After a hectic week filled with work and tight deadlines, sometimes you just need some quiet time to recharge your social battery. There are also moments when those peaceful experiences are best shared with someone special. In this new DAILY TRIBUNE special, we’ll introduce you to the best “datestinations” (date + destination) around the metro or wherever you want to be in the country.

Our first stop: Ayala Museum in Makati.

Thanks to our friends at BPI, we received an exclusive look at Ayala Museum’s latest exhibit, Fernando Zóbel — The Future of the Past.

Yes, you read that right—the Ayala-Zóbel lineage is not only remarkable in leadership and business, but also in the arts, with Fernando Zóbel de Ayala y Montojo as a prominent figure. Zóbel emerged as a pioneer of modern art in the Philippines. A poet with a curious mind, his works tell stories from his everyday life, from the view outside his window to his museum visits. His legacy continues to narrate Fernando Zóbel's life.

Several of Zóbel's journals are on display, along with his paintings. Visitors can witness the research, inspiration, and drafts that his paintings underwent before being transformed onto canvas. Some of the artworks curated for this exhibit were originally housed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, while others are from private collections of the Ayala family and art enthusiasts.

A Special Showcase

This exhibition builds on the success of the 2022 showcase at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain. Zóbel holds the distinction of being one of only two 20th-century artists whose works have been exhibited in Spain’s national museum, the other being Pablo Picasso.

The Museo del Prado has lent Juan van der Hamen's Cesta y caja con dulces to be part of the exhibit. In addition, select Zóbel pieces that cannot be photographed are also on display.

The exhibition opened to the public on 14 September 2024 and runs until 26 January 2025. Ayala Museum operates from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and remains closed on Mondays, special holidays, and for private events.