Nearly 100 original paintings, sculptures, and mixed media creations are on display at The Metropolitan Museum of Manila as the 2026 Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) exhibition, Traverse: Creativity in Motion, invites audiences to navigate contemporary themes of power, hope, and human connection through an interactive gallery format.
Selected from more than 600 nationwide submissions, three Grand Awardees headline this year’s showcase:
- Aldrin B. Olaguir (Grand Awardee for Sculpture) for “Hinahalal, Binabanal (The Chosen, the Sanctified)”, a piece that reimagines a holy water font to examine systems of power.
- Kennette A. Luague (Grand Awardee for Mixed Media) for “Taya (Bet)”, a wall-mounted, rotating sculpture portraying workers’ hopes and aspirations.
- Vince Martin A. Macatangay (Grand Awardee for Oil or Acrylic on Canvas) for “Sonder: Sa Bawat Mundong ’Di Ko Matahak (Sonder: In Worlds Beyond My Reach)”, a painting capturing shifting figures and movement to explore lives unfolding around us.
“The works featured in the exhibition remind us that art remains a powerful way of helping us better understand ourselves, one another, and the society we aspire to build,” said Metrobank Foundation President Philip Francisco Dy.
Curated by May Lyn Cruz, Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Fine Arts, the exhibition features an interactive layout at the Discovery Concourse.
Visitors take a five-question quiz that connects their answers via a continuous thread to determine their “Explorer Archetype”—Cartographer, Scout, or Pathfinder—and receive a personalized viewing path.
As guests move through six designated exhibition sections, they collect craft punches on a journey ticket that converts into a souvenir bookmark, unlocking a special MADE sticker upon completion.
Individual responses compile into a real-time visual map tracking visitor routes across the venue.
Public response to the interactive elements has highlighted the exhibition’s accessibility across demographics.
“I really liked the different routes, it made the experience more special,” noted one visitor.
Another attendee added, “Best competition exhibit I have attended. The interactive nature of it was a great experience for me and my 5-year-old. Congrats to the curator and Metrobank Foundation!”
The 2026 MADE exhibition runs from September 18 to October 18, 2026, at The Metropolitan Museum of Manila (The M).
Admission is free and open to the public from Tuesday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Guided tours for groups may also be arranged through The M’s website.
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