December 5, 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of Galleria Duemila, the longest-running art gallery in the Philippines today. To commemorate this milestone, the gallery presents AVANTI, SEMPRE AVANTI / FORWARD, ALWAYS FORWARD, a two-month exhibition celebrating five decades of Philippine modern art and the enduring vision of its founder, Silvana Ancellotti-Diaz.
The exhibition features works by thirty-seven artists, many of whom share long-standing and deeply symbiotic relationships with Ancellotti-Diaz that evolved into lifelong friendships. Together with hundreds of other artists, they worked alongside one another to shape and influence the trajectory of Philippine contemporary art as it is known today.
Running from January 13 to March 14, 2026, the exhibition showcases a wide range of paintings, mixed media works, works on paper, and sculptures, many of which have never or rarely been seen by recent generations of artists, collectors, art students, educators, and the wider public. Created between 1957 and 2018, the artworks were drawn from Galleria Duemila’s extensive collection and archival holdings and were largely selected intuitively.
These works represent a small yet powerful sampling of the art that captivated Ancellotti-Diaz and inspired her unwavering commitment to championing Philippine modern art. AVANTI, SEMPRE AVANTI / FORWARD, ALWAYS FORWARD invites viewers into an art world grounded not in fame or market value, but in curiosity, surprise, and the emotional and intellectual resonance of the work itself. It reflects Galleria Duemila’s enduring belief in art that challenges, bewilders, and expands the imagination.
In conjunction with the exhibition, gallery walk-throughs and panel discussions featuring writers and artists will be held from January to March 2026. These events will be open to the public, encouraging dialogue, reflection, and learning around Philippine modern art.
The exhibition features works by Pacita Abad, Leopoldo “Lee” Aguinaldo II, Ray Albano, Augusto “Gus” Albor, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, Nunelucio Alvarado, Agnes Arellano, May Baddour, Santiago Bose, Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera, Eduardo Castrillo, Roberto “Bobby” Chabet, Charlie Co, Ramon Manuel “R.M.” de Leon, Duddley Diaz, Isabel Diaz, Lamberto Hechanova, Jose Joya, Lao Lianben, Raul Lebajo, Cesar Legaspi, Julie Lluch, Arturo Luz, Jerry Elizalde Navarro, Justin Nuyda, Hernando Ruiz “H.R.” Ocampo, Manuel Ocampo, Romulo Olazo, Onib Olmedo, Imelda “Impy” Pilapil, Juvenal Sanso, Mauro “Malang” Santos, Solomon Saprid, Nestor Vinluan, Betsy Westendorp, Luis “Junyee” Yee Jr., and Phyllis Zaballero.
Since 1975, Galleria Duemila has been dedicated to the promotion of contemporary and modern art from the Philippines. The gallery maintains an extensive collection of paintings, prints, and sculptures and offers services including conservation and restoration of artworks from the 16th century to contemporary works, as well as consultation, commissions, and installations.
Founded by Silvana Ancellotti-Diaz, Italian by heart and Filipino by art, Galleria Duemila was envisioned as a platform to introduce Filipino artists locally and across the ASEAN region. The gallery has handled rare works by modern masters of the early 20th century, including Fernando Amorsolo, Fernando Zobel, H.R. Ocampo, Vicente Manansala, Jose Joya, and Cesar Legaspi, while continuing to showcase local and international artists from the current generation.
