THE AYALA Group’s social development arm, Ayala Foundation, has selected Reuben Keehan as the incoming artistic director for Kontempo, a contemporary art center planned for Circuit Makati.
“We envision Kontempo as a space that fosters curiosity and creativity, where people of all ages can engage with contemporary culture through a rich, multidisciplinary range of artistic expression,” Ayala Foundation Chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the Ayala Foundation, Mr. Keehan, the curator of Contemporary Asian Art at Queensland Art Gallery Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in Australia since 2011, will relocate to the Philippines later this year.
He contributed to the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art starting from its seventh edition, work which involved collaborations with artists and institutions in Asia and the Pacific, including the Philippines.
The Ayala Foundation, which has managed cultural programs for over 60 years, which includes the Ayala Museum, will oversee Kontempo.
Kontempo, named using Filipino orthography for “contemporary,” will include three gallery spaces totaling about 2,500 square meters (sq.m.), plus 15,000 sq.m. of open green space for installations and public use.
Currently under construction, Kontempo is located next to the Pasig River, in the area which was formerly the riverside park of the Circuit Makati development. What is now Circuit used to be the Santa Ana racetrack from 1937 to 2009.
Kontempo’s design is from WHY Architecture, led by Kulapat Yantrasast, and the Philippine firm Lor Calma & Partners, led by Ed Calma.
The center plans exhibitions, commissions, research, education, and community programs. According to the Ayala Foundation’s statement, the art center “aligns with the Philippine government’s revitalization of the 25-kilometer Pasig River Esplanade.”
“I am deeply honored to take on the role of artistic director,” said Mr. Keehan in a statement. “The Philippines has long been a vital and dynamic force within contemporary art and culture in the region, and the idea of Kontempo as a connective hub that brings artists and audiences together, encourages dialogue across disciplines, and links the Philippines with the wider world is what drew me to this project.”
Mr. Keehan’s appointment will be effective once standard clearance and compliance procedures are completed. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno