Art scene hots up in Manila

IN a chic restaurant in Manila, the "mother of Indonesian artists" was taking notes. With pen in hand, she scribbled down names of Filipino artists she wanted to commit to memory: "What did you say the artist's name was? Roberto... Cha... Chabet? Spell that for me please... And who's that other one? Arturo... Luz?" The crowd of curators and journalists she was dining with happily obliged with more names.

Melani Setiawan is a physician and an…