The Metropolitan Museum of Manila’s Exhibition Program from 1976-1986: Signs and Consequences of a Conflated Patronage

Abstract

This paper examines the patronage of First Lady Imelda Marcos at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila from 1976-1986, corresponding to her term as the museum’s founding chairperson and president. It elaborates on the conflation of state and private support, motives, and interests that drove her museum patronage. Borrowing from Foucault’s concept of the dispositif, this paper views the museum as a dynamic and constantly shifting field of relations, and scrutinizes its key feature – exhibitions – as articulations of Mrs. Marcos’ conflated patronage unevenly dominating, contesting, aligning, and giving way to other forces and relations in the museum. The entanglement of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila with various state and personal interests, while still delivering museal public service, thrusts it in multiple roles as a modern art museum, a political instrument, and a private gallery of Imelda Marcos.

KEYWORDS: museum, art patronage, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, exhibitions, art management