Cabinet at Canterbury: Home is where the art is
They say home is where the heart is. But for Allan and Jas Ancheta, it’s also where the art is. Literally.
Because apart from their sizable personal art collection, the Anchetas have been running The Cabinet at Canterbury, an impressive art gallery right within their Hillsborough Alabang home, since 2018.
The cabinet makers: A family affair
Though the couple began their collection with Kabuki masks and sketches and paintings by Manny Garibay, they have been art enthusiasts for as long as they can remember.
You could say that the love for art runs in Allan’s veins. His father worked at the Design Center of the Philippines and his grandfather, the award-winning landscape painter Isidro Ancheta, was Manansala’s contemporary. Allan also recently authored Fusion, a book about The Cabinet at Canterbury’s art.
Jas has always been artistically inclined as well. But her passion for interior design was ignited when she single-handedly decorated their Hillsborough home, the family’s third address in 10 years. Though already a wife and mother, Jas enrolled at the Philippine School of Interior Design. She then graduated with honors, turned her passion into a successful career, and is now the driving force behind Jas Ancheta Interiors.
True to form, their 20-year-old son Bruce takes after his mom and dad. It’s not surprising though, after all, practically every room in their house features some kind of art (Yes, his parents’ master bath features a mural of their family in a tropical pre-colonial setting. How cool is that?). With such strong creative influences since childhood, Bruce has developed his own eye for art. He’s even tried his hand at coordinating with artists for exhibits as well as in selling pieces.
Celebrating synergy in spaces
To mark the firm’s sixth anniversary, Allan and Jas recently hosted an evening of art and design appreciation. The occasion was named after their design philosophy: Synergy in Spaces.
“There is synergy between art and design,” Jas explains, “One cannot simply exist without the other.” To quote Allan in Fusion, “In The Cabinet at Canterbury, our philosophy of fusing Art and Interiors is clearly displayed by these two rules. Most of the artwork displayed in the gallery reflect a possibility of expressing personal tastes and preferences, but also serve as a possible complement to a room design option.”
Because Jas takes great care to ensure that art pieces are well-incorporated into each space, this design philosophy is evident in all of her projects, most notably in their home and, of course, The Cabinet at Canterbury. She accomplishes this by marrying vintage and modern styles and by adopting more sustainable approaches in the process.
Indeed, Allan and Jas envision their gallery as a venue where art meets interiors. To this end, they curate and arrange their pieces in line with principles of breadth and artist’s depth and complementing interiors.
The Cabinet’s nuts and bolts
In addition to their design philosophy, the couple cite National Artist Arturo Luz as one of their main influences in curation and art. But the concept of the gallery was inspired most by the compact look and feel of the Hanseatic Museum in Norway.
The Cabinet’s business model, however, is unusual. The Cabinet at Canterbury doesn’t enjoy the same foot traffic as mall-based galleries. It’s also currently accessible only via scheduled visits. Nevertheless, by operating out of their home, the Anchetas are able to bring their overhead costs down to a minimum. Thus, they are able to sell artwork at more competitive rates than conventional galleries that are based in commercial establishments. This makes art more accessible to collectors and allows artists to earn much faster. Besides, the intimate space and the carefully curated collection therein are definitely worth the trip.
What’s in a name?
Jas says that The Cabinet at Canterbury grew as a natural extension of their design company. In naming their gallery, Jas and Allan paired the name of their street with the now obscure meaning of cabinet — a small, private room — that’s derived from the word cabin. Yet despite the archaic origin of the gallery’s name, the collection therein is anything but.
In fact, the Anchetas say their tastes lean more towards neo-vintage paintings as well as modern and abstract pieces. And though their preferences are reflected in their collection, the gallery offers an eclectic mix of styles, genres, and media that showcases among the very best of Filipino artistry.
The Cabinet at Canterbury’s collection presently numbers over 100 pieces. Among them are notable works of Richard Buxani and Nixxio Castrillo as well as pieces by up-and-coming artists like AR Manalo, Erik Masangkay, and Micko Macariola. They also have pieces by Cesar Buenaventura and a sculpture by National Artist Napoleon Abueva that they wouldn’t dream of parting with.
Letting the art speak
The couple view art as something quite personal. It should speak to the beholder and evoke emotions. Individual preferences should therefore not bow to trends, hype, critical acclaim, or even commercial appeal. This is why, when asked what kind of experience they hope to create for their visitors, the Anchetas say they hope to spark a discussion about the visitors themselves before embarking on any discussion about art.
To show they mean business, Jas and Allan are going the extra mile. “This year.” they announced, “The Cabinet at Canterbury is introducing a free art consultancy service for aspiring art collectors and enthusiasts who don’t know where to begin.” Such a generous offer from those Jas and Allan, art lovers who have truly opened their home and their hearts to others.
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