'The Chabet Archive: A Conversation' at Lopez Museum

MANILA, Philippines - Asia Art Archive (AAA) and the Lopez Memorial Museum mount “The Chabet Archive,” a milestone research and digitization project focusing on the work of the Philippines’ foremost conceptual artist, Roberto Chabet.

One of the most influential artists of his generation and a key figure in Philippine contemporary art, Chabet’s work questions fixed notions about art, meaning and modernity. The research is the point of entry into the understanding of Chabet’s vision of art and his impact on the development of the art scene in the Philippines.

“The Chabet Archive” consists of thousands of documents including unpublished photographs, notes, sketches, letters, invitations, and press clippings, covering the artist’s work from the ’60s to the present day. Aside from his own exhibitions, the Archive also includes documentation of exhibitions he curated and works of other artists close to him. It provides an unprecedented account of his artistic process, the vision that he espoused, and the generations of artists whom he mentored at the University of the Philippines college of fine arts.

Initiated in 2008 by Ringo Bunoan, AAA researcher for the Philippines, “The Chabet Archive” has compiled and digitized thousands of materials donated by Chabet, various institutions, galleries, collectors, and friends of the artist. The digital files will be part of AAA’s special collection in Hong Kong and will also be available to local researchers in The Philippines for consultation through the Lopez Memorial Museum.

Roberto Chabet (born1937, Manila) is a pioneering Filipino conceptual artist. Since the ’60s he has been producing avant-garde works which foreground idea over form. Also a curator, he has organized many exhibitions of contemporary art, mostly by artists who were his students at the UP college of fine arts, where he taught for more than 30 years. He was also the first museum director of the Cultural Center of The Philippines (CCP) and initiated the prestigious 13 Artist Award, which gives recognition to outstanding young artists.

In “The Chabet Archive: A Conversation,” Bunoan will present a slideshow of selected material from the project, followed by a talk with Roberto Chabet and other artists and introductory remarks by AAA executive director Claire Hsu.

The event starts promptly at 4 p.m. at Lopez Museum, ground floor Benpres Bldg., Ortigas Center. Entrance is free but slots are limited. Those attending must pre-register with Fanny or Jane at 631-2417.

For other information, e-mail Ringo Bunoan at ringo@aaa.org.hk or Janet Chan at janet@aaa.org.hk.