León Gallery partners with the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) in holding the exhibit “The World Is Too Much With Us,” an exhibit of works by the late National Artist for the Visual Arts Jose Joya, at ArtFair Philippines 2017, ongoing till Feb. 19 at the Link carpark, Ayala Center Makati. The joint exhibition space is at No. 38, 7th level of The Link.
The Asian Cultural Council Philippines Foundation began its highly fruitful partnership with León Gallery in 2015 with the first ACC Art Auction, allowing it to send more deserving Filipinos for transformative foreign training.
León Gallery has been named among the top 250 auction houses in the world in 2016.
The exhibition is organized around the works of Joya, the first Filipino visual artist to receive the John D. Rockefeller 3rd Fund grant in 1967 (and again in 1969.) The Rockefeller fellowship is the forerunner of the Asian Cultural Council. The show is curated by Ramon N. Villegas and Lisa Guerrero Nakpil.
Today, with over 202 grants—180 to individuals and 22 to institutions—the Asian Cultural Council Philippines has been a major force in shaping several generations of Filipino artists (painters and photographers, musicians and dancers, moviemakers, theater experts and designers), scientists, and creative-arts professionals.
In the Visual Arts alone, beginning with José Joya in 1967, it has fostered the international exchange of ideas and expertise for some 38 visual artists, three in art history, two in art administration and 11 in museum studies—for an astounding total of 54 over its start more than half a century ago.
ACC Philippine program director Teresa Rances said, “With additional funds from our gracious sponsors and assistance from ACC New York, we were able to provide grants to five exceptional individuals and one entire organization in 2015.
“The remarkable outcome from our debut benefit event with León Gallery was succeeded by an even more astounding auction year in 2016. Notably, part of last year’s proceeds donated to ACC enabled eight recipients of the Fellowship Grant,” stated Rances.
“There are alliances that thrive on steady gains while others flourish fueled simply by a common desire to help and give back. We are thankful for sharing this vision with León Gallery as we look beyond our two fruitful years for more possibilities to reach out and be instrumental in transforming lives and enabling dreams through the ACC Philippine Fellowship Program,” emphasized Ernest L. Escaler, ACC Philippines Foundation Inc. chairperson and ACC New York trustee.
