WHAT'S NEXT IS MAGNI- FICENT
LÉON GALLERY readies for another incredible auction this September, promising a solid presentation of the best the gallery has to offer
It has been eight months since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changed the country―and the world. Amid the chaos, art became a welcoming respite for many because of its power to unite, inspire, and connect with others even in times of crisis. Hoping to continue bringing joy and hope to many art appreciators and collectors, Léon Gallery is getting ready for its next big auction this September.
THE MAGNIFICANET SEPTEMBER AUCTION
Called the Magnificent September Auction 2020, the pieces in the event include the works of masters and contemporary artists. “This coming auction, we are very fortunate that we will be representing the first major work by Pam Yan Santos. We have exquisite works by Romulo Olazo from 1980, (Fernando) Amorsolo from the best period which is from the 1920s, Ben Cab’s Larawan Series from the 1970s, and Jigger Cruz is probably the best that you can find for contemporary art,” says founder and director Jaime Ponce de Leon.
The collection also includes pieces from Hernando Ruiz “HR” Ocampo, Ronald Ventura, and an egg tempera from Anita Magsaysay Ho. “The egg tempera works of Anita are extremely rare and extremely coveted by collectors,” adds Jaime.
ART ACROSS GENERATIONS
Before, people think that collecting art is only reserved for the elite and the more experienced in life. However, de Leon sees a shift in the dynamics of art collectors. “You see collectors in their 20s and their 80s. If the question is their buying power, well, probably logical value is the older ones would probably be willing to plunk in a larger amount than the younger ones. But you also have a lot of tech-savvy entrepreneurs in some of the younger ones. All in all, it’s a very good mix―an ecosystem of all ages, demographics, and everything else,” says de Leon.
TRANSITION TO ONLINE AUCTIONS
With lockdowns and quarantine measures imposed by the government in the hopes of curbing the number of COVIDpositive cases, many art galleries and auction houses have shifted to offering online auctions, including Léon Gallery.
“Online is very convenient for anybody. You can bid from the comforts of your home; it is very easy, and this attracts a lot of people, wherever you are in the world, you can participate in it. We
have bidders from the United States, the Middle East, and Hong Kong,” says de Leon. “Basically, the online manner for bidding is already a step forward in response to our present situation. We are also developing an app that is an offshoot of the online bidding and should that materialize, then that will be another forward step.”
However, there are still those who prefer live auctions as opposed to online ones. “The allure of bidding with an auctioneer is still there, and people― especially the conservative collectors― will still prefer to be in with an auctioneer on stage,” explains de Leon. “But things are changing. If you’re familiar with what Christie’s and Sotheby’s are doing, they have sold record-breaking prices on their online auctions with an auctioneer… So there is an acceptance of participation among the art collecting community online,” he adds.
“The basic difference is that during the live auction, we have an auctioneer ― with the online auction, everything is just computer-based.”
With the art industry still very much alive in the country and contributing to the economy, how will it continue to survive amid the COVID-19 pandemic? “You can look at in a lot of ways, but I think regardless of the content of one’s pockets, the desire and love for art will still be there,” says Jaime. “The love for art will not be diminished among collectors.”