Napoleon Abueva

Napoleon "Billy" Veloso Abueva (January 26, 1930 – February 16, 2018) was known as the "Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture" Through Proclamation No. 1539. He was proclaimed National Artist for Sculpture in 1976 when he was 46, making him the youngest recipient of the award to date.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Veloso and the surname or paternal family name is Abueva.
Napoleon Galamiton Abueva
Born
Esabelio Veloso Abueva

(1930-01-26)January 26, 1930
Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippine Islands
DiedFebruary 16, 2018(2018-02-16) (aged 88)
Quezon City, Philippines
Resting placeLibingan ng mga Bayani
OccupationSculptor
SpouseSergia Valles Abueva
Children3
Parent(s)Teodoro Abueva (father)
Purificación Veloso (mother)
Awards Order of National Artists of the Philippines

Biography and career

Billy Abueva, as he was fondly called, was born in Tagbilaran, Bohol, to Teodoro Lloren Abueva, born in Duero, Bohol, a Bohol congressman and Purificación González Veloso, born in Cebu, president of the Women's Auxiliary Service.[1] Abueva had six other brothers and sisters: Teodoro Jr., Purificacion, José, Amelia Martinez, Teresita Floro, and Antonio.[2] Born Esabelio Veloso Abueva, he was named after the younger sister of his paternal grandmother, Isabel.[3]

He assumed the name Napoleon at the age of six, when as a student at the St. Joseph Academy in Tagbilaran, one of the nuns first called him Napoleon after Napoleon Bonaparte. The name stuck, and ever since, Abueva referenced the quote from Napoleon: "If I weren't a conqueror, I would wish to be a sculptor."[4][5]

Abueva graduated in high school at the Rafael Palma College (now the University of Bohol) in 1949. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture at the UP School of Fine Arts (now UP College of Fine Arts/UPCFA) in 1953 as one of the second batch of Fine Arts students who moved from the old campus in Padre Faura to Diliman. He was mentored by fellow National Artist for Sculpture Guillermo Tolentino.[6]

Through scholarship grants, he was able to pursue advanced studies abroad including one from Harvard University.

Family

He was married to Cherry Abueva, a psychiatrist, and had three children: Amihan, Mulawin, and Duero. Before his stroke, he taught at the Industrial Design department of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts.

Abueva was confined at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City for pneumonia from December 31, 2017, until his death on February 16, 2018.[7] His death was announced by News5 Reporter Maeanne Los Baños on the radio program Balita Alas Singko on Radyo5. He was 88. His remains were then brought to his final resting place at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.[8]

Exhibits

Exhibitions of Napoleon Abueva's work were held in Cebu Plaza (now Marco Polo Plaza, Cebu).[9]

Cultural missions

Awards
  • First Prize, Sculptural Exhibition by the Art Association of the Philippines (1951)
  • First Prize in the Fifth Annual Art Exhibition (1974)
  • First Prize and Special Award on the Fourth Sculptural Exhibition (1952)
  • Awardee, "The Unknown Political Prisoner" in the International Sculpture Competition by the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London (1953)
  • First Prize and Special Award, Kaganapan (Marble), in the Semi-Annual Art Exhibition by the Art Association of the Philippines (1953)
  • First Prize, "Kiss of Judas" (Wood) in the Religious Art Exhibition in Detroit, Michigan, USA (1955)
  • Purchase Prize, "Water Buffalo" (Marble), in the Annual Show, at St. Louis, Missouri, USA (1956)
  • First Prize, "Figure" (Wood) in the Annual Show of the Art Association of the Philippines (1957)
  • Most Outstanding Alumnus of the School of Fine Arts, U.P. Golden Jubilee (1958)
  • Republic Award for Sculpture (1959)
  • Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) Awardee in Sculpture (1959)
  • Winner, U.P. Gateway Design Competition (1962)
  • Winner, Cultural Heritage Award (1966)
  • ASEAN Awards for Visual Arts in Bangkok (1987)
  • Fourth ASEAN Achievement Award for Visual Arts in Singapore (July 1995).

References
  1. Archived January 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Napoleon Veloso-Abueva the first and only Boholano National Artist]". The Bohol Times. January 25, 2004.
  3. "Two great minds". philstar.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  4. "Abueva: A handsome hunk of a book befitting the artist". The Philippine STAR. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  5. "Marble Sculpture from France". nga.gov. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  6. "In Focus: An Interview with National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva". National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  7. "National Artist Napoleon Abueva dies". CNN Philippines. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  8. Chu, K.; Geducos, A. (February 17, 2018). "National artist Abueva dies, 88". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  9. "Sun.Star Cebu - Cebu Plaza Hotel launches Abueva Art Lounge logo tilt". www.sunstar.com.ph. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved January 13, 2022.

Sources
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