To mark five decades of championing modern and contemporary art, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila 50th anniversary exhibitions under its year-long “M 50 Now” banner are on view until May 30, 2027. Serving as dual headliners, Alfonso Ossorio: In My End Is My Beginning and Miniaturismo to Modernism: Philippine Art from the 19th Century to the Sixties anchor this milestone at the museum’s MK Tan Centre home in BGC.
Both shows offer a deep, complementary look at the currents that shaped Philippine visual culture, moving from 19th-century academic foundations straight into mid-century global abstraction.
Miniaturismo to Modernism: Tracing Centuries of Visual Identity
Spanning across both the 3/F North and South Galleries, Miniaturismo to Modernism is curated by art historian and academic Dr. Patrick Flores. The exhibition gathers rare works primarily from private collections alongside selections from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The exhibition acts as an expansive survey covering three distinct eras:
- Late Spanish Colonial Era: The meticulous, portrait-driven detail of miniaturismo, cultivated through local workshops and European academic traditions.
- The Rise of Modernism: The pivotal break where local artists questioned classical conventions and experimented with expressionist and cubist forms.
- Mid-Century International Dialogue: The post-war era when Philippine artists conversed directly with global avant-garde movements to carve out their own visual vernacular.
The lineup connects foundational masters like Damian Domingo and Juan Luna to pivotal National Artists and mid-century innovators like Felix Martinez, Nena Saguil, Juan Senson, and David Medalla. Beyond simply showcasing masterworks, the exhibition highlights the quiet, critical role of institutional stewardship and private patronage in keeping these pieces intact and accessible.
Alfonso Ossorio: In My End Is My Beginning
Located at the 2/F North Gallery, this exhibition provides a comprehensive look into the life and work of Philippine-born American modernist Alfonso Ossorio. Drawn from the extensive collection of Lito and Kim Camacho, the show charts Ossorio’s career from the 1930s through the 1990s.
Ossorio remains one of modern art’s most fascinating figures, closely tied to New York’s Abstract Expressionist circle and contemporaries like Jackson Pollock. The exhibition follows his progression from intricate figurative drawings to his raw, textural Congregations series, where bones, glass, plastic, and found matter merge into visceral sculptural assemblages.
The title, drawn from one of his 1958 multi-panel paintings, mirrors the artist’s philosophical stance on materiality. He viewed found fragments not as dead remnants, but as objects entering a new life within the frame.
Visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Manila
Having both shows running under one roof allows visitors to trace how Philippine artists engaged with tradition, challenged form, and held their own on the world stage.
Exhibition Run: November 8, 2026 to May 30, 2027
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Manila, MK Tan Centre, 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Friday (11:00 AM to 6:00 PM) | Saturday and Sunday (10:00 AM to 6:00 PM)
Admission: Tickets can be booked directly online via metmuseum.ph or purchased at the reception desk on-site.
- General Admission: P550
- Seniors & PWD: P440 (bring SC/PWD ID for verification)
- Students: P275
- Children ages 4 and below are FREE.
- Group Bundle (Buy 5, Get 1 free): P2,750
