Above: Napoleon V. Abueva on work

Napoleon V. Abueva was the youngest Filipino to become a National Artist at the age of 46, in 1976. Abueva is known to be a master in both academic representational style and in modern abstract. He is established as the Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture.

His masterpieces had him implement the use of different types of materials such as hard wood (eg. molave, acacia, langka wood, ipil, kamagong, palm wood, bamboo, etc.).

Furthermore, he has executed his works using adobe, metal, stainless steel, cement, marbol, bronze, iron, alabaster, coral and brass.

The genius that he is, he was able to bring together various materials such as wood with metal and stone.

In 1953, Abueva graduated from the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture. He was able to do this with the aid of a “Pura Villanueva-Kalaw Scholarship”.

His mentor, Guillermo Tolentino was the first National Artist for Sculpture and is the creator of the UP Oblation. Under Tolentino’s supervision, he was able to gain a great deal of recognition during his early years in college.

During the annual competition of the Art Association of the Philippines, Abueva won three years in a row; from 1951-1953. He garnered first prize and the best entry awards in sculpture.

During this period, one of his creations was thought of as the most symbolic of his works; the “Kagampan” or “Kaganapan”. His work for “The Unknown Political Prisoner” gave him an honorable recognition in the Institute of Contemporary Arts’ International Sculpture Competition in London, England.

At the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, Abueva was able to complete his “Master of Fine Arts” in 1955 as a Fulbright/Smith-Mundt Scholar. He continued his graduate units by taking up Art History at Harvard University and obtaining graduate units in Ceramics at the University of Kansas. He then decided to be a part of UP as an Assistant Instructor.

Abueva was chosen to be the Dean of the College of Fine Arts in 1978 till 1989. In 1993, he was promoted to University Professor and was given an honorary doctorate in humanities. He eventually retired in 1995 and was awarded the “Status of Professor Emeritus” on April 2003.

Abueva’s awards, accomplishments and merits are not restricted to the academe. From 1960 till the ‘80s, he had the honor to represent the Philippines in symposiums. He was also sent as an ambassador or delegate and on countless occasions, was a special guest in a variety of art exhibits and functions overseas.

To top if off, his main contribution to Philippine art lies in his desire to break away from the stiffness of formal structure, stressing instead on the element of function.

An innovator at best, he is a genuine artist who succeeded in liberating the art of sculptor from the tapered confines of conservatism to a broader range of panorama of a present-day modernism.

Below are a rundown of Abueva’s works and achievements.

List of Abueva’s Major works:

• 1955 – Kiss of Judas
• 1979 – The Transfiguration, at the Eternal Garden Memorial Park
• 1994 – Nine Muses, at the UP Faculty Center
• 1994 – Sunburst, at the Peninsula Manila hotel

* Several of Abueva’s public art can be seen at UP Diliman:

• 1957 – Crucifix with Two Corpora, at the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice
• 1962 – University Gateway (also UP Gates)
• 1967 – Tribute to Higher Education, at the entrance of University Avenue
• 1979 – The Spirit of Business, in front of the College of Business Administration
• 1992 – Diwata, at the Faculty Center
• 1996 – Alma Mater, at the lobby of Ang Bahay ng Alumni
• 1996 – Three Women Sewing the First Philippine Flag, also known as Tres Marias Plaza, at the UP Donors’ Garden, as part of the centennial celebration of the 1896 Philippine Revolution

Abueva’s Acheivements:

• 1959 – Ten Outstanding Young Men in the Philippines (Sculpture)
• 1966 – Cultural Heritage Award
• 1976 – Gawad CCP para sa Sining
• 1987 – Asean Awards for the Visual Arts in Bangkok
• 1995 – Fourth Asean Achievement Award for Visual Arts in Singapore