Born in San Jose, Antique on May 22, 1924, Jerry Elizalde Navarro rose in prominence for his ingenuity in creating mixed media assemblages, sculptures and incision paintings. He earned a degree in Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas (UST). His mentors include Victorio Edades and Francesco Monti. Experimentation guided his techniques, often utilizing geometric patterns and strikingly vivid hues to create abstract pieces. He drew inspiration from contemporary Philippine designs and Balinese art and culture.

Navarro had his first solo exhibition at the Philippine Art Gallery in 1954. His prolific craft in sculpting garnered him the opportunity to represent the Philippines at the São Paulo Biennial in Brazil in 1967 and 1970. As a sculptor, Navarro carved archaic deities reminiscent of animal-like humans, transcending gender definitions and common human emotions, and appearing almost strange and alien. His linear sculptures consisted of rods and pipes, to highlight the interplay between figure and space.

His deep passion for the visual arts manifested in the oeuvre he developed for over 40 years. Navarro was known as a writer of poetry and art criticism during his later years, having served as an art editor of UST’s Varsitarian (1949-1951). His alma mater, UST, sought to honor the prestige of Navarro’s influence and contributions by establishing the annual JEN National Workshop in Criticism on the Arts and Humanities beginning in 2008.

Navarro passed away on June 10, 1999, and was posthumously awarded the title of National Artist Award for Visual Arts in the same year.

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