An Art Space of Anecdotes and Memories

“This collection is all about the anecdotes and memories that define our art-collecting journey,” the owner reflects. It all feels so deeply personal yet universally compelling: it’s a backroom, a gallery, a bar, a living archive of artistic discovery. Tucked away on the second floor of an otherwise inconspicuous office building in Salcedo Village, the 500-square-meter space enjoys a brooding elegance across the entire floor. There is a tactile interplay of roughness and refinement that reveals different fragments of the couple’s inner world.

A frenetic mural by Auggie Fontanilla greets us as soon as the elevator doors open, leading us to the enigmatic space. From there, we get a comprehensive view of Philippine contemporary art.

Geraldine Javier’s “Spinning Women” installation, as seen at the 13th Havana Biennial, sets the tone immediately. Across from the installation, a vintage Ducati and multiple living spaces, is a wall of lit works by Yeo Kaa, complemented by a whimsical ping-pong table by Louie Cordero, originally shown at the Sonsbeek International Sculpture Exhibit in the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, in the Mahjong room, we get just the right amount of grotesquerie, courtesy of a triptych by Manuel Ocampo and four demented panels by Robert Langenegger. The mahjong tables and chairs, on the other hand, are made by Negrense artist Josephine Turalba. Even the electrical room outside has been converted into a mini Doktor Karayom showcase. It is unthinkable now, but this space used to be occupied by a stock brokerage.

The collector husband-and-wife duo returned to Manila in 2017, after living in Hong Kong and Singapore for almost two decades. Coming home allowed their children to reconnect with their roots before they headed overseas for college.

The idea for this space was formed much earlier, though. The couple started collecting in 2000, right after the birth of their firstborn son. As their collection grew, the couple strongly considered the concept for more than a decade. “We never buy art to hoard. Art is meant to be shown or shared,” the owner says. Most of the artwork they collected had been in storage at home, with family, or with some galleries.

The physical space presented itself when a friend told them of an empty office (“it was an opportunity to grovel before my wife to buy a space,” he quips) upon their return. All this began as a project during the lockdown and would take roughly two years to complete.

They would turn to interior designer Raissa Cruz, blending her industrial-glamour sensibility with the couple’s passion for Philippine contemporary art. “We needed an interior designer who could help translate our vision and even challenge us,” he says.

Exposed jet black ceilings and wood beams meet warm leatherettes and metallic accents, creating a tension between various textures in low, amber lighting and shifting shadows. The modern furniture was added to soften the features of the living areas. “You want to have that contrast among the materials,” he adds.

Of course, all these serve to frame the actual stars. In another room lies a horse sculpture by Kawayan de Guia made from film negatives. More contemporary stalwarts appear, including the likes of Poklong Anading, and Singaporean and South African artists Jane Lee and Mikhael Subotzky.

Ryan Jara’s ethereal scrawls and Gene Paul Martin’s symphony of cosmic rust articulate the corridor. Beautifully twisted works by Jojo Legaspi, Kaloy Sanchez, and Ian Fabro in another nook play a lullaby macabre. “We rotate pieces, but we do it slowly,” he explains. “We always want to make it thoughtful and tasteful. It has to match the atmosphere and feel.”

The generously stocked bar, adorned with sliding panels by Jonathan Ching, has made the art space a favorite hangout for the couple’s children and their friends. It offers a more accessible way to welcome younger people into art.

While the space is about 90% done, the owner hopes to host chefs and mixologists in the kitchen area soon. The owners particularly love the mysterious speakeasy element to this lot, one that can be appreciated by any artistically curious visitor.

“It’s really meant for a wide range of people, from artists and collectors to curators alike.” In fact, past visitors include curators from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York, and the Centre Pompidou in France. The space has also hosted several exclusive events for patrons of one of the top art fairs in the country.

From time to time, too, the couple mixes it up by inviting both collectors and artists, both seasoned and emerging, to connect. It is within these exchanges, after all, that passion and creative energy are further cultivated.

“We’re fortunate to have been exposed to contemporary art from the get-go. When I was abroad and visiting, I hung out with Geraldine Javier, Nona Garcia, Alvin Villaruel, Alfredo Esquillo, and Mark Justiniani,” he recalls. “I also went to Green Papaya Projects. So a space like this is built from that deeper connection, and I think that resonates with you when you step in.”

Here, the overarching feeling is that you’re meant “to live with art,” as the owner emphasizes. “This is a safe space without making people insecure. Hopefully, it inspires them to collect, or maybe just seek out what they truly like about art.”

This article appeared in the July 2025 Design Issue. Photos: At Maculangan