As ACC Philippines marks its silver anniversary, this milestone also coincides with the 10th year of its partnership with the country’s most trusted auction house.
Enduring partnership
This decade-long partnership—built upon the shared interests that have deepened over time—has since supported more than 40 grantees in the fields of painting, sculpture, music, dance, theatre, art criticism, art conservation, and museology.
On this milestone occasion, ACC Philippines’ chair Ernest L. Escaler said, "This year holds special significance as we commemorate ACC Philippines' silver anniversary. For the past 25 years, we have championed the advancement of Filipino artists and their craft, alongside a community of like-minded individuals who believe in the transformative power of the arts."
Meanwhile, Léon Gallery director Jaime Ponce de Leon remarked, "The past 10 years have been fruitful; collaborating with the ACC in their pursuit of granting numerous talented Filipino artists the opportunity to spread their creative wings abroad has always been our utmost privilege."
"Monumental pieces await in honor of this watershed moment in our fruitful relationship," adds Ponce de León.
Championing Filipino artists
As such, the Léon auction highlights Filipino artists who have truly made their mark on the global art scene, showcasing the country’s creative genius.
This aligns with ACC Philippines’ efforts to support Filipino artists as they take bold steps to expand their horizons internationally. These initiatives are made possible through the ACCPF’s fundraising efforts, such as the Léon auction.
José Joya, the first Filipino ACC grantee for visual arts, created “Evening in Shanghai,” a significant Cold War-era symbol of Philippine-China relations.
In 1972, as chair of the Philippine First Educators' Group Delegation, he became the first Filipino artist to visit Communist China, where he personally delivered an invitation to the Art Society of Peking for the Southeast Asian Regional Artists Conference, where he served as secretary-general.
Fernando M. Zóbel's 1966 masterpiece, “Septiembre, a las siete de la tarde, en Tres Juncos,” made headlines in TIME Magazine on July 29, 1966. The article marked the opening of Zóbel's visionary Museum of Spanish Abstract Art in Cuenca, Spain.
A striking photograph by Eric Schaal captured the painting being carried past the museum's facade. The TIME feature catapulted Cuenca into an artistic hotspot, cementing Zóbel’s place on the global art scene.
Zóbel lovingly inscribed a handwritten dedication on the painting's lower right corner to Rodrigo Lozano, the Mayor of Cuenca from 1961 to 1966, who made his dream of a museum come true.
Juan Luna’s captivating “Portrait of Irene della Rocca” immortalizes the aristocratic beauty, niece of General Enrico della Rocca, senior aide-de-camp to King Umberto I of Italy.
Irene was also the sister of Adele della Rocca, whose portrait set a record in September 2024 at Léon Gallery, fetching P31.2 million—the highest price ever for a Luna portrait at auction.
There is also Pacita Abad, represented by “Mayon Erupting,” which was exhibited in Hong Kong in June 1986 in a solo exhibition by the artist.
Revered as "Today's Most Important Filipina Artist," Abad's legacy continues to live on through her works, some of which were proudly presented in her debut participation at the 60th Venice Biennale last year.
Alfonso Ossorio and Leo Valledor were American-based artists who remained deeply Filipino at heart.
Ossorio, a close friend and early patron of Jackson Pollock, played a crucial role in Pollock’s career, influencing his later return to figurative art.
Ossorio’s mastery of figurative expression shines in his “Congregations,” a striking fusion of Catholicism, folk imagery, and three-dimensional surrealism.
Valledor was a key figure in the New York art scene in the 1960s and highly respected as a pioneer of the Minimalism movement that would eventually sweep through the American art scene in the 1970s.
The Asian Cultural Council Auction is happening on Feb. 22, 2025, at 2 p.m., at Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legazpi Streets, Legazpi Village, Makati City. Preview week started on Feb. 15 and will end on Feb. 21, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For further inquiries, email info@leon-gallery.com or contact +632 8856-27-81. To browse the catalog, visit www.leon-gallery.com.
Features Reporter
