‘The Patrimony of All’ exhibit unveils masterpieces from Lopez Family of Iloilo private collection

The Lopez Family of Iloilo unveils to the public “The Patrimony of All – Ang Panublion sang Tanan – Paintings from the Lopez Museum and Library Collection, ” an exhibit showcasing the works of Filipino masters Juan Luna, Felix Hidalgo, Juan Arellano, and Fernando Amorsolo from the Lopez Museum and Library (LML) Collection.

At the Green Meets Great press conference presenting Iloilo City’s green MICE city goals, held in ONE Ayala, Makati City last October 22, Mercedes Lopez-Vargas, president of the Lopez Group Foundation, Inc. and executive director of the Lopez Museum and Library, announced that 16 masterpieces have been carefully selected for the exhibition, which will open on November 25, 2024 to run until April, 2025, at the UP Visayas Museum of Art and Cultural Heritage in Iloilo City.

Of the works, four are from the Juan Luna collection, four from the Felix Hidalgo collection, five from the Fernando Amorsolo collection, and three from the Juan Arellano collection.

“Through their works, we hope to show that these artists painted not just what they saw and felt around them but also conversed with what was imagined elsewhere in the world,” said Lopez-Vargas.

Curated by Dr. Patrick Flores, “The Patrimony of All” recognizes that the creativity embodied by the four esteemed masters belong to all Filipinos, the artworks, artifacts and written materials collected with a vision of providing Filipinos with the resources to learn about their history and culture.

“The Patrimony of All” will allow audiences in the Visayas to encounter the works of the Filipino masters, while also shining the spotlight on the rich architectural heritage and legacy of Iloilo. The exhibition is also part of the celebration of the 77th Year of the UP Presence in Iloilo.

The project is a joint initiative of the University of the Philippines Visayas, the Lopez Group Foundation, Inc. and the Iloilo City Government, conceived by former Senator Franklin Drilon in 2019 and made possible through the support of Senator Loren Legarda.

The Lopez family, its foundations and corporations, while based in Metro Manila, remains deeply rooted in Iloilo, the province of its origins. For more than a century, members of the Lopez family have been involved in the community through their entrepreneurial, civic and philanthropic activities.

From 1878, when Iloilo was struck by famine, Kapitan Eugenio Lopez and his brother Claudio organized relief operations using their own funds, to 2006 when a disastrous oil spill affected Guimaras, the Lopez family donated 15 hectares of land to affected families, providing them with a place to live and livelihood programs.

Beyond assistance during times of trouble, the Lopezes understand that building a community requires an investment in people and the heritage that they value. In the 1950’s Kapitan Eugenio’s son, Eugenio, Sr., embarked on a program to improve educational facilities. His children and grandchildren have followed in his footsteps, with social development projects in the town of Jaro, a Gawad Kalinga project, a Bantay Kalusugan malnourishment reduction program, and skills development and training for weaving collectives and indigenous groups.

Ingrained in the family and its institutions is an appreciation of the depth and breadth of Philippine cultural heritage found in every part of the country. It is the spirit that drove Oscar Lopez to fund the restoration of the Jaro cathedral and the Lopez Group Foundation, Inc. to bring masterpieces from the Lopez Museum and Library collection to Iloilo.