Cover Fernando Zóbel’s ‘Carroza’ (1953), made of synthetic polymer paint on board, with frame designed by the artist. From the collection of Ateneo Art Gallery, Ateneo de Manila University (Photo: courtesy of National Gallery Singapore)
Fernando Zóbel’s ‘Carroza’ (1953), made of synthetic polymer paint on board, with frame designed by the artist. From the collection of Ateneo Art Gallery, Ateneo de Manila University (Photo: courtesy of National Gallery Singapore)
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Continuing the celebration of Fernando Zóbel’s 150th birth centennial, National Gallery Singapore mounts an exhibition of his works while also shedding light on his contributions to American, Philippine and Spanish art scenes
When the Museo Nacional del Prado staged the historic exhibition Zóbel: El futuro del pasado, the global art community saw a man remarkably like themselves, a frequent museum visitor with a sketchbook soaking in the magnificence of the Old Masters’ works. This show was expanded two years later by the Ayala Museum, further giving a glimpse into the life, dreams and creative process of the renowned artist. In his humility and sincere passion for the arts and their endless possibilities, Fernando Zóbel de Ayala y Montojo acknowledged that art is a shared language devoid of divisions. The lines that divide races, periods and localities could be seen as bridges instead, which art can connect and intersect to create a larger space of conversation.
Read more: Inside the opening of the ‘Fernando Zóbel: Order is Essential’ exhibition
Above The artist’s self-portrait with Chinese seal (1952), ink on paper. From the Biblioteca y Centro de Apoyo a la Investigación,Fundacion
Juan March
The artist’s self-portrait with Chinese seal (1952), ink on paper. From the Biblioteca y Centro de Apoyo a la Investigación,Fundacion Juan March
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On May 9, National Gallery Singapore (NGS) opened the Fernando Zóbel: Order is Essential show after two years of working on it, under the curatorial eyes of the Gallery’s Chief Curator, Patrick Flores and Curator Clarissa Chikiamco, alongside Manuel Fontán del Junco of Fundacion Juan March, and Felipe Pereda of Harvard University. Using Zóbel’s Saeta series as a semiotic tool, the exhibition emphasises his creative process that bridges tradition and modernity, his geographical links and transcontinental encounters, and situates him in global art history by juxtaposing his works alongside those of his contemporaries.
The exhibition’s scenography pays homage to Zóbel’s stylistics—abstracted and asymmetrical yet harmonious—with his syringe for ink and paint suspended between a cluster of Saeta works.
Above Fernando Zóbel’s recreation of Vincent van Gogh’s 1889 oil on canvas painting, ‘A Wheatfield with Cypresses’
Fernando Zóbel’s recreation of Vincent van Gogh’s 1889 oil on canvas painting, ‘A Wheatfield with Cypresses’
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“We want to highlight the depth of investment in the art world Zóbel offered in his lifetime,” Flores shares with Tatler. “Some people know him as an artist, but not all would know that he was a patron, teacher, scholar and museum-maker. He founded two museums, one in Cuenca and one in Manila. So I think of him being a Renaissance man, a man of broad sympathies… this exhibition will introduce people to Zóbel’s commitment in the art world—that being an artist is not just about creating works of art but encompasses so much more.”
Structured around the United States, the Philippines and Spain, where he practised from the Forties to the Eighties, this survey exhibition invites audiences to reflect on how modernism took different forms in each place and time, and how Zóbel’s practice navigated and bridged these cultural environments. The exhibition also introduces key international artists Zóbel engaged with and collected throughout his career, such as Mark Rothko, Antoni Tàpies and Liu Kuo-sung, whose original works are displayed alongside his own. These dialogues provide a broader perspective on global art movements, enriching the exploration of artistic conversations through Zóbel’s lens.
Expanding Narratives
Above National Gallery Singapore Chief Curator Dr Patrick Flores
National Gallery Singapore Chief Curator Dr Patrick Flores
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As Flores newly assumed the role of Chief Curator in 2024, NGS signals an institutional shift toward deeper engagement, broader inclusivity and reimagined narratives. With decades of curatorial and academic experience, including directing the Singapore Biennale in 2019 and curating the Philippine Pavilion’s return to the Venice Biennale in 2015, among other notable achievements, he brings an expansive and reflective approach to a museum celebrating its tenth anniversary and preparing for its next chapter.
Under his term, he aims to bridge departments previously operating in silos: Curatorial, Learning, Programmes, Audience Development, and Community & Access. “It’s not just about putting on exhibitions anymore,” Flores says. “It’s about how curatorial thinking and programmatic outreach can co-exist—how curators can think like programmers, and programmers like curators.”
Read more: Museo del Prado earns rave reviews for its Fernando Zóbel retrospective exhibition
Above Fernando Zóbel’s ‘Portrait of Jim Pfeufer with Clarinet’ (circa 1953), oil on wood, from the collection Mario and Mimi Que
Above Fernando Zóbel’s ‘Seated Man (Nothing III)’, a 1953 oil on canvas work from the collection of Louie and Liza Bate
Fernando Zóbel’s ‘Portrait of Jim Pfeufer with Clarinet’ (circa 1953), oil on wood, from the collection Mario and Mimi Que
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The role of a curator goes beyond selecting artworks. It involves writing, thinking and contextualising art within broader cultural, social and political frameworks. “Originally, I was drawn to writing about art and its varied forms—to expressing what I saw, heard, experienced,” he shares. “Curatorship allowed me to explore relational thinking and humanistic inquiry.” This intellectual curiosity underpins much of Flores’s vision: museums must not only present art but also offer tools for the general public to understand its layered meanings. This includes having docents who are volunteer private individuals to engage with audiences.
Above An archival photograph by Nap Jamir of Fernando Zóbel at work
An archival photograph by Nap Jamir of Fernando Zóbel at work
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Meanwhile, Flores’s approach to art history is particularly relevant in the context of Southeast Asia, a region he sees as rich in diversity but often flattened by traditional, Western-centric perspectives. “The art worlds here are increasingly plural—marked by more lateral relationships, less vertical or hierarchical. You can no longer describe the ‘art scene’ with easy shorthand.” In response, he advocates for complexity over reduction and multiple perspectives over single narratives.
One of the top priorities of the new Chief Curator is to revisit and expand the Gallery’s approach to Southeast Asian art history. “At this point, we’ve set the horizon,” he notes. “Now it’s time to identify and fill the gaps.” These include exploring overlooked narratives and practitioners—from women and queer artists to migrants—and reconsidering the art history as the sole lens for appreciating art.
Above Fernando Zóbel’s ‘Fútbol 14’ (1973), an oil on canvas work from a private collection
Fernando Zóbel’s ‘Fútbol 14’ (1973), an oil on canvas work from a private collection
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Flores proposes alternative vantages to understand the region. “Southeast Asia is usually defined through the countries within the ASEAN, the conception of which has colonial and geopolitical roots,” Flores explains. “But there are other paths to appreciate art history in the region—like Austronesia, which connects us from Taiwan to Madagascar, or the Indian Ocean route, which brings in ties to West Asia and Africa.” These perspectives aim to situate Southeast Asia within a broader, more interconnected global map.
NGS’s exhibition about Zóbel attests to this paradigm shift in art historiography. Through his lens, visitors can appreciate the varying stages of modernism in each location as Zóbel’s works hang alongside those of his contemporaries.
Above An installation view of ‘The light of the painting’ section of the exhibit
An installation view of ‘The light of the painting’ section of the exhibit
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Flores prefers dubbing Zóbel as an interlocal artist, rather than the totalising term of cosmopolitan, which had long been associated with the artist. However, to dig deeper, curators Flores and Chikiamco view Zóbel as a bridge between cultures, as he immersed himself deeply and contributed primarily to the places he called home at various stages of his life.
“By contextualising Zóbel’s practice within Southeast Asian and global art histories, Fernando Zóbel: Order is Essential affirms NGS’s commitment to shaping new perspectives of art and deepening cross-cultural dialogue,” Flores explains. “Our close collaborations with esteemed institutions such as the Museo Nacional del Prado, Fundación Juan March and the Ayala Museum reflect our dedication to presenting exhibitions that enrich the understanding and appreciation of post-colonial and modern art regionally and beyond.”
A People’s Museum
Above Façade of National Gallery Singapore
Façade of National Gallery Singapore
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Under Flores’s leadership, inclusivity is not just an aspiration but a structural shift. Community & Access, a division within NGS, amplifies its mandate to ensure accessibility for neurodivergent audiences, the elderly, and persons with disabilities (PWD). Besides having physical infrastructures like the Calm Room and PWD-friendly mobility access, there is also emphasis on programmatic sensitivity. “Art history can’t be the only mode of interpretation,” Flores emphasises.
Bringing art closer to the public is one of the key messages of NGS, championing efforts such as art carts, pop-up installations and the popular festival Light to Night Singapore, which transforms the museum and its surroundings into vibrant, interactive art experiences. “We want art to be woven into the fabric of the city,” Flores says.
Above Fernando Zóbel’s ‘Saeta 44’ (1957), from the collection of National Gallery Singapore
Fernando Zóbel’s ‘Saeta 44’ (1957), from the collection of National Gallery Singapore
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Above Featuring two of Zóbel’s works in his ‘The Second of May’ series
Featuring two of Zóbel’s works in his ‘The Second of May’ series
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The Gallery Children’s Biennale, now in its fifth edition, exemplifies this ethos even further. Programmes in the Keppel Centre for Art Education also aim to engage young audiences, encouraging curiosity, creativity and early connections to art.
While the Gallery aims to be a ‘People’s Museum’, Flores resists the false binary between accessibility and intellectual leadership. ”We want the public to become thought leaders, too,” he says. “When docents—who aren’t necessarily specialists—write tour scripts and engage visitors, they’re leading thought. They’re developing their intellect and deepening public discourse.” In this way, the Chief Curator sees museums as spaces of co-creation, where knowledge is both shared and generated by the public.
Above ‘El sueño de la Doncella (II). Conversación con Lorenzo Lotto [The Dream of the Damsel (II). Conversation with Lorenzo Lotto]’, 1967, oil on canvas, from the collection of Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao
‘El sueño de la Doncella (II). Conversación con Lorenzo Lotto [The Dream of the Damsel (II). Conversation with Lorenzo Lotto]’, 1967, oil on canvas, from the collection of Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao
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Flores’s philosophy is rooted not only in academic rigour but in a deep sense of empathy and humanity. When asked about the biggest lessons from his career, he responds with characteristic humility: “Don’t lose your humour. Be generous and grateful. Choose your battles wisely. Be eternally curious. And above all, be kind but learn to assert your desire.”
These values, paired with strategic vision and intellectual depth, define Flores’s approach to leadership at the Gallery. As NGS looks ahead to its second decade, his tenure signals a shift not only in what museums display but in how they listen, engage and grow with their communities.
Fernando Zóbel: Order is Essential runs from May 9 to November 30, 2025, at the Wu Guanzhong Gallery and Level 4 Gallery at National Gallery Singapore.
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Credits
Images: National Gallery Singapore
About
Before assuming the Art and Culture Editor position, Franz has always had a penchant for visual and performing arts. He is passionate about exploring and writing about the local cultural scene and rediscovering the country’s storied past and rich heritage. Besides working on this luxury lifestyle magazine, Franz is an avid book reader, local traveller, museum-goer, chorister, and community theatre playwright.
Work
Franz earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas. He writes about local visual and performing artists and their craft; drinks wines, liquors, and spirits and talks about the creativity of their respective winemakers and master blenders; tries to learn more about business and investments; respects the tradition and artistry that go behind the making of watches and jewellery; and appreciates the genius of architecture and creative design.
As head of Tatler Philippines’ pool of writers, he helps them bring impactful and socially relevant stories to light.
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