National Artist for Visual Arts (2009)
(June 6, 1932 – February 2, 2011)
Federico Aguilar y Alcuaz is known for his abstraction of still life works and landscapes. Hailed by Dr. Rod. Paras-Perez as the “epic troubadour of the urban landscape”, Alcuaz painted panoramic views of the cities he visited such as New York, Barcelona, Santander, and of course, Manila. His still life works are inspired by neofiguratives where objects become recognizable but still distorted in form. Alcuaz also explored making tapestries, painting portraits (with the Tres Marias as a prolific subject) and creating pottery (jars, ceramics and porcelain). Alcuaz dedicated his life in the arts, pursuing painting even after completing a course on Law. He traveled to explore new ways to develop his art, and found art in his immediate environment. He took his art seriously to the point of destroying some of his works, a true sign of a master painter: aiming for excellence while consistent in practice.