Victorio Edades

(1895-1985)

National Artist, Painting 1976

Father of Philippine Modern Art

One of the Thirteen Moderns



Victorio Edades was born on December 23, 1895 to Hilario and Cecilia Edades. He was the youngest of ten children (six of whom died of smallpox). He grew up in Barrio Bolosan in Dagupan, Pangasinan. His artistic ability surfaced during his early years. By seventh grade, his teachers were so impressed with him that he was dubbed “apprentice teacher” in his art class. He was also an achiever from the very beginning, having won awards in school debates and writing competitions.

After high school, Edades and his friends traveled to the United State. Before enrolling in Seattle, Edades incidently made a detour to Alaska and experienced working in a couple of factories. Nonetheless, he moved on to Seattle and enrolled at the University of Washington where he took up architecture and later earned a Master of Fine Arts in Painting. The significant event that stirred Edades, and made him as what he is known now, was his encounter with the traveling exhibition from the New York Armory Hall. This art show presented modern European artists such as Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso and the Surrealists. His growing appreciation to what he saw veered him away from the conservative Impressionistic and Realistic schools and thus he began to paint in the modern manner. The two former schools of thought were inclined more towards idyllic subject matter, and require a mastery of refined detailing. What attracted Edades to the modernist movement was its principle to go beyond the idealistic exteriors propagated by Impressionism and Realism. Modernist thought encourages experimentation in artistic expression and allows the artist to present reality as he sees it in his own way.

During his sojourn to America, he also participated in art competitions one of which was the Annual Exhibition of North American Artists. His entry The Sketch (1927) won second prize. When he returned to the Philippines in 1928, he saw that the state of art was “practically dead.” Paintings he saw dealt with similar themes and were done in a limited technique which mostly followed Amorsolo’s. He recognized that there was no creativity whatsoever, and that the artists of that time were merely “copying” each other. So in December, Edades bravely mounted a one-man show at the Philippine Columbia Club in Ermita to introduce to the masses what his modern art was all about. He showed thirty paintings, including those which won acclaim in America. It was a distinguished exhibit, for the Filipino art circle was suddenly shaken by what this young man from Pangasinan had learned from his studies abroad. Viewers and critics were apparently shocked and not one painting was sold.

Edades helped organized the University of Sto. Tomas Department of Architecture in 1930 and was its acting head. In 1935, he was appointed as Director of the UST College of Architecture and Fine Arts, which he organized under the wing of Architecture. He was guided by the existing American curricula when he made the Fine Arts curriculum for UST. Alongside standard subjects like drawing, painting and composition, he also included Western and Oriental art history, foreign languages and optional science subjects such as zoology and botany. Because of Edades, UST became the forerunner of Modern Art, while the University of the Philippines remained the precursor of conservative art.

By 1938, he opened up the Atelier of Modern Art at the M. H. Del Pilar, Manila together with Diosdado Lorenzo and Galo Ocampo. He also organized the School of Design with Juan Nakpil in 1940.

While espousing his beliefs and ideas on Modern Art, Edades sparked a debate between modern and academic (classical) art. The Herald Mid-Week Magazine, Sunday Times Magazine and This Week contained the issues addressed by him and Guillermo Tolentino, who spoke up for the side of the Conservatives. Another development in the art scene, which was spearheaded by Edades, was the formation of the “Thirteen Moderns.” The list included Victorio Edades, Carlos Francisco, Galo Ocampo, Diosdado Lorenzo, Vicente Manansala, HR Ocampo, Anita Magasaysay, Cesar Legaspi, Demetrio Diego, Ricarte Purugganan, Jose Pardo, Bonifacio Cristobal and Arsenio Capili. Coming up with this list was an attempt to form a cohesive unit of artists who were in search of a modern style. Other achievements by Edades included him receiving the Pro Partia award during the Rizal Centennial Celebration in 1961. In 1964, Edades was given the Araw ng Maynila Award in Painting. In 1976, he was conferred the National Artist Award in Painting. On February 12, 1977, UST conferred on Edades the degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, Honoris Causa.

Edades retired to Davao City with his family. There he taught for a time at the Philippine Women’s College and resumed his career as an artist.He died on March 7, 1985 and was named National Artist in 1976.

Edades’ major works include:

• 1928 – The Sketch, National Museum Collection
• 1928 – The Builders, Cultural Center of the Philippines Collection
• 1935 – Interaction, with Carlos V. Francisco and Galo B. Ocampo
• 1976 – Demoiselles D’avao
• 1979 – Kasaysayan, a mural for a Manila bank

Achievements:

• 1961 – Pro Patria Award, given during the Rizal Centennial Celebration
• 1964 – Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award, from the City of Manila

Thirteen Moderns of Philippine Art

• Victorio Edades
  

• Carlos (botong) Francisco

• Galo Ocampo
  

• Diosdado Lorenzo

• Vicente Manansala
  

• H.R. Ocampo
  

• Anita Magsaysay-Ho
  

• Cesar Legaspi
  

• Demetrio Diego

• Ricarte Puruganan
  

• Jose Pardo

• Bonifacio Cristobal

• Arsenio Capili

The Thirteen Artist is named in honor of the pioneering group of thirteen modernist in Philippine art, namely Victorio Edades, Carlos "Botong" Francisco, Galo Ocampo, Diosdado Lorenzo, Vicente Manansala, H.R. Ocampo, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Cesar Legaspi, Demetrio Diego, Ricarte Puruganan, Jose Pardo, Bonifacio Cristobal, Arsenio Capili

The Thirteen Artists Awards began as a curatorial project of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Museum under its first curator Roberto Chabet.  It evolved to become a recognition of progressive, young artist who were chosen based on: a body of work characterized by artistic integrity; innovativeness and congency of ideas; responsive to contemporary realities; and sustained artistic ability demonstrated in individual and collective exhibitions.

The Award is now given every three years.

Kulay-Diwa Gallery of Philippine Contemporary Art is a privately owned venue for artistic expression. It is strategically located within a cluster of progressive communities South of Manila. It has an independent exhibition area able to accommodate large-scale works, and a spacious garden ideal for outdoor programs, performances and sculpture installations.

Goals of Kulay-Diwa

To discover and promote the works of talented, young and deserving Filipino Artist;

To serve as a cultural outpost and make the arts more accessible to the fast-growing communities South of Manila; and

To foster cultural interaction and exchanges with the local regions and other countries.

Kulay(Color)

Diwa(Spirit, Thought)





The images below are examples of the artist’s works and are not necessarily available. 

Available artwork: 

Note: Other works available upon request.

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