Benefit art auctions & travel options

Several weeks ago, my beauteous TV co-host Trix Syjuco and I had the pleasure of separately interviewing a couple of leading auctioneers of Philippine art in our weekly arts & culture show Illuminati with Trix & Krip on GNN Channel (Ch. 213 on SkyCable and Ch. 16 on Destiny, Tuesdays at 6pm).

First up was the young Jaime Ponce de Leon of Dumaguete City, who has transformed himself from an interior designer to an art collector, gallery owner, and proponent of the seasonal Leon Gallery auctions — which have been so successful albeit raising certain questions over the matter of starting bids.          

Jaime explained his side, how he had studied current auction practices in Europe and simply applied certain methods here, with the objective of helping raise the level of interest in the acquisition of Philippine art works by way of competitive bidding at formal auctions.

The Leon Gallery Auctions have a distinguished predecessor in the Salcedo Auctions run by Richie Lerma, art scholar, critic and writer, who is also known as the curator of the Ateneo Art Gallery and the man behind the Ateneo Art Awards for up-and-coming Filipino artists.

In the interest of fairness, as well as a continuing art education on our part, Trix and I subsequently invited Richie to also guest in our show. He raised his points about the matter of ludicrously low starting bids that entice aficionados to engage in auctions, and the possibility that failure to reach the actual minimum price for a “lot” as agreed upon by the artist and the auctioneer could lead to dsappointment on the part of a bidder — that is, when told that the gavel banging down on the last bid doesn’t necessarily mean acquisition on the last bidder’s part.

 Well, it’s more complicated than that. But I don’t really want to get too deeply into these professional questions anent art auction practice, on what’s acceptable or not.

Suffice it to say that our art market has turned into such a success story, for artists, collectors, sellers and buyers alike, that healthy competition is to be expected, not only between these current rivals whose businesses are both based in Makati City.

Lerma’s Salcedo Auction House is located at Three Salcedo Place, 121 Tordesillas St. in Salcedo Village, while Leon Gallery is on the Ground Floor  of Corinthian Plaza, 121 Paseo de Roxas in Legazpi Village.

I say that for the nonce we should simply congratulate and cheer on these two gentlemen for their continuing advocacy and significant contributions to raising awareness and appreciation of Philippine art, let alone its acquisition, to the benefit of our dynamic artists.

Last Nov. 16, Salcedo Auctions held its nth auction of Contemporary Philippine Art, raising about P7M from the sale of close to 70 artworks. Three of these fetched over a million pesos each.

Expectedly, our bestselling contemporary artist Ronald Ventura had one work — a set of three small oil and acrylic on fiberglass resin pieces titled “Shadowplay,” dated 2005/6 — go for P1,168,000, exactly the same price for Annie Cabigting’s “After Christo,” 2011, oil on canvas at 46 1/2 x 25 1/4 inches. Its starting bid price was suggested at P420,000 to P450,000, so the actual selling price was quite a leap.

But it was Jigger Cruz’s “The Birth of the Stupid Orange,” 2011, oil on canvas at 36 x 24 inches, that took top honors, with its starting price of P100,000-120,000 jumping tenfold to reach P1,226,400. Wonderful!

On Saturday, December 7, Leon Gallery takes its turn with an auction billed as “Kingly Treasures” — a characteristic hallmark of Jaime’s being this propensity to apply admittedly hyperbolic come-on labels for each auction. Some observers might snort at the practice, but it does seem to work, initially in attracting quite a crowd to the affair that lasts about three to four hours.

The auction will be held at the AIM Conference Center, Jesus V. del Rosario Foundation Bldg., Benavidez corner Trasierra Sts., Legazpi Village in Makati. Preview days and hours are from Dec. 2 to 6, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.  

Significantly, Leon Auctions has announced that “part of the proceeds of this sale will go to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.”

Involved are 192 lots, which include decorative arts such as Lalique crystal as well as vintage furniture besides artworks by such stellar names as Juan Luna (a charcoal drawing), Carlos “Botong” Francisco, Vicente Manansala, HR Ocampo, Cesar Legaspi, Jose Blanco, Macario Vitalis, Diosdado Lorenzo, and prints of flora by Fr. Manuel Blanco (1778-1845) — the last from the Antonio Martino collection. Then there’s the Tipos del Pais lithographs circa 1859-60 from the Alejandro R. Roces Collection.  

Of the contemporary artists represented, the marquee names include BenCab, Arturo Luz, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, Cesar Legaspi, Ang Kiukok, Jose Joya, Napoleon Abueva, Eduardo Castrillo, Solomon Saprid, Abdulmari Imao, Mario “Malang” Santos, Juvenal Sanso, Roberto Chabet, Manuel Baldemor, Romulo Galicano, Lao Lianben, Romulo Olazo, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Norma Belleza, Betsy Westendorp, Lee Aguinaldo, Gabriel Barredo, Ronald Ventura, Andres Barrioquinto… Oh, and many other exemplars.

Let’s just say that if I had the wherewithal, I’d go to these auctions, both Salcedo’s and Leon’s, and cart away as much as I can of these art treasures, kingly or princely or what, our very own. And somehow help out, too, in giving the survivors of that terrible onslaught from the sea a fresh start in life.   

Yet another effort among the countless headed in that direction, by way of art, is the forthcoming activity billed as “Artabang” in Cebu, also seeking to benefit typhoon victims.

Joining forces to launch this one-night-only art sale are the Sacred Heart School and Ateneo de Cebu (Batch 1985) in partnership with Art Association of the Philippines, Portrait Artists Society of the Phils., Cebu Artists Inc, PUSOD, Syano Artlink, Gallery Orange and Mugna, with the participation of UV New School of Art and Design and Artist Events, PR/Advertising.

Over 100 artists from all over the country have donated more than 200 artworks, while marking down their pieces at 50 percent of their market price. The sale will be held on Dec. 5, 6 p.m.-11 p.m., at the Cebu Country Club Ballroom.

Artabang’s highlight will be the auction of two large interaction paintings, one by Manila-based artists and the other by Cebu artists. Also to be auctioned is a painting by the late Tito Cuevas, Kapampangan by birth but who adopted Cebu as his lifetime hometown.

Lastly, I also call on friends who have enjoyed the privileges of a vacation in Coron, Northern Palawan, to consider helping out in its rehabilitation. Here’s sharing a heartfelt letter written by Mayor Fems Reyes, addressing the question of how to help Coron:

“My dear friends, By the grace of God and the living and untiring fighting spirit among Coron people to rise after the exceptionally powerful typhoon Yolanda devastated 85 percent of the whole town, we are now rapidly back to normalcy. The ‘never-give-up fever’ is up here in Coron.

“Thanks to your assistance by sending relief goods for our people. We have received it fast and are continuously delivering it to the victims in the affected barangays. Soon we will acknowledge your aid accordingly. May the good Lord shower you and your family with more blessings.

“With the heavy damage inflicted on the livelihood of Coronians in the sectors of agriculture and tourism, we are seeking your simple help for us to recover from the great loss of property and livelihood opportunities.

“Since our economy relies mainly on tourism, you can help every one of us here by doing one thing: be a Coron tourist.

“By spending your vacation in Coron, every centavo that you would bring will help all stakeholders and constituents. Upon your arrival, all those dependent on the transportation sector will be benefited. In checking in, all those in the accommodation sector will be assisted. In tasting our food, all fishermen, farmers, traders, salesmen, restaurant owners and staff and other employees will be assured of income. In visiting our beautiful tour destinations, all boatmen, divers, guides, souvenir shop owners, and drivers will be guaranteed of earnings. By becoming a tourist, you are practically giving life to every typhoon victim. That’s what we humbly ask from you today.

“We are ready to accommodate you. Those who have already booked their vacation need not cancel their trip. Today, most accommodation establishments are functioning. All tourism sites are operational. Coron is accessible from Manila, Puerto Princesa City, Cebu City, El Nido, Culion and Occidental Mindoro. Air, sea and land transport are back to normal operations. Airlines flying to Coron like PAL Express and Cebu Pacific Air are active.

“There is electricity now in the town center. Tourism enterprises have their own generator units to sustain their services. Food supply is sufficient and easily sourced from Manila and Occidental Mindoro.

“Please check with our municipal tourism office or your tour agencies. Most of the accommodation establishments and travel agencies here in Coron will come up with exciting tour packages for you, your families, your friends and office mates.

“Book your travel now! Be a Coron tourist and save lives! See you in Coron and praise the Lord with His creation! Maraming salamat po!”