

What do you like about the neighbourhood where the shop is located?

Because of its proximity to universities and young families, the crowd is mentally stimulating and unpretentious. Teachers' Village is creative and laid-back. A lot of small restaurants and cafés start out here, as the low-ish rents enable a lot of new entrepreneurs to try their ideas. There's a wealth of street art and murals in this area, and it helps that the Philippines and its maximalist aesthetic culture is relatively receptive to outdoor art.  

How would you describe the community of artists that come through the shop?

It's everyone! From really established artists, street artists with secret identities, to hobbyists who started painting as a means of self-expression during the pandemic, to young kids who beg their parents to buy them art supplies instead of toys. If there's one thing all artists in the Philippines have in common, it's that we're all burned out by the pandemic, decades of bad government, and general chaos, and we all want a means of letting frustration and other complicated emotions out, and that means art. 

How is the graffiti scene in your city?

It varies. There are purists, who believe in a sacred doctrine of what constitutes "authentic" graffiti. (What that sacred doctrine is, we don't really have the authority to elaborate.) There are those who see outdoor art as another venue for illustrator-ly and painterly techniques. There are those working under concealed identities, and there are those that are very PR-friendly and corporate-commissioned. It's all good.  

We really don't want to pigeonhole the graffiti "scene" in the Philippines, or center any one niche, because we're against gatekeeping of any sort, and the art scene is very fluid and reactive. So, if an accountant or housewife wants to get into tagging, we love that, for breaking stereotypes. 

Which spots do you recommend to visitors for painting or checking out spraycan art?

Teachers Village, where we are. The wall along Katipunan bordering the University of the Philippines boasts a changing, but always good, showcase of street art. The central business district of BGC in Taguig, where a lot of upscale establishments are, has a lot of massive and impressive commissioned murals. Poblacion in Makati is another neighborhood where a lot of creatives socialize and make outdoor art. But for work by artists who aren't backed by clients or commissions or any sort of clout, if you can brave the chaos and sheer largeness of Metro Manila, you'll find lots of interesting, challenging works almost everywhere. 

What are some of the special or unusual products that you carry?

After sticking to the standard color range of Hardcore and 94, we're really excited about carrying the MTN Pro Line of primers and other auxiliary spray cans. If you're aware of jeepneys in the Philippines (a local public transportation vehicle), you'll know that we have a very specific culture of painting portraits, illustrations, and religious iconography on our vehicles. Now that a lot of artists, from all walks of life, are leaning into our country's specific visual history, it's interesting to see where this sort of utilitarian art goes, and we'll be here with the very best paints. 

Check out the full range of art supplies carried by Art Whale right here. 

Read more interviews with MTN Dealers here.