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Manila Bulletin devider Lifestyle devider Arts and Culture devider An afternoon with Rothko: Annie Cabigting's rare masterwork at Salcedo Auctions

An afternoon with Rothko: Annie Cabigting's rare masterwork at Salcedo Auctions

A contemplative encounter with Rothko anchors Salcedo's flagship auction

Published Sep 19, 2025 07:29 am

At A Glance

  • By Devi De Veyra
As collectors have found out, Annie Cabigting’s paintings are hard to come by. She rarely mounts exhibitions, produces sparingly, and her works seldom reach the auction floor. That is why the appearance of "An Afternoon With Rothko" (2010) at Salcedo Auctions’ "The Well-Appointed Life" live and online afternoon sale on Saturday, September 27 at 2pm is a great opportunity for collectors to acquire a prime example from one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Philippine art.
As the flagship event of Salcedo Auctions, "The Well-Appointed Life" showcases a spectrum of significant works — from pre-war masters to post-war modernists and today’s leading contemporary voices. Among these towering names, Cabigting’s "An Afternoon With Rothko" confidently holds its place.
Executed in 2010, "An Afternoon With Rothko" belongs to Cabigting’s celebrated series depicting museum interiors, where anonymous figures stand before iconic works of art. In this piece, a woman and a young boy contemplate one of Mark Rothko’s luminous canvases. With their backs turned, the figures mirror our own role as spectators, implicating us in the quiet, reverent encounter. Cabigting turns the act of looking itself into her subject — a concept that defines her singular practice.
The choice of Rothko is telling. His paintings are often described as transcendent, inviting stillness and reflection. By placing a viewer before a Rothko, Cabigting underscores art’s ability to create profound spaces of contemplation, while reminding us that such encounters are always shaped by the presence of the beholder.
Over the years, Cabigting’s reputation has grown precisely because of this intellectual clarity paired with meticulous execution. Each painting is an event, rare and resonant, making their appearance at auction all the more significant.
"An Afternoon With Rothko" is more than just another lot in "The Well-Appointed Life." It is a rare chance to acquire a work that captures the very essence of Cabigting’s practice — rigorous, contemplative, and transformative.
View the catalogue and register to bid at salcedoauctions.com.
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