International Zóbel show makes Asian premiere at Ayala Museum

Zóbel: The Future of the Past premiered last 14 September at the Ayala Museum on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Zóbel’s birth centenary, and the Ayala Corporation’s 190th anniversary.

Co-curated by Felipe Pereda, the Fernando Zóbel de Ayala Professor of Spanish Art at Harvard University, and Manuel Fontán del Junco, director of Museums and Exhibitions at Fundación Juan March, Madrid, the multimedia exhibition showcases the artist’s brilliance in bridging artistic traditions across Asia, America and Europe. 

The Manila exhibition boasts of over 200 works by Zóbel, including never-before-seen sketchbooks, offering an in-depth exploration of his contributions to modern art and his role as a pioneering figure in the global and diverse nature of contemporary culture.

The exhibition illustrates how the study of the past remains relevant to the development of artists in the present, Zobel being a prime example. Zóbel: The Future of the Past was only the second exhibition at the Prado dedicated to modern art by a 20th-century artist, the first being Pablo Picasso.

As part of the celebrations marking Fernando Zóbel’s birth centennial, the 190th anniversary of Ayala Corporation, and the 50th anniversary of Ayala Museum, Zóbel: The Future of the Past is a significant cultural milestone, honoring Zóbel’s artistry, legacy and his role in modern art in the Philippines and in Spain.

This exhibition is organized by Ayala Foundation and Ayala Museum, and co-presented by Ayala Corporation. It is supported by the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines and the Embassy of the United States in the Philippines, and is also made possible through a partnership with BPI. Cathay Pacific is the exhibition’s official carrier, and Makati Shangri-La is the exclusive hotel partner.

The exhibition will run until 26 January 2025.