Federico Aguilar Alcuaz

2009 National Artist for Visual Art

Federico Aguilar y Alcuaz (b.1932 - d.2011) is a Filipino artist known for his diverse body of work, with gestural paintings, watercolor works, abstract sculpture and textile art. Born in Santa Cruz, Manila, he took up fine arts courses at San Beda College and the University of the Philippines Diliman, then went on to study law at the Ateneo de Manila University. After graduating in 1955, a scholarship offered by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs allowed Alcuaz to move to Madrid to pursue his studies at the Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. Throughout his career, Alcuaz’ works became recognized locally and abroad, with his works included in collections of prestigious institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Barcelona, the Museum of Contemporary Art Madrid, and the Museum of Modern Art Warsaw, among many others. He is a recipient of numerous illustrious awards such as the Spanish Premio Moncada (1957), the French Diploma of Honor at the International Exhibition of Art Libre (1961), and the Philippine Republic Cultural Heritage Award (1965). In 2009, he was conferred the Order of National Artist for Visual Art.

Photo courtesy of Contemporary Art Philippines