The exhibition Pacita Abad: Philippine Painter opened recently at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila’s (The M) new home in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, celebrating the life of the much-loved and lauded Filipina artist.

The exhibition curated by Clarissa Chikiamco, focuses on the first 10 years of Pacita’s artistic practice, from 1976, the year she began her formal art studies at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C., to 1986, the last year she was based in Manila after returning to the Philippines in 1982. Included in the show are some of her earliest works, created as a budding painter, during which she explored her artistic identity as a Filipina born and raised in Batanes. Despite always being on the go and having traveled to over 60 countries, her deep love for the Philippines translated into her work through her use of vibrant colors and warm tones.

Attendees of the opening ceremony included many of the late artist’s friends and family such as Pacita’s former husband, Jack Garrity, and his wife Kristi Garrity; Pacita’s siblings such as Florencio “Butch” Abad with two of his children Patsy and Luis, Orencia “Rency” Barona, Vicky Kerblat, along with other members and friends of the Abad family. Present as well were members of the board of trustees of The M, Louie Bate, Paulino Que, Manny Minana, Luis Virata and Myla Villanueva; co-founders and co-directors of Silverlens Galleries Isa Lorenzo and Rachel Rillo, together with over 250 friends and supporters of The M.

The event opened with host Bambina Olivares, head of special projects and exhibitions at The M. The M president Tina Colayco, drawing from her personal friendship with Pacita Abad, said: “If I may do some reminiscing about Pacita and her involvement with the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, let me say that she has been part of many exhibitions here since 1995. She showed her trapuntos in a two-woman show together in July 1995 with Paz Abad Santos. There was another exhibition on the Filipino Artist Abroad in 1998, which featured Pacita’s work. When Pacita left the country she gifted the museum with a trapunto entitled House of Incest, which was exhibited as part of the survey exhibition collection on Philippine Contemporary Art: From the Past to the Present which ran from 2015 to 2017.”

The curator, Clarissa Chikiamco, drew similarities between her and Pacita, calling the exhibition a homecoming show for the both of them, as Chikiamco had her first job at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila back in 2005, and Pacita had not had a solo exhibition in the Philippines for quite a while now. She thanked her colleagues, Pacita’s family, the Pacita Abad Art Estate, and The M for the successful exhibition.

Jack Garrity, former husband of Pacita Abad and director of the Pacita Abad Art Estate, also expressed gratitude to the people who participated in the making of the exhibition. Chikiamco then escorted attendees up the staircase to the third-floor North Gallery for a guided exhibition tour.

The exhibition runs until 30 March 2025.