Fernando Zóbel: Reading Group

Sign up to read and discuss writings by and about Zobel, and explore how he was humorous, generous, and—above all—deeply empathetic toward artists and the experience of art. Prior reading will be assigned!

When: 25 Oct 2025, 10.30am – 12.30pm
Where: City Hall Wing, Level 4, Wu Guanzhong Gallery, Lift Lobby A
Ticket Information: Free, registration required

“I still think the best education for a painter is an education. Unless a painter is an intelligent and cultured human being, the chances are he won’t have anything to paint about. The more you know, the more you know. The thing is, there has never been, in all the history of painting, a good painter who was ignorant about painting.” – Fernando Zóbel, 1967

Patron. Scholar. Gentleman. These are the designations associated with Fernando Zóbel, an urbane and worldly artist who moved with ease across the collegiate and cultural contexts of Spain, the Philippines and the United States of America.

At first pass, the quote above might suggest an elitist sensibility. Yet Zóbel was far from a fusty, classist don: he was humorous, generous, and—above all—deeply empathetic to artists and the experience of viewing art. To better understand these aspects of the artist and how they informed his body of work, join us in this reading group organised in conjunction with the exhibition Fernando Zóbel: Order is Essential.

In this reading group, we will discuss writings by and about Fernando Zóbel and look closely at selected artworks and archival materials as we move through the exhibition. Come with curiosity and openness to discussing and sharing your thoughts on the art and ideas of Fernando Zobel. Discussions will be informal, and expertise in art is not required!

About the Exhibition

Fernando Zóbel: Order is Essential is National Gallery Singapore's first solo exhibition on the transcontinental artist, thinker and art patron who was active in Asia, North America and Europe. Born in the Philippines to Spanish parents, Zóbel shaped a language in international abstraction that instilled the vital beauty of order in the unpredictable creative process. Running from 9 May – 30 November 2025, the exhibition highlights Zóbel’s unique artistic practice and contribution to modernism globally. The exhibition is an iteration expanding on the Zóbel: The Future of the Past exhibition, which was held at the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid (2022) and in the Ayala Museum, Manila (2024).

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Fernando Zóbel: Reading Group