VISUAL ARTS

FERNANDO AMORSOLO
Fernando Amorsolo known as the “Grand Old Man of
the Philippine art” was the first National Artist country.
Lighting is the most prominent elements of amorsolo’s
painting. His trademark was the backlighting technique
which makes the subjects of his painting seem to glow.
Also aside from the application of light in his pieces, his
works of art where also notable for reflecting the
artistic and cultural heritage of the Philippines.
His significant works are planting rice, dalagang
bukid, The Mestiza and maiden in a stream, among
others
Hernando Acompo
Hernando Acompo is one of the Thirteen Moderns,
who paved the way to art modernism in the
Philippines. Compare to the classical paintings, his
works were more radical and more poetic. Ocampo’s
pieces show the kind of society their was after world
war II.
It was his abstract painting that significantly contributed to the
Philippines modern art. He develop of a new style abstraction
through his use of fierce and striking colors. His works prove that
abstract and non-tradional style of painting can also result to
nationalistic art. his major artworks where genesis, Calvary Slum
Dwellers, Nude with cradle and flower, The resurrection, fiesta,
etc.
BENEDICTO CABRERA
Benedicto Cabrera, popularly known as BenCab, is an
award winning painter and printmaker who was
tagged as a master of the Philippine contemporary
art. The most popular subject of his painting was
“Sabel”, the woman scavenger roaming the streets of
his hometown when he was young. Sabel depicts
poverty and inequalities in the Philippines society.
Bencab was internationally know and had been exhibiting in
Europe, United States of Amerca and Asia. In his around forty
years of being a visual artist, he received various awards, and
two of these recognitions are the National Artist Award and the
Gawad CCP para sa sining
CARLOS “BOTONG” FRANCISCO
Carlos “Botong” Francisco was a muralist from Angono,
Rizal. For nearly three decades, Francisco painted
murals showing the historical past of the Philippine.
Most of his subjects depict the life in his hometown and
highlight the lives of the farmers and the freshman. The
significant elements in Francisco’s painting were their
lines and shape that seems like cut-outs and their lush
tropical colors.
Francisco is one of the so-called “The Triumvirate” along with other
modernists Galo Ocampo and Victorio Edades, who introduced
modern art to the country.

His major works include Blood Compact, The Matrydom of Rizal,

bayanihan, Sandugo, Portrait of Purtia, First Mass at limawasa, the
Invasion of Limahong, etc.
CESAR LEGASPI
Cesar Legaspi is one of the Thirteen Moderns, who promoted
modern arts in the country. The thirteen moderns were the artist
who followed the step of the triumvirate Victorio Edades, Carlos
Francisco, and Galo Ocampo. These artist pioneered Philippine
Modernism He was a neo-realist whose important contribution to
modern art was his refinement of cubism in the Philippine
context. He indigenized cubism and produced art-warks shwing
local temperaments.
Some of his major art pieces are The Beggars< The Stairway<
The Ritual, The Survivors, Gadget I and II, Struggle, Peace,
Bayanihan , Façade, Ovary, Idols of the Third Eye, among
others.
ABDULMARI ASIA IMAO

Abdulmaria Asia Imao is a visual artist from Sulu, who

articulated the Muslim culture and art in the country. He
preserve and promoted the Philippines Indigenous art through
the use of ethnic themes like the ukkil, sarimanok, imao
empowered cultural groups to take part in promoting equality
and in building a better society.
His artworks includes murals like the industry brass mural of the
Philippine National Bank Industrial Mural of the Central Bank of
the Philippines, in the Mural Relief film making painted in the
Manila City Hall.
GUILLERMO TOLENTINO
Guillermo Tolentino was the master sculptor who introduced classical
sculpture in the country. His works, though classical in style, are still
identifiable Filipino. He was known for creating monuments and bust
figures of Philippine Heroes like Andres Bonifacio and Jose Rizal and
Philippine president like Manuel Quezon and Ramon Magsaysay. He
was also the one who created the UP Oblation, which became the
presentation of the academic of freedom of the university.
ARTURO LUZ
Arturo Luz is an abstractionist known for his minimalist
paintings and sculptures which exude sophisticated
simplicity. He started doing art at the age of 17 without
prior training. Then, later on, had his first art lesson
under the tutelage of Pablo Amorslo, brother of
Fernando Amorsolo. He then enrolled at the university of
Sto tomas and took fine arts. He also studied abroad,
US and Europe, to further improve his skills in art
making.
His major painting pieces include procession, Bagong
Taon, Vendedor Flores, Skipping Rope, Candle
Vendors, Self Portrait, Night Glows, grand finale, and
Cyclist Series.
FEDERICO AGUILAR ALCAUZ

Federico Aguilar Alcauz. Was te artist known for his

gestural abstract expressionistic paintings using a
variety of mediums like acrylic and oil. He was also a
sculptor who Produce abstract and figurative sculptures
made of materials like ceramics, paper, and mixed
media.
His works include Reveries of love, still life with
Landscape, Panoramic View Manila, Tress Marias, and
Top Room, among others.
NAPOLEON ABUEVA

Napoleon Abueva is the father of the modern

Philippine sculpture, who made use of wide range of
materials in his works like different types of hardwood,
stones, and metals. He was also the sculptor who
started the trend in mixing different materials, like
metal and stone, in making sculptures.
Among his no table works are Nine Muses,
Kaganapan, Station of the Cross, Sunburst, and The
Transfiguration
JEREMIAS ELIZALDE NAVARRO
Jeremias Elizalde Navarro, popularly known as J. Elizalde
Navarro, was a painter and a sculptor. As a painter, Navarro
Created both abstract and figure paintings using oil and
watercolour. The prominent elements in his abstract works were
its geometric forms and spontaneous strokes. Meanwhile, his
figure paintings were inspired by Balinese art and culture. As a
sculptor, his was popular for his mask, carved in hardwood, with
combined features of human and animal. He was also known for
his assemblages where in he combined metals and found
materials to create stunning work of art.
• Among his remarkable works are I’m Sorry Jesus I Can’t
Attend the Mass, Grand Prix: Homage to Dodgie Laurel, A
flying Contraption For Mr. Icarus, The Seasons, and All Because
of Humpy Dumpy’s Fall .
FRANCISCO COCHING

Tagged as “Dean of Filipino Illustrators”, Francisco Coching was

popular for his komiks drawings. The significant features of
Coching’s works were their fluid drawings and dramatic
storyline .fantasy, love and adventure were the usual themes of
his works drawing inspiration from awit and kridoo. His works
illustrated gallant men and beautiful ladies and the victory of
good over eviAmong his works are Lapu-Lapu, Pedro Penduko
Hagisbis, El Nido, and Maldita.
VICTORIO EDADERS

Victorio Edades is the “Father of Modern Philippine Painting.”

He one of the “Triumvirate” who introduced modernism in
Philippine Visual Art. Upon his arrival to the Philippines after
studying abroad, Edades shoked many Filipinos on his exhibit
due to his non-conventional style of painting. He deviated from
Amorsolo’s use of happy and bright colors and used dark and
sad hues in his painting instead. Depicated in his works were the
hardship in the life of the laborers and the lower class in the
society.
The Sketch, Japanese Girl, Mother and Daughter, The
Wrestler , and poinsettia Girl are among his famous
art piece.
ANG KIUKOK

Ang kiukok was known for his highly expressionistic

works containing powerful meaning. Angst, Anguish,
and anger are the glaring emotion contained in his
cubistic works as these were created in the time of
Martial Law.
Some of his famous paintings include Geometric
Landscape Pieta, and Seated Figure.
JOSE JOYA

Jose Joya is an abstraction known for his “gestural

paintings.” The prominent elements of his artworks
include their color harmony inspired by the country’s
landscapes, their kinetic energy, and their spontaneity.
Joya applied paints in broad brush strokes either by
using brushes or spatula or by directly applying paint
from the tube or by splashing paint into nthe canvas.
Some of his works include Approaching Storm, Space
Transfiguration, Beethoven Listening to Blues, City
Entering the Edges of Sundown, and Dimension of Fear,
among others.
VICENTE MANANSALA
Vicente Manansala was a cubist painter who painted
with a wide range of subject matters from the happy
and bountiful rural to proverty-sticken urban set ups.
Manansala contributed in the modernism of Philippine
visual arts by his style of transparent cubism. Unlike the
usual Paris Cubism, Manansala’s style of cubism does
not fragmentize human figures. He recognize human
forms in transparent planes instead.
Among his notable works include Mother and Child, A
Cluster Nipa Hut, Nude, Via Crucis, Market Vendor,
and I Believe in God.