ART, CHAMPAGNE TASTE AND A BEER BUDGET

With space and wallet constraints, works on paper would be an attractive and overlooked option. Prints and engravings were once a trendy and highly competitive field.

- WALA LANG DR. JAIME LAYA

Covid-19 notwithstanding, art auctions continue to set new records. At the Nov. 28 León Gallery Kingly Treasures Auction 2020, paintings fetched the highest prices. An HR Ocampo (Tempo Rubato, 1949) went for ₱37.4 million; a BenCab (Homage to Turing, 2006) for ₱29 million; and a Cesar Legaspi (Miners, 1979) and an Amorsolo (Lavanderas, 1949) tied at ₱13 million each. They are all National Artists but works of younger artists like Annie Cabigting, Jigger Cruz, Marina Cruz, Emmanuel Garibay, and Geraldine Javier had starting bids in the seven figures.

There were also pieces of furniture—a fabulous aparador for which you had to have a spare ₱2 million before you could raise your hand. A Cordillera hagabi, a rather ungainly prestige bench (the seat is slanted so you could slide down), fetched an incredible ₱22 million. Sculpture, santos, drawings, historical documents, maps were also on offer and fetched similarly high prices.

At that rate, ordinary mortals particularly young people early on their career paths need to strategize to collect art. I suppose most want to live with things they like, to feel they got their money’s worth, and to expect an increase in the value of their stuff.