Open Door, See Mountain

Ralph Samuelson, Director of the Asian Cultural Council (ACC), was quoting his favorite Chinese four-character saying. The occasion was last Tuesday’s gala dinner honoring trustees of the Asian Cultural Council of New York, led by David Rockefeller Jr., Josie Cruz Natori, Kenneth Fung and Samuelson, plus Stephen Heintz, president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, who came over to Manila after a trip to China, despite "adverse travel advisories", quipped ACC-Philippines president Isabel Wilson. The ACC, funded in large part by the Rockefellers, has for the last 40 years sponsored exchanges of artists from Asia and the U.S. From the Philippines, over 150 artists, arts managers and cultural workers have received grants from the ACC.

It was an august crowd that gathered at the main lobby of the Cultural Center for the gala, led by President GMA, who came for the after-dinner program–definitely name-droppables, as my Sealed Lips columnist would say. And if one eavesdropped enough, it would have been a gossip columnist’s dream as well. The crowd of business, political, social and civic leaders probably–hopefully–needed little convincing, but Samuelson and Rockefeller Jr.–both handsome in barongs–made great pitches in favor of support for the arts.

Rockefeller Jr. pointed out that with appreciating and enjoying the arts comes the responsibility to support the arts. And supporting the arts can come on two levels: giving the artist and the artworks the respect they deserve–which costs nothing, except time and effort–and supporting them financially, which does cost something. But, as his uncle John D. Rockefeller III–who began the family tradition of philanthropy, especially for the arts–demonstrated, in the end what is good for the arts is also good for business.

In times of turbulence such as we are experiencing, we need the arts more than ever: it is the one positive element when everything else is falling apart. The impulse to create, Rockefeller Jr. said, is infinitely greater than the impulse to destroy. It is this greater impulse that we so sorely need, that we must nurture and support, if we are to survive, to overcome and to triumph.

Art is the open door that enables us to see the mountain and the vast expanse of possibilities that we can take hold of. The ACC and the individuals who support it open that door for the rest of us.