Since 2004, the Fernando Zobel Prizes for Visual Art have been given to Filipino visual artists below the age of 36 for outstanding work in an exhibition held between 2 May of the previous year and 1 May of the current year. The recognition honors Fernando Zóbel de Ayala (1924 – 1984), the founding benefactor of the museum, who supported emerging Filipino visual artists and whose critical eye left a mark in Philippine art history.
From a shortlist of twelve (12) artists, three (3) winners will be chosen and will be eligible for international residency grants from our partner institutions: La Trobe Art Institute in Bendigo, Australia, Liverpool Hope University in Liverpool, United Kingdom and Artesan Gallery + Studio in Singapore.
Established in 2014 by the Ateneo de Manila University through the Ateneo Art Gallery in partnership with the Kalaw-Ledesma Foundation, Inc. and in association with The Philippine Star, the Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Prizes in Art Criticism honor the memory of Purita Kalaw-Ledesma, art patron and founder of the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP). Ledesma was instrumental in the development of Philippine art of the post-war period through the establishment of the AAP and her patronage of both established and emerging artists.
Last year, also welcomed was ArtAsiaPacific Magazine, the English-language periodical covering contemporary art and culture from Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East, as a new publication partner for the prizes.
Two (2) winners will be chosen in this category. The winner of Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Prize – The Philippine Star will be awarded a column which will be published twice monthly in the said publication or a total of 24 articles in one year while the winner of Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Prize – ArtAsiaPacific Magazine will be contributing six articles in one year to the bi-monthly publication.
Review carefully the forms, mechanics and guidelines for both prizes. They may be downloaded from the Ateneo Art Gallery website. Should you have any inquiries, please email us at aag@ateneo.edu.
