Manila’s top-tier collectors responded in a big way.
“As soon as we launched the catalogue for the June auction, our top clients started calling, wanting a pre-preview,” says Salcedo Auctions chair and chief specialist Richie Lerma.
“It’s a landmark event,” Lerma adds, “as we pay tribute to the rare, the refined and the remarkable. This edition is more than an auction, but also a celebration of the Filipino spirit as expressed by global Filipino artists and the visionary collectors who championed them.”
For this edition of “Finer Pursuits,” the auction house spotlights the artists who transcended borders to define Filipino cultural identity on the world stage. Among them are Pacita Abad, Juvenal Sansó, Fernando Zóbel, and National Artists BenCab, Jose Joya, Vicente Manansala, and Federico Aguilar Alcuaz.
Their legacies are matched by the sterling provenance of the works on offer — pieces coming from owners admired for their connoisseurship. These include lots from a distinguished Philippine statesman from Negros Occidental, the late fashion icon Auggie Cordero, and the legendary British actress Glenda Jackson.
There is a striking painting from Pacita Abad’s years in Indonesia, owned by a good friend of the artist. Vicente Manansala’s untitled piece from 1966 is a prime example from his mature period, depicting carabaos lazing under the sun, cast in blazing hues of red, ochre, and orange.
In hindsight, Joya’s “Flight” from 1962 foreshadows his ascent in the world of art, marked by his rise to prominence as the Philippines’ representative to its inaugural participation in the Venice Biennale in 1964, and in the decades that followed, as a revered artist and academic.
In a rare coincidence, all three works by Zobel are book pieces — totemic works from significant periods in the artist’s practice. “Erenos” from 1959 marked a departure from his ‘Saeta’ series as he transitioned to ‘Serie Negra.’
Zobel’s shift toward minimalism and abstraction is embodied in “Acento Grave,” which was completed five years later. His 1969 painting, “Meditacion Sobre Sargent,” is a tender homage to an idol, the American figurative master John Singer Sargent, whose painting “The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit” he admired during the Sargent retrospective at Washington DC’s National Gallery of Art that same year.
Sanso’s untitled oil on canvas from the 1960s is a lush example of his preoccupation with nature, following the somber mood of his black period. Also noteworthy are the three paintings by Alcuaz, which were completed during his golden years from the 1960s to the 1970s: “Paisaje en Azul,” “Florero” (both from the ‘60s), and “View of Manila” (dated 1975).
Lerma also revealed an interesting new feature —"The Well-Appointed Life Experiences.”
“This is a new chapter in our journey of quiet luxe that offers curated global destinations and lifestyle experiences to an exclusive audience. These experiences—rooted in Filipino artistry, hospitality, and elegance—embody our nation’s unique take on living a life of meaning, beauty, and sophistication. Expect more details in the coming days on yet another pioneering and well-appointed series of Salcedo initiatives," he says. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
Salcedo Auctions' "Finer Pursuits: Important Philippine Art & Rare Collectibles" sale, presented in association with exclusive bank partner UnionBank Elite, will be held on Saturday, 14 June 2025, 2 p.m. at NEX Tower, 6786 Ayala Avenue, Makati City. View the catalogue and register to bid at FINER PURSUITS
