Gavel&Block, a subsidiary of of the country’s premier auction house, Salcedo Auctions, partnered with International School Manila (ISM) for benefit, an auction to raise funds for ISM Vicky SyCip Herrera Filipino scholars.
A trove of distinctive artworks by National Artists, international masters, leading Filipino artists, and other artisanal objects of design merit was up for bids at The Conservatory of The Peninsula Manila, in order to underwrite the education of a fifth student with exceptional ability in each grade level from 8 to 12 at the ISM. The fifth student joins the four scholars in each grade level already funded directly by the school.
The foundation was named after Vicky SyCip Herrera, a well-loved guidance counselor who served 38 years at the prestigious school. For 57 years, the program has provided promising futures for over 150 Filipino scholars, who have gone on to top colleges and universities in the Philippines and abroad, such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, Cornell, and Princeton, among others. These scholars have gone on to pursue successful careers after school.
In total, benefit was able to raise a total of P3.3 million, which was raised from donations of the works’ entire sales commission and additional pledges from consignors.
By Henri Matisse
Some of the highlights from the auction include works by Romulo Olazo, Ang Kiukok, Ronald Ventura, Arturo Luz, Eduardo Castrillo, Nena Saguil, and Fernando Zobel. From the international side, there were works by Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse, Pedro Murillo Velarde, Rigobert Bonne, and Jean Francois La Perouse.
Philippine tribal and ethnographic art were represented by a 1930 ‘Dancing Bu’lul;’ an early 20th century Bontoc province ‘Kalasag’ shield and spear; and a Chalapong, Hagabi – an Ifugao priest’s miniature ritual/prestige bench in narra wood with the natural patina, dating to the 1930s-50s. There were also antique and estate furniture, as well as modern furniture in the form of Kenneth Cobonpue’s swivel chairs, which were used by heads of state at the 2015 APEC conference
The ISM community participated in the auction by donating pieces from Inigo Elizalde, Maricris Floirendo-Brias, Alan SyCip, and several pieces of estate jewelry. ISM senior fine arts students also joined by donating paintings from their final assessment exhibition.
This story is in partnership with Salcedo Auctions. For more information, visit the foundation’s Facebook or follow Gavel&Block on Facebook and Instagram, and Salcedo Auctions on Facebook and Instagram. Be part of the conversation with the hashtags #ismxgavelandblock #bidforthefuture and #arttransforms.
* Cover photo by Ronald Ventura