One of the most important components of a museum is its collection. According to the International Council of Museums’ (ICOM) Code of Ethics, the maintenance of a collection is integral not only to the creation of a museum’s core vision, but also essential in safeguarding cultural heritage for future generations.
The donation of works to a museum is even more crucial, as these become part of its core collection, and in turn, a contribution to the public. This is the main theme of Fundacion Sansó’s latest exhibit Magnanimous Reciprocity which runs from March 12 to 30, 2024.
“Our latest exhibit celebrates the tenth anniversary of the founding of Fundacion Sansó,” says the museum’s Director Ricky Francisco. “As we look back, we pay tribute to the magnanimities and reciprocities that made Fundacion Sansó a reality. We look back at the magnanimity of Juvenal Sansó, who donated his personal collection that became the core of the museum.”
Highlighting donated Sansó works
“Magnanimous Reciprocity” features the donations of key collectors and individuals of Juvenal Sansó’s works; many of which have not been exhibited in public. These include archival photos of Sansó’s art and shows by Nath and Annamee Gutierrez which were donated by their daughter Annatha Lilo Gutierrez, school plates, a travel sketch, and a painted fan from Raffy Simpao III, textile designs from the 1960s, sketchbooks from the 1980s, and a work from the 1970s that presages the “Moderno” series from Jack Teotico, and an ink painting from Husband and wife Eliot and Cherry Maguan that point out key phases in Sansó’s career and life.
The exhibition is unique in the sense that it highlights the different approaches of Sansó in his art; ranging from his studio skills as a young fine arts student at the University of the Philippines and his works in the Applied Arts such as textile and product design, to his various artistic pursuits.
Importance of art donations
Francisco says that this exhibit also puts the focus on the importance of donations. “It is important for collectors to donate to museums, because they become active partners in putting together the legacy of artists,” he explains. “When they donate art to a museum, it becomes part of public knowledge, part of our culture. The public becomes more informed, more well-rounded in terms of the way we think, of what we know.”
The director explains further that the act of donation does not remain one-sided, as collectors benefit greatly from their generosity. “Aside from being active contributors, the public would appreciate the fact that these donors are giving back to Mr. Sansó in a roundabout way. They have enjoyed his art, and now they are letting more people enjoy his art.”
Magnanimity, the art of giving back
The opening reception of “Magnanimous Reciprocity” also coincides with the Fundacion Sansó’s Thanksgiving Dinner with the museum’s donors, collectors, members of the media, and the foundation’s beneficiaries. In the past few years, Fundacion Sansó created programs and collaborations that benefited educational institutions and various advocacies, such as the Sansó Stipend Fund for Fine Arts students of the Bulacan State University, the Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts of the Far Eastern University, and the Leo Abaya Thesis Grant for the UP College of Fine Arts.
This act of magnanimity began with Juvenal Sansó himself, when he secretly donated funds out of his own pocket to help aspiring art students at his alma mater, the UP College of Fine Arts.
Two of the most recent projects this 2024 were the donation of the proceeds from the sale of the Sansó x Rega Turntable to the UP College of Fine Arts, and the turnover of donations from the sale of the limited edition “Sarimanok 2014” giclee by Adbulmari Imao to Angat Sining, the arts and culture pillar of the Angat Buhay Foundation. National Artist Imao is part of Fundacion Sansó ICArE (Initiative of the Continuation of the Artist’s Estate) program, and it was fitting that his work benefits future artists.
“We believe that art is the most effective medium for communicating these aspirations, this hope for our country,” says Toym Leon Imao, educator, sculptor, and son of National Artist Abdulmari Imao. “With the Angat Sining program, we are hoping that we can inspire young people who can eventually become like a BenCab, like an Alice Reyes, like a Virgilio Almario; with this, we can make a difference.”
The art of giving back can best be seen in one of the “Magnanimous Reciprocity” donations, a portrait of Juvenal Sansó created by Glecy Alberto, one of the scholars from the Bulacan State University who benefited from the Sansó Stipend Fund. This beautiful gesture was an act of gratefulness, of giving thanks to the artist who helped Alberto fulfil her artistic dreams.
“With donations, the cycle of kindness is always being reciprocated,” Francisco says. “The kindness doesn’t end; it revolves through time and it benefits even more people.”