What kind of explorer are you?
The 2026 Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) exhibition, Traverse: Creativity in Motion, invites visitors to discover the answer as they navigate nearly 100 paintings, sculptures, and mixed media works, each offering a unique perspective on power, hope, human connection and everyday life.
Among the works on view are those of the three Grand Awardees, who emerged from more than 600 submissions from artists across the country: Aldrin B. Olaguir for Sculpture, Kennette A. Luague for Mixed Media, and Vince Martin A. Macatangay for Oil or Acrylic on Canvas.
Their winning works explore systems of power through a reimagined holy water font; workers’ hopes and aspirations through a wall-mounted, rotating work; and the countless lives unfolding around us through shifting figures and movement in a painting.
The exhibition also reflects MADE’s long-standing commitment to nurturing artistic excellence and supporting emerging Filipino artists as they build meaningful and sustainable careers in the arts.
“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.
Beyond viewing the artworks of emerging Filipino artists, visitors can take part in activities that invite them to explore the exhibition in their own way.
Discover your Traverse journey
Curated by May Lyn Cruz, Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Fine Arts, the 2026 MADE exhibition invites visitors to become active participants in their own journey through the artworks.
At the Discovery Concourse, guests can discover their “Explorer Archetype”, follow a personalized path through the exhibition, collect stamps across six stations, create a souvenir bookmark, and unlock a special MADE sticker.
By answering five questions and linking their responses through a continuous thread, visitors can discover whether they are a Cartographer, Scout, or Pathfinder and receive a suggested way to experience the exhibition.
As more visitors take part, their individual paths come together to form a growing visual map of journeys through the exhibition.
For some visitors, these different ways of exploring became part of what made the exhibition memorable. One visitor shared, “I really liked the different routes, it made the experience more special.”
As they explore the exhibition’s six sections, visitors can collect craft punches on their journey ticket at different stations, then turn the completed ticket into a souvenir bookmark to take home.
These activities have made the exhibition an engaging experience for visitors of different ages.
One visitor shared, “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 is free and open to the public from September 18 to October 18, 2026, at The Metropolitan Museum of Manila (The M).
The exhibition is open 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. For updates, follow MADE at @metrobankartanddesign.
