The Zóbel de Ayala family might be best known for being industrialists and creating one of the biggest Filipino conglomerates, but it is also known as a strong supporter of the arts, with Fernando M. Zóbel (1924-1984) — one of the leaders in the Spanish and Filipino modernist movement– as the most well-known.

Filipinos will now get the opportunity to see Zóbel’s works up close as well as get insights into his life through previously unseen sketchbooks as well as quotes from the man himself.

The multimedia exhibition Zóbel: The Future of the Past premieres in Asia at Ayala Museum in celebration of the museum’s 50th anniversary, Zóbel’s birth centenary, and the Ayala Corporation’s 190th anniversary.

Co-curated by Felipe Pereda, the Fernando Zóbel de Ayala Professor of Spanish Art at Harvard University, and Manuel Fontán del Junco, director of Museums and Exhibitions at Fundación Juan March, Madrid, the exhibition showcases the artist Zóbel’s ability to bridge artistic traditions across Asia, America, and Europe.

A scion of the Zóbel de Ayala family, Fernando Zóbel grew up in Manila and Madrid. After being caught by World War II in Manila, Zóbel left in 1946 to study at Harvard University, majoring in history and literature and graduating magna cum laude. During his Boston years, he discovered his talent in painting, drawing, and printmaking, fueled by associations with painters from the Boston School. He was also exposed to the works of Bauhaus artists, eventually meeting the leading abstract expressionists in New York.

When he returned to Manila in 1951, he worked for the family firm but also became immersed with early Filipino modernists, such as Vicente Manansala, H. R. Ocampo, and Cesar Legaspi. Local artists regarded him as a “window to modern art.” Later, he pursued non-objective art with Arturo Luz and Lee Aguinaldo. He studied other artistic forms such as Chinese calligraphy, Japanese sumi-e painting, Philippine colonial religious art and architecture, as well as archaeology.

The Manila iteration of the exhibition features over 200 works by Zóbel, including never-before-seen sketchbooks, offering an in-depth exploration of his contributions to modern art and his role as a pioneering figure in the global and diverse nature of contemporary culture. The exhibition also illustrates how the study of the past remains relevant to the development of artists in the present. Zóbel himself was a prime example of this, arriving at his fresh and innovative approach to painting and understanding of art after he studied and contemplated the works of old masters, ancient calligraphy, archeological objects, literature, and the like.

Zóbel: The Future of the Past serves as a significant cultural milestone, honoring Zóbel’s enduring artistry, legacy and his role in heralding modern art in the Philippines and in Spain.