Napoleon Abueva

Description: Napoleon "Billy" Veloso Abueva 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. Born in January
26, 1930. Studied at Harvard University, UP College of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines
Diliman.

Description 1.2: Napoleon V. Abueva, a native of Bohol, was the youngest National Artist
awardee. Considered as the Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture, Abueva helped shape the
local sculpture scene to what it is now. Being adept in either academic representational style or
modern abstract, he has utilized almost all kinds of materials from hardwood (molave, acacia,
langka wood, ipil, kamagong, palm wood and bamboo) to adobe, metal, stainless steel, cement,
marble, bronze, iron, alabaster, coral, and brass. Among the early innovations, Abueva
introduced in 1951 was what he referred to as “buoyant sculpture” — sculpture meant to be
appreciated from the surface of a placid pool. In the ’80s, Abueva put up a one-man show at the
Philippine Center, New York. His works have been installed in different museums here and
abroad, such as The Sculpture at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

Description 1.3: Some of his major works include Kaganapan (1953), Kiss of Judas (1955),Thirty
Pieces of Silver, The Transfiguration (1979), Eternal Garden Memorial Park, UP Gateway (1967),
Nine Muses (1994), UP Faculty Center, Sunburst (1994)-Peninsula Manila Hotel, the bronze figure
of Teodoro M. Kalaw in front of National Library, and murals in marble at the National Heroes
Shrine, Mt. Samat, Bataan.

Art:

Kaganapan, (Marble) 1953. by Napoleon Abueva. Kaganapan is one of Napoleon Abueva's work
of art. Sculpted marble in 1952 when Abueva was still a young student at the University of the
Philippines, this sculpture won the grand prize in the Arts Association of the Philippines' annual
competition.
Kiss of judas (1955) National Artist Napoleon Abueva's "Kiss of Judas" (1955) is in Gallery XIV and
the gift of Mr. Patrick Eugenio to the nation. It is made of oak wood and was one of the artworks
made by Mr. Abueva while he was a graduate student at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in
Michigan as a Fulbright/Smith-Mundt Scholar and completed a Master of Fine Arts.

The Transfiguration (1979) The Transfiguration represents a prefiguration of the Last Judgment,
and of the final defeat of the Devil. Another interpretation is that the epileptic boy has been
cured, thus linking the divinity of Christ with his healing power. Raphael died on 6 April 1520.

UP Gateway (1967) Tribute to Higher Education, at the entrance of University Avenue. • 1979 –
The Spirit of Business, in front of the College of Business Administration.

Nine Muses (1994) The nine muses represent architecture, dance, film, literature, music,
painting, photography, sculpture, and theater and served as the inspiration for the artists that
the building once housed.

Sunburst (1994)-Peninsula Manila Hotel The “Sunburst” greets the Peninsula Manila’s guests as
they enter the hotel’s lobby. Next time you visit, look up!