Master showcase

The Lopez Family of Iloilo unveils to the public “The Patrimony of All — Ang Panublion sang Tanan — Paintings from the Lopez Museum and Library Collection,” an exhibit showcasing the works of Filipino masters Juan Luna, Felix Hidalgo, Juan Arellano, and Fernando Amorsolo from the Lopez Museum and Library Collection.

At the Green Meets Great press conference presenting Iloilo City’s green MICE city goals, held in ONE Ayala, Makati City recently, Mercedes Lopez-Vargas, president of the Lopez Group Foundation Inc. and executive director of the Lopez Museum and Library, announced that 16 masterpieces have been carefully selected for the exhibition, which will open on 25 November and run until April at the UP Visayas Museum of Art and Cultural Heritage in Iloilo City.

Of the works, four are from the Juan Luna collection, four from the Felix Hidalgo collection, five from the Fernando Amorsolo collection, and three from the Juan Arellano collection.

“Through their works, we hope to show that these artists painted not just what they saw and felt around them but also conversed with what was imagined elsewhere in the world,” said Lopez-Vargas.

Curated by Dr. Patrick Flores, “The Patrimony of All” recognizes that the creativity embodied by the four esteemed masters belong to all Filipinos, the artworks, artifacts and written materials collected with a vision of providing Filipinos with the resources to learn about their history and culture.

“The Patrimony of All” will allow audiences in the Visayas to encounter the works of the Filipino masters, while also shining the spotlight on the rich architectural heritage and legacy of Iloilo. The exhibition is also part of the celebration of the 77th Year of the UP Presence in Iloilo.

The project is a joint initiative of the University of the Philippines Visayas, the Lopez Group Foundation Inc. and the Iloilo City Government, conceived by former Senator Franklin Drilon in 2019 and made possible through the support of Senator Loren Legarda.

The Lopez family, its foundations and corporations, while based in Metro Manila, remains deeply rooted in Iloilo, the province of its origins.