Remembering multidisciplinary artist Arturo Luz
A tribute to a giant in the art landscape of the Philippines and the world.
Arturo Luz was an artist whose work drew attention to his home country and its region for artistic significance. Having studied art in Manila, and then continuing his studies in California, New York and Paris, he returned to the Philippines in the 1950s. He traveled throughout his career, feeding his creative energy and transferring his approach to practice across regional borders. A key figure in neorealism, Luz was best known for geometric sculptures and paintings, in addition to his collage, printmaking and photography.
In addition to building and intensifying his own practice, Luz was dedicated to sharing the work of local arts and asserting the Filipino art landscape within the global art world. In 1960 he established Luz Gallery with his wife Tessie Ojeda Luz. He was the founding director of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila and served in this position from 1976 to 1986. This public institution was formed to highlight and allow engagement between local and international art. In addition to this, Luz served as the founding director of the Design Center of the Philippines and the now inoperative Museum of Philippine Art.
In remembering the life of Arturo Luz and the diversity of this work, we visually reflect on the 2013 show ARTURO LUZ: The Painter As Photographer presented at SILVERLENS. This exhibition consisted of a series of photographs and photocollages, including travel photographs from the 1990s in Rajasthan, India and Southeast Asia which were initiated as inspiration for later paintings.
Arturo Luz
Image courtesy of SILVERLENS
Top: Arturo Luz, Old Still Life 04, archival inkjet print, 11 x 16 in • 27.94 x 40.64 cm, 1993 / printed 2013.
Signed and numbered in verso, editions of 10. Image courtesy of SILVERLENS.
Bottom: Arturo Luz, Old Still Life 01, archival inkjet print, 11 x 15 in • 27.94 x 38.1 cm, 1993 / printed 2013.
Signed and numbered in verso, editions of 10. Image courtesy of SILVERLENS.
Top: Installation image courtesy of SILVERLENS.
Bottom: Installation image courtesy of SILVERLENS.
Top: Arturo Luz, Woman with Grand Daughter, India, archival inkjet print, 10 x 6.9 in • 25.4 cm x 17.52 cm, 1990-1998, unique print. Image courtesy of SILVERLENS
Bottom: Arturo Luz, Entrance to a Temple, India, archival inkjet print, 16 x 10.3 in • 40.64 x 20.17 cm, 1990-1998, unique print. Image courtesy of SILVERLENS.
Top: Arturo Luz, Woman in a Temple, India, archival inkjet print, 16 x 10.2 in • 40.64 x 25.91 cm, 1990-1998, unique print. Image courtesy of SILVERLENS.
Bottom: Arturo Luz, Young Weavers, Rajasthan, India, archival inkjet print, 12 x 8.5 in • 30.48 x 21.6 cm, 1990-1998, unique print. Image courtesy of SILVERLENS.
Arturo Luz with SILVERLENS co-director Isa Lorenzo.
Image courtesy of SILVERLENS.
CREDITS
All images courtesy of SILVERLENS.
Click here to access the press release for ARTURO LUZ: The Painter As Photographer.