The Show that Never Happened
Curated by Mr. Luis Virata
Manila - New York
Curatorial Statement
I’ll be presenting some of the work I created in 2024 for what would have been my solo show in Manila, Philippines, at León Gallery. The team? Mr. Virata founder of Metropolitan Museum of Manila, board member of Asia Society @asiasociety , Jaime Ponce de León, Marcel Crespo contemporary Art Collector and owner at Toby’s Estate.
I worked on new pieces at the direction of Mr. Virata, for an exhibition he had committed to fully fund. He had offered his support and his “friendship.”
Of course, at the time, a verbal commitment from someone of his position was sufficient for me. I had no reason to anticipate what would happen in 2025, when he would withdraw his commitment and, together with his team, attempted to charge me almost US$30,000 for the proposed exhibition.
It took me a year of therapy to overcome the cognitive dissonance their actions and the experience generated.
I was a victim of believing in an agreement that I understood to be genuine, and of experiencing firsthand how the world of privilege can operate.
Some people in positions of power discard people at the snap of a finger. They open doors, close doors, and walk away as casually as a capricious child. No accountability. They take back their word and discard people as they please. They move on, while the people they leave behind are expected to deal with the moral, psychological and financial consequences.
The presentation, The Show that Never Happened, brings together works that were curated by this privileged and respected individual, traveled to Manila, and eventually returned to New York in 2025.
I, the artist, spent a year in silence, often continuing to speak positively about the people involved. I was afraid to speak up, but more importantly because I felt genuine friendship toward Mr. Virata. I wanted to give him an opportunity to reconsider their actions and take responsibility for what had happened.
There is a profound and troubling contradiction when people who publicly support the arts, artists, mothers, children, and education, act in contradiction in real life, real time.
In this case, in their private and professional dealings they treated a woman, an artist, and a mother in an entirely different way. Like disposable material.
Privilege does not give anyone the freedom to disregard another person’s dignity, trust, work, or livelihood.
These individuals do not represent the majority of the art world. That is precisely why it is important that we begin speaking up about what privilege should never be allowed to do.
Silence should not be the price artists pay to remain connected to opportunity.
The Show that Never Happened
Curated by Mr. Luis Virata, founder of Metropolitan Museum of Art Manila @metmuseummanila , board of Asia Society Philippines @asiasociety @asiasocietyph
Dates and location to be announced