Artist:Napoleon V.

Abueva
Sculpture: Allegorical Harpoon

The Philippines is very

fortunate for having the
multi awarded national
artist, Napoleon V.
Abueva, as its father of
modern Philippine
sculpture. Abueva is the
pioneer in
modern sculptures
because he was the first
artist who had creatively
and successfully moved out of the classic style to create his own abstract
experimental modern art pieces and paved the way for other young aspirants to
follow his lead. He was the only sculptor who is capable on working on all kinds of
material in several styles from representational to abstract. There is not one drop
of classical style in all if his masterpieces. Abueva has long been exposed in utilizing
almost all kinds of materials. These materials include wood, adobe, metal, stainless
steel, cement, marble, bronze, iron, alabaster, coral, brass, molave, acacia, langka
wood, ipil, kamagong, palm wood and bamboo. One of his most famous works is his
wooden sculpture entitled “Allegorical Harpoon” which is currently housed in the
Cultural Center of the Philippines. Also among his various works is the very familiar,
“Sunburst”, which is a twelve meter sculpture made up of twenty one rays of the
sun and thirty three spears in copper, bronze and stainless steel that decorates the
ceiling of the Manila Peninsula Manila. What sets him apart from other artists is that
he has the talent to unify different materials and experiment with them. He is a
very innovative artist who explores the unknown, but also probes the existing.
According to Abueva, an Abueva sculpture is known for its simplicity with the
maximum expression of art. As the leading artist in contemporary Philippine
sculpture, Abueva has set a new standard that other artists have failed to copy.
Mawi Uy