Federico Aguilar Alcuaz
Encyclopedia
Federico Aguilar Alcuaz was an award winning Filipino
Painter
who exhibited extensively Internationally and whose work earned him recognition both in the Philippines and abroad.
Alcuaz was conferred the title of National Artist
for Visual Arts, Painting, Sculpture and Mixed Media in 2009. However, four nominees for the award other than Alcuaz became embroiled in the 2009 National Artist of the Philippines Controversy
, which led the Supreme Court of the Philippines
to temporarily issue a status quo order on August 25, 2009, blocking the conferment of the awards on all seven nominees - despite the fact that no objections were ever raised regarding the conferment of the award to Alcuaz and two other nominees.
. He was the 6th of 11 Children of Mariano Aguilar a Lawyer and a Musician and Encarnacion Alcuaz. He finished early schooling at the Dr. Albert Elementary School and San Beda High School. He studied law at the Ateneo de Manila and finished his degree in 1955. In 1949-1950 he took up painting subjects at the University of the Philippines
(UP) School of Fine Arts. In 1955 he went to Madrid
with a scholarship at the Academia de San Fernando which he got thu the help of the Jesuits at Ateneo
. In 1956 he chose Barcelona
as his career base.He also became a member of the La Punalada Group which counted among its members Tapies, Cuixart and Tharrats. In the same year he began signing his paintings with Aguilar Alcuaz to distinguish himself from two other Aguilars who are also members of the La Punalada Group. In 1959 he met Ute Schmitz, a German girl from Hamburg
, who he married 3 years later and they had 3 sons: Christian, Andreas and Matthias.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
Painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
who exhibited extensively Internationally and whose work earned him recognition both in the Philippines and abroad.
Alcuaz was conferred the title of National Artist
National Artist of the Philippines
A National Artist of the Philippines is a title given to a Filipino who has been given the highest recognition for having made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts...
for Visual Arts, Painting, Sculpture and Mixed Media in 2009. However, four nominees for the award other than Alcuaz became embroiled in the 2009 National Artist of the Philippines Controversy
2009 National Artist of the Philippines controversy
The 2009 National Artist of the Philippines controversy refers to the controversial proclamation as National Artists of the Philippines of four individuals via the Presidential prerogative of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, when the four had not been nominated by the selection committee, composed of...
, which led the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
to temporarily issue a status quo order on August 25, 2009, blocking the conferment of the awards on all seven nominees - despite the fact that no objections were ever raised regarding the conferment of the award to Alcuaz and two other nominees.
About
Federico Aguilar Alcuaz was born on June 6, 1932 in Santa Cruz, ManilaSanta Cruz, Manila
Santa Cruz is located on the right bank of the Pasig River, on the northern portion of the City of Manila, near the mouth of the river, in between the districts of Tondo and Quiapo...
. He was the 6th of 11 Children of Mariano Aguilar a Lawyer and a Musician and Encarnacion Alcuaz. He finished early schooling at the Dr. Albert Elementary School and San Beda High School. He studied law at the Ateneo de Manila and finished his degree in 1955. In 1949-1950 he took up painting subjects at the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
(UP) School of Fine Arts. In 1955 he went to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
with a scholarship at the Academia de San Fernando which he got thu the help of the Jesuits at Ateneo
Ateneo
Ateneo is a Spanish and an Italian term for the word Athenaeum. As a name, it may refer to:*Educational institutions established by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines; the Ateneos*El Ateneo, a bookshop in Buenos Aries, Argentina...
. In 1956 he chose Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
as his career base.He also became a member of the La Punalada Group which counted among its members Tapies, Cuixart and Tharrats. In the same year he began signing his paintings with Aguilar Alcuaz to distinguish himself from two other Aguilars who are also members of the La Punalada Group. In 1959 he met Ute Schmitz, a German girl from Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, who he married 3 years later and they had 3 sons: Christian, Andreas and Matthias.
Awards
- 1st Prize, UPCFA Art Competition, 1953
- 1ST Prize, Roadside Squatters, 4th SNSAC Modern Painting Category, 1954
- 1st Prize, Montcada Award Barcelona, 1957
- Francisco Goya Award, Cercle Maillol Barcelona, 1958
- Republic Cultural Heritage Award, 1965
- 2nd Prize Prix Vancell, 4th Biennial of Terrassa (Barcelona Spain),1964
Exhibitions (Philippines)
- Solo Exhibition, San Beda CollegeSan Beda CollegeSan Beda College or Dalubhasaan ng San Beda in Filipino is a Private Benedictine college run by the Benedictine monks in the Philippines. It is located on Mendiola Street in San Miguel, Manila...
, 1953 - Solo Exhibition, Centro Escolar UniversityCentro Escolar UniversityCentro Escolar University is a private university in the Philippines. It was founded on June 3, 1907 by two women, Librada Avelino and Carmen de Luna, and was originally called Centro Escolar de Señoritas. It became a university in 1933...
, 1954 - Solo Exhibition, PAG, 1955
Exhibitions (International)
- Solo Exhibition, Museum of Contemporary Art, Madrid, 1956
- Solo Exhibition, Galerias Layetanas Barcelona, 1956
- Solo Exhibition, Galerias Manila Barcelona, 1956
- Solo Exhibition, Hispanic Cultural Hall Madrid, 1957
- Solo Exhibition, Galerias Layetanas Barcelona, 1957
- Solo Exhibition, Galeria Dintel, 1957
- Solo Exhibition, Galeria Dintel, 1958
- Exhibited at th Gallery of the City Hall of Burgos Spain, 1958
- Solo Exhibition, Asociacion Artistica Vizcaina Bilbao, 1959
- Solo Exhibition, Galeria Ilescas Bilbao, 1959
- Solo Exhibition, Galeria Ilescas Bilbao, 1960
- Solo Exhibition, Sala Vayreda Barcelona, 1960
- Solo Exhibition, Galeria Ilescas Bilbao, 1962
- Solo Exhibition, Galeria Ilescas Bilbao, 1972
- Solo Exhibition, Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao (tapices), 1973
- Solo Exhibition, Eindhoven (tapestries), 1973 (2)