Manila Galleon: From Asia to the Americas at the Asian Civilisations Museum

FZA tours the exhibition which features objects from the 16th to 20th centuries on loan from international institutional and private lenders

The Philippines was represented during the exhibition opening in November by San Agustin Museum Director Fr. Ricky Villar Banday OSA, Ayala Museum Director Mariles Gustilo, Intramuros Administration Administrator Atty. Joan Padilla, and AFI President Tony Lambino

AFI Chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala with the National Heritage Board’s Denisonde Simbol, Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) Director Kennie Ting, ACM Curator Clement Onn, and Mexican art and culture curator Lidia Riveros in front of The Tree of Life / Images courtesy of Asian Civilisations Museum

For the first time in Singapore, a large-scale exhibition on the Manila galleon traces the historical trade links that connected Asia to the Americas and Europe—and created a distinctive cultural and artistic heritage shared by peoples on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.

Presented by the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), Manila Galleon: From Asia to the Americas features more than 140 rare and important objects from the 16th to the 20th centuries from ACM’s international partners, including institutional and private lenders from the Philippines. This was made possible through Ayala Museum, which collaborated with Singapore’s National Heritage Board and ACM as a collecting agent for the Philippine loans from the Intramuros Administration and Museo Enrique Zobel as well as private collectors Fernando and Catherine Zobel de Ayala, Rina Ortiz, Paulino and Hetty Que, Richard and Sandra Lopez, Vicky Amalingan-Sales, Maritess Pineda, and Mark Lewis Higgins. Ayala Museum also lent Woman With Manton by Juan Luna and three precolonial gold objects.

When in Singapore, don’t miss Manila Galleon: From Asia to the Americas, which runs until March 17. For more info, visit Asian Civilisations Museum (nhb.gov.sg)