Celebrating 50 Years of Art with the Lopez Museum and Library

The Philippines has been blessed not only with wonderful natural resources like beaches and tourist destinations but also with an abundance of talented individuals. For fifty years now, the Lopez Museum and Library has housed amazing artworks and Filipiniana treasures such as paintings from National Artists Fernando Amorsolo and Botong Fransisco. This year, the Lopez Museum celebrates 50th anniversary on February 18. In celebration, a series of events and launches are lined up, starting with the Unfolding book launch and opening of Threads exhibit which will be held at the Rockwell Tent.

"Unfolding Half a Century: The Lopez Memorial Museum" is a coffee table book that will surely of great interest to all art lovers out there. Alongside the book launch is the opening of the Threads: The Museum as Site for the Weaving of Tales. Threads is an exhibit that will feature the works of artists Jean Marie Syjuco, Ann Wizer,  Myra Beltran, Jef Carnay, Ann Pamintuan,  Leo Abaya and Kiri Dalena, each of whom were invited to craft a work or come up with a "cosplay" of a character found in the iconic works in the museum, essentially weaving their own tales based on the museum collection. These pieces will be exhibited at from February 19 to 25 at the Rockwell Power Plant Mall North Court.

Rounding out the Lopez Museum's 50th year celebration is it's anniversary exhibition at the museum premises which is located at the Ortigas Center in Pasig. Entitled After the Fact, the exhibition will feature the works of Gaston Damag, Antipas Delotavo, Imelda  Cajipe-Endaya and Keith Sicat, as well as key works from the museum collection.



Just last week I was talking to a friend and I remember saying one thing that is missing in the Philippines is a good venue for the appreciation for the arts. Apparently I was wrong. Sad to say, if not for the Lopez Museum and Library Facebook Page, I wouldn't have been aware of all of these! It's nice to know that our country has such an impressive musuem and library that actually now ranks as one of the finest in Asia. This is definitely something I have to check out soon!