The annual celebration of National Arts Month was suddenly veiled in somber colours with the passing of National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva
"The artist must possess the inner drive, passion and 'loneliness' of a long-distance runner to go very far,” the late Napoleon Abueva once said in an interview in 2003 for the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Indeed, Abueva went far and wide with his masterpieces and brought Philippine sculpture to a whole new landscape during the height of his career.
Dubbed as the “Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture”, Abueva was the youngest National Artist awardee, receiving the prestigious award at the age of 46. His works showcased his passion for experimentation and his creativity when it comes to crafting materials.
In the 1950s, he conquered the international art scene by consistently winning first prize in various art competitions. One notable award-winning piece was the minimalist The Kiss of Judas made out of granite block, depicting a moment of betrayal.
Being mentored by Guillermo Tolentino, another National Artist for Sculpture, Abueva experienced being challenged to his limits and his artistic philosophy. “He was conservative since he belonged to the old, classical school,” he explained. “Tolentino really abhorred distortion and so when The Kiss of Judas won a prize, he jokingly referred to it as ‘the monster’”.
The master artist has shaped the Philippine sculpture scene by utilising local and indigenous materials such as molave, acacia, ipil, and kamagong to create artworks replete with his nationalistic sensibility. He has also ulitised other modern resources like metal, steel, cement, marble, bronze, and brass.