By: JULIUS REY MAHUPIL

Arturo Rogerio Luz was born on Nov. 20,

1926, in Manila, He studied painting at the

School of Fine Arts at the University of Santo

Tomas in Manila, the Art School of the

Brooklyn Museum in New York, and the

Académie Grande Chaumière in Paris and

received a diploma from the California

College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland in 1994.

He married artist Tessie Ojeda Luz.

masterpieces that exemplify an

ideal of sublime austerity in

expression and form. From the

Carnival series of the late 1950s to

the recent Cyclist paintings, Luz

produced works that elevated

Filipino aesthetic vision to new

heights of sophisticated simplicity.

By establishing the Luz Gallery that

professionalized the art gallery as an

institution and set a prestigious

influence Arturo R. Luz, painter,

sculptor, and designer for more than

40 years, created over generations

of Filipino artists, Luz inspired and

developed a Filipino artistic

community that nurtures impeccable

designs.

Among his other significant paintings

are Bagong Taon, Vendador de

Flores,Skipping Rope, Candle Vendors,

Procession, Self-Portrait, Night

Glows,Grand Finale, Cities of the Past,

Imaginary Landscapes. His mural

paintingBlack and White is displayed in

the lobby of the CCP's Bulwagang

Carlos V. Francisco (Little Theater). His

sculpture of a stainless steel cube is

located in front of the Benguet Mining

Corporation Building in Pasig.

Arturo Luz has produced art pieces

through a disciplined economy of

means. His early drawings were

described as "playful linear works"

influenced by Paul Klee. His best

masterpieces are minimalist,

geometric abstracts, alluding to the

modernist "virtues" of competence,

order and elegance; and were further

described as evoking universal reality

and mirrors an aspiration for an acme of

true Asian modernity.

Bagong Taon

Vendador de Flores

Skipping Rope

CandleVendors

Procession

Self-Portrait

Night Glows

Grand Finale

Cities of the Past

Imaginary Landscapes

Man with Guitar

Chair table ang lamp

Trio Performing

Awit

City

from 1950's to 1960's - Three 1st Prizes

Awards at the (AAP) Art Association of the

Philippines Annual Competition.

California Art Association award

1962 – 1st Prize, First International Art Salon

in Saigon, Vietnam

1966 – Republic Cultural Heritage Award for

Painting

Represented Philippines in 1971 Sao Paolo

Biennial

Founding director of the Metropolitan Museum

of Manila in 1976 and remained as director

until 1986

978 – Order of Chevalier des Arts et Lettres,

by the French government (title was

promoted to “Officiel” in 1987)

981 – Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award,

from the City of Manila

1989 – Gawad CCP para sa Sining, from the

Cultural Center of the Philippines

1997 - National Artist in Visual Arts