MCAD holds fundraising auction

Proceeds to go to curatorial programs, exhibits, publications

AS PART of its commitment to present and engage with contemporary art and culture, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) will auction off locally and internationally donated artworks on Nov. 15 at the MCAD space.

The museum’s activities, including exhibitions, publications, and public curatorial programs, will benefit from the auction, aptly titled “Funding the Future.” MCAD held a similar event in 2018, the proceeds of which have funded many of its programs since.

This edition, done in partnership with Leon Gallery, is set to auction off the works of 39 artists for the benefit of MCAD’s projects. The goal is to present a wide variety of art, to dare collectors to be “a little more adventurous,” said MCAD director and curator Joselina Cruz.

“The last one in 2018 was quite successful. We made about P10 million,” said Ms. Cruz at a press conference on Oct. 16 in Makati. “This time, we hope to make much more.”

“Funding the Future” is geared towards “metroculturals,” culture buffs, and experience seekers, covering a large demographic of Filipinos both young and old who may be interested in innovative art, said MCAD deputy director Lourdes Samson.

“It’s basically a show of how the elements of the art ecosystem are integrated,” she said. “Artists donate their works, institutions make sure they’re presented, and audiences support it. An auction has all three of these integral elements coming together.

“For our programming, much of it is set for the next three years. It’s just about finding the budget. We get a chunk from Benilde, but it’s still not enough to acquire the works of global artists.” MCAD is a not-for-profit institution affiliated with De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde.

MCAD puts up three exhibits annually. On top of that, it holds curatorial talks for students, produces publications, and brings some exhibits to community spaces outside of the museum.

“We see our audience not as one mass, but as a demographic of many. That’s why an exhibition should not speak on one level alone,” said Ms. Cruz. “Loyalty is about people growing with you while you influence their aesthetic sense.

“Art is one of the most subversive ways a population can be educated.”

AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS
Works by many important names in contemporary art will go on the block at the Nov. 15 auction. There will be Pacita Abad’s Make Love Not War, a colorful mixed media work on paper that she made in 2003 during her residency at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute.

Another highlight is Martha Atienza’s Tigpanalipod (The Protectors), a digital video where she turns her lens towards Bantayan Island, to raise awareness for their maritime communities.

The auction will also feature Kiri Dalena’s Pink Book of Slogans, a compilation of photographic prints that depict protest slogans from Leni Robredo’s campaign against the Marcos family’s return.

Lui Medina’s Untitled (Land Studies) series are framed graphite and acrylic works on paper that combine the landscapes of Davao and North Italy. These movements of reimagination come alive on panoramic prints.

Included as well is Wawi Navarroza’s The Weightlifter Orans, made in 2022 as an homage to weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz’ victory in the Olympics as well as a metaphor of the burdens that women carry. There’s also Manuel Ocampo’s The Vampire From Tel Aviv, made this year as a commentary on Israel’s ongoing brutal treatment of the Palestinians.

Derek Tumala’s drawing Kaput (Landscape), showcasing technical consistency through the use of the grid, and Miguel Lorenzo Uy’s oil on linen work Abstraction (After Cosmic Dance), a portrait taken from his own DNA, will also go under the hammer.

The works can be viewed at MCAD, 950 Pablo Ocampo St., Malate, Manila, from Nov. 8 to 16. An online catalogue will soon be available on the website of Leon Gallery, the official auction partner of this event, which supports online registrations and absentee bidding.

The benefit dinner and live auction of selected lots will be held on Nov. 15, starting at 6 p.m. Chefs Stephan Duhesme of Metiz and Automat, Miko Calo of Coquette and Taqueria Franco, and Josh Boutwood of Helm and Ember are collaborating on a special four-course menu for the event.

The evening will also feature a live performance by singer Armi Millare and the distribution of a limited-edition keepsake created by artists Neo Maestro and Lani Maestro.

Tickets for the dinner and live auction are priced at P10,000 per head. — Brontë H. Lacsamana