After a five-year hiatus, the Malasimbo Festival triumphantly returned to the Philippines’ summer festival calendar, reinventing itself in the historic Puerta Real Gardens of Intramuros—Manila’s 16th-century walled city that once stood as the epicenter of Spanish colonial rule in Southeast Asia.
The festival’s renaissance was orchestrated by the husband-and-wife team Olivia D’Aboville and director Miro Grgić, the festival’s founders. Their decision to relocate the festival from the foothills of Mt. Malasimbo, Puerto Galera to the urban center of Manila was a deliberate move to craft a more intimate and mature atmosphere while preserving the festival’s signature inclusive spirit that continues to captivate attendees across generations.
As Olivia D’Aboville puts it, “When we were trying to bring back Malasimbo, our concept has evolved since its early days, also on a personal level as well, my husband ( Miro) and I now have children and this edition of Malasimbo reflects that. You can see how it is now with the art workshops we have for the kids and their parents. We wanted them to move freely by connecting with nature and each other instead of just doing the day-to-day.” This emphasis on family-friendly activities is a testament to the festival’s inclusive nature.
This year, several art workshops and installations by artists such as Marco Santos, Troy Silvestre and even D’Aboville participated in the festival, creating a well-rounded experience for attendees of all ages and it wouldn’t be a complete Malasimbo experience without the impeccable line-up of live performances by La Crema, Moro Beats, and NxC playing their hearts out to a lively audience as the sun began to set down even further.
On the sidelines, nestled in a smaller grove, a silent disco dance party pulsed away, featuring an impeccable line-up of DJs, notably Flavamatikz, J-NICE, Antonne, and others who spun to their hearts’ content. Aside from that, one of the other main highlights of this iteration has to be the Battle of the Brush, a live painting competition helmed by Battle of the Brush country partner and founder of the Search Mindscape Foundation, Ayni Nyuda.
Nyuda, Daboville, and Grgić worked together to create a harmonious connection between the painters’ exhibition and the musicians, creating an altogether different vibe that resonates with the overall experience of taking inspiration from the surrounding beauty of the gardens while still in the city.
According to Nyuda, the collaboration came together after she and D’aboville reconnected after the festival’s initial cancellation in March. “We were happy to support something we believe in deeply. It was an organic exchange between kindred spirits. Malasimbo is a festival by creatives, for creatives—and that shared energy made the collaboration come together effortlessly, even on short notice,” she said.
Painting under a drizzle of rain, the Battle of the Brush commenced. At the same time, music played in the background, for this selection of talent, Nyuda paired emerging and established artists, all equally matched in teams of two, creating unique artworks that demonstrated their respective styles on two easels. It later ended in good fun with each artist kicking back and joining in the festivities.
In the end, the festival ended on a high note, leaving each attendee wanting for more. This year’s edition proved that the Philippines is well on its way to becoming a global destination that has the potential to rival others in the region, such as Thailand’s Wonderfruit and Japan’s Fuji Rock. And with how the Philippines is positioning itself in the global market as a an emerging powerhouse, this might come to fruition sooner rather than later.
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Photos by Bianca Balmores
