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HR Ocampo, 53-G (Beefsteak)
Oil on canvas, 1953,
70 x 55 cm, gift of Fernando Zobel,
Ateneo Art Gallery Collection
Juan Luna, Fantasia
(aka Girl beside Lamp)
oil on wood, 1890,
29 x 21.9 cm,
Lopez Museum Collection
Fernando Zobel, Carroza,
polymer on wood, 1953
119 x 59.5 cm, gift of the artist
Ateneo Art Gallery Collection
Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, Bustamante falling down the stairs
(study for "El Asesinato del Gobernador Bustamante y su Hijo," No.2),
charcoal on paper, undated,
45.52 x 53.34 cm,
Lopez Museum Collection
Fernando Amorsolo, detail of the painting, The First Baptism,
Oil on canvas, ca. 1955 to 1960
188 x 131 cm,
Ayala Museum Collection
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Foreword to Zero-In
It is by a curious twist of history that some of nation's greatest cultural treasures have remained in private hands-each collection a reflection of its owner's particular vision, interests and individual taste. With an enlightened sense of stewardship, a number of these private individuals have transferred their invaluable collections from private domain to public trust. Thus, private tastes have shaped public perceptions and our collective memories and understanding of Philippine art and history.
It is by another curious twist of history that the core of three such collections together constitutes an art historical continuum: from the Lunas and Hidalgos of the Lopez Memorial Museum, to the Amorsolos of the Ayala Museum, to the Ateneo Art Gallery's post-war modernists Hernando R. Ocampo, Vicente Manansala, Arturo Luz, and others. Ironically, no singular gesture had been made in the past to reflect this. For nearly four decades, each of our museums had set out on our own, providing the public access to our respective collections, eagerly seeking to interface with academic and curatorial circles, producing exhibitions and publications, hosting lectures and symposia, building a body of knowledge that would redound to society's benefit.
It was not until last year when the idea of ending years of leading separate private lives in public came about, when private conversations turned into an appreciation of the benefits to be derived by concerting our individual efforts in reaching out to a public that we, in fact, all shared. A coalescing of ideas and a coming-together of strengths. Zero-in: Private Art, Public Lives is the happy result of this long over-due dialogue.
The exhibitions that we are presenting separately and yet altogether satisfy the fundamental wish of patrons of our institutions to share their collections with a wider audience, in keeping with their commitment to education and the preservation and promotion of our cultural heritage. To the respective Boards of Trustees and Presidents of the Ateneo de Manila University, the Ayala Foundation, Inc., and the Eugenio Lopez Foundation, Inc., we express our deepest gratitude for their vision and generosity of spirit.
We thank Dr. Leovino Ma. Garcia, Ambeth Ocampo, and Marian Pastor Roces for their intelligent and thought-provoking contributions which appear in this catalog. We are grateful to our sponsors, The Ateneo Library of Women's Writings (ALIWW), First Gas, Globe Telecom, and the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center for supporting this publication and related programs and lectures. Many thanks to our museum staff, without whose dedication and hard work this project would not have come to fruition. Finally, we express heartfelt thanks to the private collectors who graciously allowed their private art to lead temporary public lives.
Zero-In: Private Art, Public Lives is a testament to what can be achieved by sharing resources and working in partnership towards a common goal. A first in local museum practice, we are confident that the ties that we have forged under the goals of mutual respect and cooperation will remain strong in the years to come.
Ramon E.S. Lerma
Curator, Ateneo Art Gallery
Florina H. Capistrano-Baker, Ph. D.
Director, Ayala Museum
Mercedes Lopez Vargas
Director, Lopez Memorial Museum
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