Kenneth Montegrande mirrors two of Sansó’s most beloved themes—flowers and seascapes— with his own distinct vision.
Since his first solo exhibition, Kenneth Montegrande has consistently used his art to serve causes greater than himself. He has raised funds for disaster relief, supported charitable institutions, and in 2020 he contributed to Fundacion Sansó’s Fine Arts Scholars program.
Art to Montegrande is more than an expression of emotion or the expression of one’s talent. It’s a tangible expression of his spirituality, and a means of building a legacy measured not only in paintings, but in the positive changes his work brings to people’s lives. This impulse towards generosity and social engagement is something he shares with Juvenal Sansó.
Ricky Francisco, Director of Fundacion Sanso says, “Since our first collaboration in 2020, I have seen Montegrande explore a range of visual languages—from Turner-inspired seascapes, to gestural abstract expressionist canvases to, more recently, the vibrant yet contemplative beauty of flowers. Flowers and seascapes are also among the most enduring motifs in Sansó’s oeuvre, linking both artists in their shared fascination with the sea’s boundless horizons and the poetic resonance of blooms.”
Fundacion Sansó, Kenneth Montegrande and Galerie Joaquin present Lines of Legacy: Kenneth Montegrande in Tribute to Sansó, the first guest artist exhibition at Fundacion Sansó since the passing of Sansó on March 28, 2025. In celebrating Montegrande’s art, the foundation also honors Sansó’s enduring vision—one in which art is not only for personal fulfilment, but also a force for generosity, empathy, and transformation.
Montegrande mirrors two of Sansó’s most beloved themes—flowers and seascapes— with his own distinct vision. Proceeds from the exhibit will benefit Fundacion Sansó’s Fine Arts Students Scholarships and Grants Program. Montegrande also previously supported the foundation’s mission during the height of the lockdown in 2021 through a benefit exhibition. Today, he returns—continuing a shared legacy between two artists.
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Montegrande’s gestural abstract paintings draw inspiration from Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Basquiat, employing thick impastos of vivid colour over earthy grounds, while his luminous seascapes echo the drama of J.M.W. Turner and the chiaroscuro of Rembrandt.
For him, these works are both meditations on light and darkness and expressions of hope through faith, reflecting a spirituality that permeates his practice. Over 23 solo exhibitions in museums and art fairs, he has used his art to support various causes including Fundacion Sansó’s Fine Arts Scholars program and the Escuela Taller de Filipinas Foundation. His international debut, Expanding Horizons, opened in 2022 at the Philippine Center in New York, followed by Love Beyond Words at ManilArt to mark his first decade in art.
Lines of Legacy: Kenneth Montegrande in Tribute to Sanso runs until September 1, 2025. For more information, email fundacionsanso@gmail.com, and follow @fundacion_sanso on Instagram, and @fundacionsanso on Facebook.
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