Lines that Connect: Dialogue on Zóbel’s Foundational Art Collections

“For Zóbel, all the other spaces were subsumed in the museum, which was at once home, study and collection; it was also library in that one goes to a museum after having read, and at the same time travel, although more in time than in space; travel whose tone was literally conversational.”

Manuel Fontán del Junco, “Fernando Zóbel: Becoming Two Lands”, in Fernando Zóbel: Order is Essential, 2025, p.62.

Beyond his acclaim as an artist whose works are exhibited in major museums, Fernando Zóbel was also a passionate patron of the arts. His deep appreciation for both Philippine and Spanish art led to the formation of remarkable collections, which he generously donated first to the Ateneo de Manila University, establishing the Ateneo Art Gallery in 1960, and later to found the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español (Museum of Spanish Abstract Art; MSAA) in Cuenca in 1966.

In this programme, Ma. Victoria “Boots” Herrera (Director and Chief Curator, Ateneo Art Gallery) and Celina Quintas (Deputy Director, Museum of Spanish Abstract Art) share insights into the origins and development of their respective institutions. The discussion will be followed by a conversation moderated by Clarissa Chikiamco, co-curator of Fernando Zóbel: Order Is Essential.

Celina Quintas will speak in Spanish, with simultaneous interpretation (Spanish to English) available on site.

• When: 20 Sep 2025, 4.30pm – 6pm
• Suitable For: Adults, Visitors with accessibility needs, Students and Educators
• Where: City Hall Wing, Level B1, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium
• Ticket information: Free, registration required