FILIPINO MASTERS Sixteen masterpieces by great Filipino artists are on display in an exhibit at the University of the Philippines Visayas Museum of Art and Cultural Heritage in Iloilo City. The “Patrimony of All – Ang Panublion sang Tanan Paintings from the Lopez Museum and Library Collection” was officially unveiled Monday afternoon (Nov. 25, 2024) and is open to the public from Nov. 26, 2024 to April 25, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Iloilo City Government FB page)
ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Ilonggos get a chance to see the works of art by great Filipino artists through the generosity of the Lopez Family, who brought 16 masterpieces from the Lopez Museum and Library (LML) Collection for an exhibit at the University of the Philippines Visayas Museum of Art and Cultural Heritage in Iloilo City.
The “Patrimony of All – Ang Panublion sang Tanan Paintings from the Lopez Museum and Library Collection” was officially unveiled late Monday afternoon, attended by the Lopez family and art enthusiasts.
The paintings included four each from the Juan Luna and Felix Hidalgo collections, five from the Fernando Amorsolo collection, and three from the Juan Arellano collection.
“Bringing these masterpieces to Iloilo was an opportunity to honor our roots that we cannot let pass. It is in Iloilo that our family’s journey of hard work, philanthropy and service to others began,” Mercedes Lopez-Vargas, president of the Lopez Group Foundation and LML executive director, said in her message.
“It just made perfect sense to keep coming back and giving back in uplifting the very community that had also shaped our personal history,” she noted.
She said the Lopez family was thrilled as it was the first time they brought the collections outside Manila.
“The loaning of these artworks is a painstaking technical process as it entails the delicate care of these fragile works of art; some of them a hundred years old,” she added.
The project is a joint initiative of the University of the Philippines Visayas, the Lopez Group Foundation, Inc., and the Iloilo City Government, conceived by former Senator Franklin Drilon with former Tourism Secretary Narzalina Lim in 2019 and made possible through the support of Senator Loren Legarda.
“The Patrimony of All” will allow audiences in the Visayas to encounter the works of Filipino masters while also shining the spotlight on the rich architectural heritage and legacy of Iloilo,” the Iloilo City government said in a statement.
Drilon, in his message, said llonggos owed the Lopezes “a debt of gratitude.”
“When you talk about Iloilo culture and heritage, it would not be complete without talking about the Lopezes and their generosity to the province and city of Iloilo. This sets a stage for a more extensive effort for us to continue exposing our people here, our Ilonggos and young students, to art and our culture,” he said.
The exhibit is housed in a building designed by Arellano, whose paintings are among the works being exhibited.
It was designed as a city hall in the 1930s when the mayor was Fernando Lopez, who in turn donated the building to the University of the Philippines with the condition that it would establish a branch in Iloilo, the former senator said.
“Today, we are glad that we were able to find this venue to house these treasures to be enjoyed by our Ilonggos,” Drilon said.
The exhibit will be open to the public from Nov. 26, 2024 to April 25, 2025 but it will have a Cycle 2 after funds are secured for its extension for another six months through Legarda.
“Ang Panublion sang Tanan celebrates not only the creative genius of our Filipino masters but also the enduring legacy of our culture. Having these masterpieces in Iloilo on display for our communities and especially for our youth is a true gift that will enrich our collective understanding of who we are,” Legarda said in her virtual message.
“As I say, culture is what binds us as a nation,” she pointed out.
Rosalie Treñas, wife of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, said the city has always been home to artists, art lovers, patrons and enthusiasts, providing everyone with a welcoming environment where talents and skills can thrive and artistic expressions are admired and respected.
“The presence of galleries, museums and art places, the city has certainly firmed up its position as the arts capital of the Philippines. Its piece of art is a window into the cultural heritage of the community, offering insights into their real life, beliefs and values,” she said in her message.