BridgeSketch

109-3249 – Binondo-Intramuros friendship bridge

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This is the first sketch I did at the #UskManila #ManilaArtSihan event near Plaza Mexico in Intramuros. I found a good spot with my sketching friends Reuel and Al, in a rare bit of shade. I sketched this bridge earlier this year (see Sketch No.101-3050) – this one is less carefully done! Rushed this a bit as I thought it was going to rain. I could only find one post online that said that the sculpture in the foreground (with text in Chinese and Baybayin) “signifies the strong friendship and cultural bond between China and the Philippines”…no indication of who the artist is though!

Sun-5-Oct-2025

101-3050 – Binondo-Intramuros bridge

Image | | Art-Chap-Enjoin

Here is the last of the sketches I am selling at the #ArtInThePark art fair on Sunday 23rd March in Makati, with #UskManila. Having sketched two bridges built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, I thought I would have a go at a more modern one. This bridge was a joint project between the Philippines and China and was finished in 2022. Apparently the construction was quite controversial because it is close to Intramuros and San Agustin church heritage site. There is a nice park under the Intramuros end of the bridge where I sat along a stone-paved riverside pathway.

Thu-20-Mar-2025

100-3027 – Ayala bridge

Image | | Art-Chap-Enjoin

Here is one of the sketches I am selling at the #ArtInThePark art fair on Sunday 23rd March at Jaime Velasquez Park, in Makati, with #UskManila (booth number 17). I had an adventure sketching this…I looked on google maps for a spot to see the bridge from and spotted a platform along the Pasig River behind Suntrust Condominiums. However it turns out that you can’t actually access the river from there, from the bridge itself or anywhere along Lopez Street. Instead I had to walk down a small road opposite the Central Terminal station of the LRT, through an unplanned settlement and squeeze through someone’s laundry and gown rental business, to end up on this huge paved walkway…without another soul in sight (except for a guard dog and a guy called Marlon, who kindly let me sketch there).

Thu-13-Mar-2025