The Overview

Founded in 1998 by Cesar Villalon Jr., The Drawing Room originally specialized in artworks on paper by such luminaries as Ben Cabrera (“BenCab”), Kiko Escora and Marcel Antonio. These days, you can still find these in the stockroom—a cozy space with a couch where it’s easy to spend hours browsing—but the Drawing Room’s two street-facing galleries, which sit side by side on a street off Ayala Avenue, have evolved to show works across genres. “From the very start we decided to not to go in a mall,” says Villalon. “We thought a small, intimate space would be suited for works on paper, and it worked very well, but after five or six years we decided to evolve.” Since then, Villalon has transformed the gallery into one of the country’s most high-profile spaces by taking edgy works such as Lirio Salvador’s sculptural assemblages—playable sculpture instruments that blur the lines between object and sound art—to art fairs such as Bridge New York, Scope Basel and Miami, the Hong Kong International Art Fair and India Art Summit, while fostering close ties with overseas galleries across the region.

Address:
1007 Metropolitan Avenue,
Metrostar Building, Makati,
Manila, Philippines

Telephone: +63 2 897 7877

Website: drawingroomgallery.com