(L-R) Prof. Martin Genodepa, Director of the UPV Office of Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA); Mrs. Mercedes Lopez-Vargas, President and Executive Director of the Lopez Group Foundation, Inc.; Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, UP Visayas Chancellor Clement Camposano; former Senate President Franklin Drilon; and former Tourism Secretary Narzalina Lim show the signed copy of the tripartite agreement that will bring precious art pieces from the renowned Lopez Museum and Library to Iloilo City for a milestone two-cycle exhibition until April 2026.
MANILA, Philippines — Treasured art pieces from the renowned Lopez Museum and Library will be showcased in Iloilo City for a milestone two-cycle exhibit.
Former Senate President Franklin Drilon said the artworks will be displayed in the main building of the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas from November 2024 to April 2025 and November 2025 to April 2026.
Among the masterpieces that will be featured in the exhibit are works from well-known Filipino artists like Fernando Amorsolo, Juan Luna, and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo.
“This exhibit will attract art enthusiasts and historians from across the country and beyond,” Drilon said in a statement.
READ: ‘Pauses of Possibility’ at Lopez Museum
Lopez Group Foundation Inc. President and Executive Director Mercedes Lopez-Vargas thanked Drilon, noting that the exhibit wouldn’t be possible without the help of the former senator.
“We’ve always wanted to do this. Any opportunity to give back, that we can help with, we always want it. That’s why we’ve been working with former Senator Drilon to find the right opportunity for it,” said Lopez-Vargas.
“It will create a buzz for Iloilo as a hub for a lot of cultural enrichment activities,” she added.
Lopez-Vargas represented the Lopez Group Foundation during the May 20 signing of the tripartite agreement for the co-development of exhibitions at UP Visayas. She was with Drilon during the event.
Mayor Jerry Treñas and Chancellor Clement Camposano, meanwhile, represented Iloilo City government and UP Visayas, respectively, in the deal.
The Lopez Museum and Library where the art pieces will come from was inaugurated in 1960. It is located in Pasig City.