Art & Society Brings Together Founding Patrons of Ateneo Art Gallery Society

"ART & SOCIETY" BRINGS TOGETHER FOUNDING PATRONS OF
THE ATENEO ART GALLERY SOCIETY AND PAST ATENEO ART AWARDS ARTISTS


Art & Society, a project presented by the Ateneo Art Gallery, Metro Society, Fiamma Enotica Smart Gold, Power Plant Mall, and Shu Uemura, is a one-night exhibition of artworks of past short-listed and winning artists of the Ateneo Art Awards. Several of the pieces, selected by the Founding Patrons of the Ateneo Art Gallery Society, a collective of civic-minded individuals whose activities support modern and contemporary Philippine visual art through the Ateneo Art Gallery, are available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds of sold works going to the upcoming 2007 Ateneo Art Awards. The fundraising initiative will be hosted by Fiamma Enotica on Jupiter Street, Makati City on 25 May 2007.

For the project, the Founding Patrons of the Ateneo Art Gallery Society were paired with selected past short-listed and winning artists of the Ateneo Art Awards with patrons visiting the artists' studios and engaging them in discussions on their work before choosing the final artworks for exhibition. Comprising the pairings of artists and patrons are Poklong Anading (Short-listed 2004, Winner 2006) with Patrick Reyno; Marina Cruz (Short-listed 2006) with Astrud Crisologo; Mideo Cruz (Winner 2006) with Norman Crisologo; Norman Dreo (Short-listed 2005) with Kim and Felicia Atienza; Geraldine Javier (Winner 2004) with Miguel Rosales; Isa Lorenzo (Short-listed 2005) with Juan Miguel Ongsiako; Wawi Navarroza (Short-listed 2006) with Malu Gamboa; Rodel Tapaya (Short-listed 2005 and 2006) with Mark Villar; Jay Ticar (Short-listed 2006) with Rina Ortiz and Ronald Ventura (Short-listed 2004, Winner 2006) with Marcel Crespo. The exhibition also features accompanying written works by the patrons elucidating their chosen artworks.

In bringing together these partnerships, Art & Society becomes a critical examination point of the relationships and connections between the ties of artists and patrons. It also encourages the fostering of a deeper appreciation of the arts and artists within a personal and wider social sphere, affirming the significance of the arts in society and humanity.

Art & Society also calls attention to the Ateneo Art Awards, the country's premier annual contemporary art prize for young Filipino artists. The Awards are bestowed upon three Filipino visual artists, below the age of 36, who have made an outstanding and significant contribution to the definition and development of modern and contemporary art based upon a solo or group exhibition in any public venue held in the past year. Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2007 Ateneo Art Awards up to 31 May 2007, 5 pm. Forms and information may be downloaded at http://gallery.ateneo.edu.

For inquiries on Art & Society and the 2007 Ateneo Art Awards, contact Clarissa Chikiamco, Ateneo Art Gallery Project Coordinator, at 426-6488 or at cchikiamco@ateneo.edu.