Fernando Zóbel and Museo de Arte Abstracto Español, Cuenca

To be presented by Anna Wieck, Collaborating Curator of Fundación Juan March.

This illustrated talk will explore the unique career of artist and collector, Fernando Zóbel (1924-1984). Born into a Spanish family in the Philippines, where he was raised and educated in Europe, Manila, and the United States, Zóbel truly belonged to three continents. In 1955, he became enamored with the unique vitality of Spanish abstract art upon visiting the gallery of Fernando Fe in Madrid, where he saw works by Antoni Tàpies, Eduardo Chillida, Antonio Saura, and Luis Feito, among others. In collecting their paintings and sculptures, Zóbel recognized the importance of promoting and securing their legacy in Francoist Spain, which at the time was culturally isolated and lacked an infrastructure to support the artistic avant-gardes. His belief in their work, and in the visual language of abstraction, led him to establish, together with the artists, the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español in 1966. This presentation will illuminate details of the museum's curatorial project during its first two decades, as well as Zóbel's development as an artist during this period.

ArtFairPH/Talks features daily discussions presented in partnership with the Ateneo Art Gallery, Museum Foundation of the Philippines, and the international publication, ArtReview. Art Fair Philippines 2021 runs from 6-15 May 2021.