The Philippines is not yet a must-see on the global art map, but visitors should acknowledge the impressive development of its capital city, Manila, and the vibrancy of the local art scene, which has been active for decades. There is a solid cultural infrastructure, with several galleries that have been open for decades, two leading auction houses (Salcedo and Leon Auctions), and world-class private and university museums. In fact, it is collectors and donors who largely compensate for the total lack of government support and funding for the arts that has resulted in Manila having neither a national gallery nor a public contemporary art museum. Art collectors have stepped in to fill this gap with art exhibitions in their own galleries and art halls.
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One local collector who has been actively involved in developing and improving the local art scene is Timothy Tan, who organized “Wild: Women Abstractionists on Nature” at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, a group exhibition of some of the most talented female abstract painters curated by Kathy Yuang, the director at Jeffrey Deitch. The exhibition, which ended in June, included works from Tan’s art collection as well as other pieces and offered a solid overview of contemporary global abstraction by women. It was the second exhibition in a series that aims to bring prominent names in global contemporary art to the Philippines with the help of international curators and art stakeholders. The first exhibition was “Sounds of Blackness,” curated by Larry Ossei-Mensah and again based on works loaned by Tan, who regularly showcases art from his collection in his company’s exhibition spaces. Soon, he will dedicate an entire floor of one of these spaces to the art exhibition.
The Observer met with Tan to discuss building his collection, his views on the development of the local art scene and the proliferation of Filipino art in major cultural centers around the world.
There is always a first art purchase that “breaks the block” and from then on, collecting art becomes a passion. What was the first work you acquired and how?
I started collecting the way many other people buy art: I had an empty wall in my apartment that needed to be filled. I knew nothing about art at the time, so I asked friends for advice. One was a prolific artist and the other was an art consultant who gave me a list of galleries in Manila to check out. In 2010, I started buying small paintings and met gallery owners and artists along the way.
As far as the collecting career goes, I would say I got hooked when I was in Singapore for work in 2012 or 2013 and saw a Murakami print that I just had to have. I took it back to Manila and from then on I found so much joy and inspiration in art, both viewing and collecting, and I started visiting galleries all over the world and attending art fairs and auctions.
You started collecting Filipino art, but now you mainly collect contemporary art from around the world. How do you think the career trajectories and dynamics of Filipino artists differ from those of their international counterparts?
The focus of my collection is now more on contemporary black art and art from the Asian diaspora. Filipino artists are just as strong as many international artists; they would benefit from a greater presence abroad to appeal to a more global audience. Filipino galleries have begun to understand this and that is why their participation in art fairs in Asia and elsewhere is so significant. Silverlens has also opened a gallery in New York which is doing a great job of raising the profile of Filipino artists in a very competitive and demanding art world.
You are a globetrotter and visit almost all art fairs. Which is your favorite fair and which art city is your favorite destination?
The Art Basel fairs – all of them from Hong Kong and Miami to the original one in Switzerland – are among my favorites, as are all of the Frieze shows. I would say London and Paris are my top art cities; they always have the best museum exhibitions and gallery openings, especially at the beginning of the spring and fall seasons.
Your collecting taste has evolved from global to local and then from broad to focused. How would you describe your career as a collector and where do you think it will go next?
My collecting journey has always been about learning more and discovering new artists. Some of them may no longer be alive, but they might be new to me, which is part of the process. I also remain open to new media. While paintings dominate my collection, lately I’ve been leaning towards sculptures, digital art, and installation art.
Name some artists on your wish list.
Dominican-American artist Firelei Báez is currently at the top of my wish list. Her current exhibition at the South London Gallery is colourful, mythological, fantastical and powerful – an absolute must-see. Among the outstanding figures in modern art, I would love to own a work by Lucio Fontana or Louise Bourgeois.
Broadly speaking, your core business is high-end design, whose audience overlaps with contemporary art lovers. How do you think aesthetic tastes have evolved in the Philippines and how is this reflected in the recent but rapid development of Manila’s best neighborhoods, Makati and BSG?
I’ve heard people talk about the Philippines as “the wild east,” a place that’s so far away and somehow Asian. That’s a misconception because we’re a very cosmopolitan society that’s connected to what’s happening around the world in fashion, design, art and culture. How we dress, decorate our homes and choose our art reflects all of that. Our clients are also exceptionally well-traveled, so they know what’s happening globally and their travels shape their aesthetic.
What do you think is the role of collectors in a scene like the Philippines, where there is an audience for art but no public support to provide artists with the necessary institutional infrastructure?
Collectors and institutions should be cultural partners and work together. I personally worked closely with the Metropolitan Museum of Manila (The M) to organize two landmark exhibitions. In a country like the Philippines, where income inequality is a serious problem, many important collections are housed in private homes or the executive offices of blue-chip companies and are therefore open to viewing by invitation only. It is important to make collections accessible to a wider public, including children, students and artists. There is so much for everyone to learn, absorb and respond to such cultural partnerships.
