MANILA, Philippines - For the fourth year in a row, the Ateneo Alumni Association is staging the Ateneo Art Auction to raise scholarships for the Ateneo School of Humanities, while also promoting Filipino art and artists. This year’s live auction will be held on Oct. 1, Saturday, 4 p.m. at the Finale Art Gallery, La Fuerza Compound, 2241 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City.
To be auctioned are over 60 major works by the country’s most respected artists (like Ang Kiukok, Onib Olmedo, Santiago Bose, Nena Saguil, Romulo Olazo, Danny Dalena, Julie Lluch, Lao Lianben, Gus Albor and Nestor Vinluan) and much-sought artists (like Lynyrd Paras, Rodel Tapaya, Winner Jumalon and Norman Dreo). It will also have paintings by Alrashdi Mohammad, an emerging artist from Mindanao. One of the big-ticket items is a 1974 set of four paintings by National Artist H.R. Ocampo from a prominent collector.
The Ateneo Art Auction is an annual event that has developed a following. “Ever since we’ve been holding this in 2008, collectors and art enthusiasts look forward to it every year,” says Dr. Leo Garcia, Ateneo professor, former dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and the chairman of the project committee. Dr. Garcia is well-immersed in the local art scene as he is a collector himself. For the past months, he has been talking with artists, searching galleries, and attending art shows to come up with a solid lineup of works.
Together with the Ateneo Alumni Association (AAA) president, Atty. Jose Antonio Veloso, Dr. Garcia sees the auction as an advocacy. Dr. Garcia himself was one of the first Ateneo scholars in the early Sixties. His success in the academe is a shining example of how an Ateneo education can help a deserving but financially-disadvantaged student.
Last year, the auction’s proceeds reached about P5 million, P4M of which went to the Humanities Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Former AAA president Ramon Roco declares that benefactors, in particular, are very excited. “It’s because they hit two birds with one stone: They help a financially-disadvantaged student and bring home a good work of art for their generosity.”
The featured works at the 2011 Ateneo Art Auction will be on view at Finale on Sept. 29 and 30, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Oct. 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Interested bidders are encouraged to register and submit bids by sending an e-mail to program manager Nicole Paterno at nicolepaterno@ alumni.ateneo.edu.
The Ateneo Art Auction is supported by Standard Chartered Bank, Smart Communications Inc., PhilAm Life, Crown Fine Arts and Pioneer Insurance. For inquiries, call the Ateneo Alumni Association at 426-6001 local 4688.