Who said Philippine art is dying? With the success of the first ever curated auction Two Navels and The Magnificent September Auction 2016 held at the Leon Gallery only proved that Philippine art is alive and thriving.
The preview of Two Navels, held at the recently expanded exhibition space of Leon Gallery was attended by some of Manila’s crème dela crème in business and the arts such as Lauro Baja, JayJay and Ana de Ocampo, Paulino Que and Aga Muhlach. Curators Ramon N. Villegas and Lisa Guerrero Nakpil gathered noteworthy pieces from Filipino artists Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, Fernando Amorsolo, and Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, Ang KiuKok, Fernando Zóbel, Jerry Navarro, Elmer Borlongan, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz Buen Calubayan, Vicente Manansala, Alfredo Esquillo and Joven Mansit Ben Cab, Arturo Luz and Carlos “Botong” Francisco.
The Auction, held that weekend was a triumphant success where in Carlos “Botong” Francisco’s Kalantiao at Lublubanm fetched an outstanding 26 Million pesos from a starting bid of 7 million pesos. Ben Cab’s Twins and Arturo Luz’ Musicians hammered price was 21,024,000 each. Vincent Manansala’s Mangagalaka was sold at 12 million pesos while Buen Calubayan’s A Series of Untitled Landscape went from 600,000 to a hammer price of 1.9 million pesos.
