One of the first things that happen upon seeing great art is how we're obliged to block off the outside world and dedicate ourselves to it. We shape and reshape the space in our own image. We engage with the piece. We nibble on it. We give it a subliminal think. We look around for something new, or maybe go to check if we see some clues, a sense of familiarity somehow. And when we can't, we find something much more beautiful: a new way of life.
In the Filipino contemporary art scene, some very dedicated people have made it their business to achieve this transcendent beauty. For the artist, this means articulating this profound feeling through their respective mediums. For the collector, it's about creating a world entirely their own. The curator, on the other hand, elevates the discourse. The gallerist, of course, has learned how to own and propagate it. For the iconoclasts, they can do it all.
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Jaime Ponce De Leon
Owner, Director of Leon Gallery
Jaime Ponce De Leon was an interior designer by profession, until the call of art proved too strong that he had no choice but to give in. Today he runs Leon Gallery, one of the country’s top purveyors of fine art, specializing in old Filipino masters including the likes of Fernando Amorsolo, Fabian Dela Rosa, and Felix Hidalgo. Earlier this year, the gallery made waves when it presented to the public a stunning, previously-though-of-as-lost Juan Luna masterpiece called “Hymen, oh Hyménée!” It’s an amazing find that only serves to reinforce the important role art lovers like him play in pushing the ecosystem forward.
Richie Lerma
Director of Salcedo Auctions
Ramon “Richie” Lerma was initially told Filipinos wouldn’t take to the idea of an auction house—that we’re just too shy and would prefer not to be so public when we desire jewelry or a beautiful piece of art. But he took a bet against that and, together with his wife Karen, opened Salcedo Auctions in 2010. Since then, countless paintings and other objets d’art have passed through their doors, including a boceto of Luna’s revered “Spoliarium” that was sold for a whopping P73.6 million. Salcedo Auctions is now a major player in the local art scene.
Isa Lorenzo and Rach Rillo
Co-Founders of Silverlens Gallery
For people immersed in local art, the story of SIlverlens Gallery is well-known. Founder Isa Lorenzo, who was later joined by Rachel Rillo, initially imagined a space devoted to photography, but it soon expanded to include various other kinds of art: from paintings and sculptures to more experimental works. After a unit in Singapore closed down in 2016, the duo set their sights on the world’s art capital: New York City. Opening in the Big Apple in 2022, Silverlens is the first Filipino-owned gallery in the city, championing works not just from Filipino artists, but from those with a mixed-race background or a diasporic situation.
Soler Santos
Artist, Owner of West Gallery
West Gallery first opened its doors in 1989, but its founder Soler Santos, who was born in 1960, has been an artist for far longer. The youngest son of Mauro “Malang” Santos grew up under the influence of his father and has become an awarded artist in his own right (he was a recipient of the CCP’s Thirteen Artists Award in 1992). Soler longed to give back to the art community by providing a space for younger artists to showcase their work. Together with his wife Mona, he turned West Gallery into just that—a home for up-and-coming artists and a gathering place for lovers and connoisseurs of distinctly Filipino art. In 2010, Soler filled an upstairs room with works by his late father to pay tribute to a true legend of 20th-century Philippine art.
Trickie Colayco-Lopa, Lisa Ongpin-Periquet, and Geraldine “Dindin” Araneta
Co-Founders of Art Fair Philippines
The goal of Art Fair Philippines when it started in 2013, was simple: to promote local artists and to bring art closer to the people. Ten years later and it’s done just that; AFP today is one of the most anticipated events in the art calendar, and it’s all thanks to the collective efforts of Trickie Colayco-Lopa, Lisa Ongpin-Periquet, and Geraldine “Dindin” Araneta. From merely providing a space to buy and sell art, AFP has become an entire ecosystem that now includes things like educational activations and special exhibitions, and has even expanded its program beyond paintings and other visual arts to include more experimental types of art.
Tina Fernandez
Owner of Art Informal
Energized to bring in more appreciation for art and its practice, Tina Fernandez established Art Informal workshops in 2004, dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of basic forms like painting, sculpture, and pottery. Fast forward to today. and she has managed to spawn two galleries—one in Greenhills which shows curator-led group exhibitions, and another in Makati, which features solo shows by selected artists.
Yael Buencamino
Curator, Former Executive Director of Areté
Yael Buencamino’s strengths lie in the development of cultural institutions, having been largely responsible for not only the launch and curation of the Ateneo Art Gallery, but also for many of Areté's notable achievements. But leaving her post in Ateneo in 2019 didn’t deter Buencamino’s enthusiasm for curation. In 2022, she curated an exhibition that was selected to represent the Philippines at the 59th Venice Art Biennale.
Dr. Joven Cuanang
Collector, Owner of Pinto Art Museum
A long-time patron of the Philippine art scene, Dr. Joven Cuanang is a neurologist-turned-contemporary gallery owner who believes that finding the balance between science, art, and ecology can initiate the healing of the mind. Dr. Cuanang founded Pintô Art Museum in 2010 to share with the public his impressive art collection. The establishment has since then expanded to an adjacent space that promotes the works of contemporary Filipino artists.
Mariles Gustilo
Director of Ayala Museum
Under the stewardship of Mariles Gustilo, Ayala Museum has helped bring the nation’s artistic culture and heritage closer to the masses. Going beyond traditional exhibits, Gustilo also pushes the experiential boundaries of art by launching fresh, innovative ways of showcasing them. From digital shows to the employment of virtual reality technology, she’s not one to shy away from exploring the infinite possibilities of art and culture.
Carmen Jimenez-Ong
Founder of Menarco Development Corporation/Menarco Vertical Museum
Perhaps one of the country’s most talented minds in real estate, Carmen Jimenez-Ong is a true altruist, always pushing to build humanity-centric projects. It seems only fitting, then, that she would turn the Menarco Tower, famously known as the “healthiest building in Southeast Asia,” into a haven for important pieces from contemporary Filipino artists.
Indy Paredes and Melai Matias
Co-Founders of Gravity Art Space
When Gravity Art Space co-founders Indy Paredes and Melai Matias opened their artist-run space in Quezon City, they had no idea that it would turn into a movement of sorts. Paredes and Matias have built quite a community of collaborators and allies, and Gravity quickly became one of the most recognizable spaces in the Filipino art scene. "I don’t run this. There’s a big spirit behind me running this. And it’s in everyone," Paredes, an artist himself, notes. The gallery's banner exhibition No Name Show has become one of the most important platforms for emerging and established artists in Philippine contemporary art.
Evita Sarenas
Executive Director of Finale Art File
Evita Sarenes has been one of the country's most respected gallerists since the 1980s. As the executive director of Finale Art File, she has long been a leading expert in both appraisal and authentication for both public and private collections. She has extensive experience in organizing auctions, most notably the ones she did together with the late art connoisseur Ramon Villegas in the late 1990s and early 2000s. From authenticating and identifying Kiukoks and Lunas to Venturas, to Patek Philippes and more, she continues to be a pioneer and a stateswoman for the art of the auction.
Patrick Flores
Curator, Critic, Professor
Patrick Flores is one of the Philippines' foremost art curators and cultural scholars. Best known for his incisive work on Southeast Asian art, he sits as the curator of the UP Vargas Museum and the National Art Gallery of Singapore. Among the most important milestones of the former UP Department of Art Studies chairman's career are curating the Philippine Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2015 and the Singapore Biennale in 2019. In the past, he's also been a grantee of the Asian Cultural Council and a member of the Advisory Board of the exhibition "The Global Contemporary: Art Worlds After 1989."
Jack Teotico
President of the Galerie Joaquin Group
As the owner and president of the Galerie Joaquin Group, Jack Teotico's name has been synonymous with the best of Filipino modern and contemporary art. It was in the 80s that he met the likes of Ang Kiukok and Cesar Legaspi, who were pioneering members of the prestigious Saturday Group. Right in the middle of those sessions was Teotico. He'd find himself organizing for and writing about them in his newspaper column. With about two decades in the industry, Teotico's Galerie Joaquin has quite the roster of artists, which includes the likes of Michael Cacnio, Daniel Dela Cruz, Carlo Magno, Lydia Velasco, and others.
Mawen Ong
Gallery Director of Mo Space
As the proprietor of the artist-run gallery Mo Space in Taguig, Mawen Ong is no stranger to the dynamism of Filipino contemporary art. Ong has organized at least five solo shows and 13 group shows over the past two decades, collaborating with the likes of Silverlens, West Gallery, Blanc, and others. At Mo Space, we find a gallery where video exhibition cycles, contemporary sculptures, and new media works are given a safe and productive space to flourish. Ong's project has also launched 17 years' worth of archival materials encompassing more than 200 Filipino contemporary shows and thousands of pieces.
Cesar Villalon
Founder of The Drawing Room
Makati-based contemporary art gallery The Drawing Room was founded by Cesar Villalon Jr. back in 1998, starting out as a specialist venue before turning into something much, much more. It began with reinforcing works done by Filipino draughtsmen, and now it has expanded to include all the mediums in between. Apart from having monthly exhibits with Filipino artists, it brings them to spaces elsewhere, including to exhibitions in Singapore, Beijing, London, and Turin, among others. The Drawing Room has been a long-time participant and exhibitor at the Hong Kong Art Fair, Scope Art Fair in New York, Slick Paris, and many others.
Carlos Quijon Jr.
Art Historian, Writer, Critic, Curator
Art writer and historian Carlos Quijon Jr. is one of the more accomplished curators in the Philippines. His work extends beyond the borders of Southeast Asia, having been a fellow of the research platform Modern Art Histories in and across Africa. Quijon's writing has been widely published in reviews around the world, including in MoMA’s post, Queer Southeast Asia, ArtReview Asia in Singapore, Asia Art Archive's Ideas in Hong Kong, and Art Monthly in the United Kingdom. Together with artist Mark Salvatus, Quijon Jr. will be part of the group that is representing the Philippines at the 60th Venice Art Biennale.
Christian “Bigboy” Cheng
Owner of Secret Fresh
Christian “Bigboy” Cheng is one dude who wears one too many hats (no, not the Supreme-labeled or Bathing Ape ones). Apart from being the scion of the country's biggest foam producer Uratex, he runs one of the freshest galleries in Metro Manila in Secret Fresh. The gallery exhibits the best of young and emerging talent, as well as contemporary counterculture. It's featured the likes of BenCab, Quiccs, Bjorn Calleja, and countless others, all the while maintaining that signature street-cool flair. On top of that, it sells collectibles like sneakers, art toys, t-shirts, and other hypebeast-y things.
Gaby Dela Merced
Gallery Director of Vinyl on Vinyl
Most of the general public probably knows Gaby Dela Merced as the Filipina racer and television star. But those in the art scene see her more as the gallery director of Vinyl on Vinyl. Founded in 2010, the gallery is one electric venue, where music, visual arts, and pop culture collide. It dedicates itself to featuring modern art, from the best of pop appropriation paintings to pieces that capture the energy of counterculture and more.
Ricky Francisco
Cultural Worker, Artist, Curator, Director of Fundacion Sansó, Chairman of Modern and Contemporary Art Festival
Ricky Francisco has come a long way from his early years working with the Ayala Museum. He is now one of the most reputable curators and writers in the Philippines. The cultural worker, artist, and curator currently sits as director of Fundacion Sansó, as well as Chairman of the Modern and Contemporary Art Festival. He does this all while maintaining his independent curatorial practice. In the past, he has worked with various institutions in Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan, as well. Francisco has exhibited with the likes of Galerie Stephanie and other key galleries in Manila.
Marisa Gutierrez
Owner, Creative Director of 1335/MABINI Gallery
Marisa Gutierrez’s new direction sees an extension of a lifestyle arm to 1335/MABINI Gallery, a haven for established and up-and-coming artists alike. Determined to extend the noble pursuit of showcasing the ingenuity of local and international artists, Gutierrez collaborated with partners to transform the space into a treasure trove where modern and vintage harmonize. The shop presents one-of-a-kind pieces, antiques, and objets d’art from the Philippines, France, Portugal, and Italy.
Gwen Bautista
Art Writer, Artist, Curator, Director of MONO8 Gallery
Art writer and curator Gwen Bautista has been leading MONO8's artistic and curatorial initiatives for a few years now. And earlier this year, she was appointed its director, tasked with introducing AND elevating emerging contemporary practices within the gallery. As a curator, Bautista's interest lies in the personal and political narratives in art. A finalist of Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Prizes in Art Criticism and fellow at Fondazione Morra Greco in Naples, Bautista has written about various exhibitions in the Philippines, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Apart from her work at MONO8, she serves as Senior Editor at Art Visor.
Thor Balanon
Co-Owner, Gallery Director of Space Encounters Gallery
As the Chief Operating Officer of the interior design firm and mid-century modern furniture brand Space Encounters, Thor Balanon is no stranger to the intersections between different design disciplines. It seems only natural, then, that the firm would offshoot into a gallery that makes versatile art accessible, both physically in their space in Pasig, and digitally through their Art for Science project.
Alfredo Esquillo
Artist, Founder of Eskinita Art Gallery
An active and quite renowned artist himself, Alfredo “Eski” Esquillo established his “art project” Eskinita Art Gallery in hopes of engaging in conversations about the growing diversity of approaches that will shape the future of artmaking. The gallery also highlights the Tuklas (Discovery) Program, a mentorship and grants initiative that awards sponsored shows and residencies to new and promising artists.
Riccardo Corsini and Bubbles Bermudez
Co-Founders of Modeka Art
Business partners and co-founders Riccardo Consini and Bubbles Bermudez champion innovative ways of experiencing and collecting art in managing Modeka Art, which operates both as a physical and an online art gallery. Taking the gallery experience to the comfort of people’s homes through online viewing rooms was instrumental not only in helping Modeka through the pandemic lull, but also in opening a new realm of possibilities for artists.
Paulino Que
Collector
It's not a stretch to say that Paulino Que is a pillar of the local art community and, to a certain extent, Filipino art history. The legendary collector has been in and around galleries and auction houses for more than 30 years, and has managed to curate one hell of a collection. His treasures include works by the Philippines' greatest masters, including the likes of Napoleon Abueva, Vicente Manansala, Ang Kiukok, and H.R. Ocampo, among others.
Cesar Luis "Louie" Bate
Collector
We can either find Cesar Luis "Louie" Bate working his tail off as managing director of LMN Advisors or roaming around spaces in and around the contemporary gallery scene. Developing an appreciation for fine art through his family, who themselves were avid collectors of Vicente Manasala paintings back in the day. Now, the top executive is building quite a collection of his own, highlighted by some key pieces from Manansala and Ang Kiukok. He has even discussed his collecting habits at venues like Art Fair Philippines.
Julius Babao
Collector
Award-winning Filipino broadcaster and anchor Julius Babao is doing just fine in his life after television. He actually now happens to be one of the most prominent art collectors in the Philipines. His passion for art was said to have begun in 2008, when he decided to organize an art exhibit for a cause on his 40th birthday. He's apparently lost all control and has since had a collection at home that would give many museums a run for their money. It is estimated that Babao has more than 500 pieces of art in his portfolio, from paintings by old masters and contemporary artists to NFTs and everything else you can think of.
Dr. Rico Quimbo
Collector
Dr. Rico Quimbo started collecting art around 1995 when he was encouraged by his old professor in medical school, a certain Dr. Joven Cuanang. A humanities component is important in a doctor's life, after all. Since, then, Quimbo has become one of the biggest patrons in and around Metro Manila, along with the likes of Toto Salgado, Kevin Belmonte, Paulino Que, Jaime Laya, and Louie Bate (plus others who don't want their names to be public, of course). Apart from being a big fan of Roberto Chabet, Dr. Quimbo has pieces from Jose Joya, Manuel Ocampo, Romulo Olazo, and more.
Jeremy Barns
Director, National Museum of the Philippines
Jeremy Barns has one of the toughest jobs in the country, to say the least. As the director of practically the premier repository and custodian of Philippine heritage, Barns is ushering in a new era for the National Museum of the Philippines. It is one that upholds a more collaborative approach to disseminating and tackling the country's cultural, scientific, and educational resources. Barns also serves as chairman of the Governing Board of the SEAMEO Regional Center for Archaeology and Fine Arts, and serves as Trustee of the Escuela Taller de Filipinas Foundation and Sugbu Chinese Heritage Foundation.
Profiles written by the Esquire Philippines Team
Art by Louis Miguel A. Talao
Project supervised by Bryle B. Suralta
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