MODERN LOVE ] Tomorrow night, Paulino Que is bringing out the jewels from his palace

Image courtesy of Finale Art File.

Finale Art File is proud to showcase “Meaning To Be Modern”, a selection of Philippine paintings from 1907 to 1959. The exhibition presents a vital part of art patron Paulino Que’s vast collection of Philippine art and antiquities. It focuses on the early periods of Philippine modern art, spanning the initial phases of the movement with Victorio Edades, his precursors Juan Arellano and Diosdado Lorenzo, and peers Galo Ocampo and Carlos Francisco, as well as the developments thereafter: the Thirteen Moderns, incipient and late neorealism, and abstraction on the cusp of the Sixties.

Image courtesy of Finale Art File.

This collection is exceptional and exemplary, surveying the watersheds of Philippine modern art, from the early part of the 20th century to the Sixties. The Fifties may be considered the high point of the process of modernity in Philippine art, preceded by years of debates with the Amorsolo conservative school of romantic realism, experimentation with a range of styles from the school of Paris, and the formation of a distinct visual idiom of modern art that was cosmopolitan and uniquely Filipino.

Image courtesy of Finale Art File.

Aside from the art works, this collection also brings to light the significance of the Paulino Que collection, which is one of the most indispensable in private auspices and could rival the combined treasures of public institutions of modern art collection such as the National Museum, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Ateneo Art Gallery, and the Vargas Museum. Featuring 36 artists and 80 works, it promises to be an event in itself, a rare occasion in which a private collection becomes public discourse as students, scholars, and supporters of Philippine art gain access to it and hopefully engage it with the same discernment that went into its shaping.


The exhibition will run from March 6 to 31, 2010 at Finale Art File, Warehouse 17, La Fuerza Compound, (enter Gate 1), 2241 Pasong Tamo, Makati City. Student tours are welcome. Should you request a guided tour, call 8132310 or email finale@pldtdsl.net. Admission is free. Finale Art File is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 7pm.