The dynamic Philippine art scene welcomes a new addition to its roster of art venues with the opening of M Gallery. Its setting is an elegant prewar mansion in Pasay City.
It is a heritage house that has survived unscathed the holocaust of war. Thus it may be said that M Gallery harnesses the memories of the past, the energies of the present and, with the emergence of a young active breed of Filipino artists whose works it will exhibit, the future.
M Gallery’s founder is Jeane Enriquez Monteverde, whose pedigree in the art business can be traced to a significant figure in Philippine art: Mariano Enriquez. Before World War II, Enriquez put up Enriquez Art Supplies, the first shop that exclusively offered imported artist’s painting materials. It was in this shop where all the luminaries of Philippine art—Fernando Amorsolo,
Botong Francisco, Vicente Manansala, Hernando Ocampo, Cesar Legaspi, now all National Artists—used to purchase their art materials. To this day, Enriquez Art Supplies continues to serve the Filipino artist.
By opening Galerie M, Monteverde extends her grandfather’s commitment to Philippine art by providing a new showcase for Filipino artists. As its initial offering, she presents its collection of works by Manansala, Ocampo, Legaspi and Alcuaz, as well as those of the so-called Amorsolo School such as Gabriel Custodio, Cesar Buenaventura, Salvador Cabrera, Roger San Miguel, Oscar Navarro, Paco Gorospe and Cesar Amorsolo.
M Gallery is at 2131 Taft Ave., near Buendia, Makati (beside EGI Bldg.); tel. 5516343, 8317260.