Matthew Lopez (art researcher)

Matthew Benjamin Perez Lopez (born 1 March 1993) more popularly known as Matthew Lopez is a Filipino art researcher, journalist, independent curator, art advisor, and author. He is best known for his various writings on Philippine art and culture that have been published in various publications including the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art and for his writings on watches and horological history.

Personal life and career

He finished his primary education at the La Salle Greenhills in Manila and his secondary education at the Reedley International School Manila. Lopez later graduated with a bachelor's degree in political economy, at the University of Asia and the Pacific.

Lopez has previously worked as a researcher and writer for the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the local auction house León Gallery Fine Art and Antiques, and has worked previously as the Museum Registrar and Consultant to Fundacion Sansó. He previously served as the Digital Content Manager of Vintage Grail, a regional watch company with offices in Hong Kong and Manila that specialize in sourcing timepieces.

He has written numerous articles on Philippine art, history, and culture in various publications. His articles on the life of historian and curator Ramon Villegas and the political history of the Cebuano people have been included in the second edition of the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art for the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2017.

A collector of fine wristwatches, Lopez contributed to the second edition of The Watch Annual, a comprehensive compendium of the year’s notable timepieces, serving as its sole representative from the Philippines. He previously worked as a content writer for the Singapore-based media platform SJX Watches, and has been a member of the Academy of the (GPHG) since 2023.

Bibliography

Books

• Federico Aguilar Alcuaz: Salaysay (2026) (co-authored with Patrick Flores and Ambeth Ocampo edited with Christian M. Aguilar and Ricky P. Francisco)

Contributor in Books and Other Publications

• Ramon Villegas (2017, CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art)
• Cebuano (2017, CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art) (co-authored with Resil B. Mojares, Monica P. Consing, John Bengan and edited by Nicanor G. Tiongson)
• The Watch Annual 2021 (2021) (edited by Justin Hast)
• Sansó: Prized & Personal (2025) (edited by Ricky P. Francisco & Rachelle Medina)
• Binondo Everchanging by Anson Yu (2025) (as Prologue)