Napoleon Abueva
| Napoleon Abueva | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Napoleón Isabelo Veloso-Abueva January 26, 1930 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippine Islands |
| Occupation | sculptor |
| Spouse(s) | Sergia (Cherry) Abueva |
| Children | Amihan, Mulawin, Duero |
| Parent(s) | Teodoro Abueva Purificacion Veloso |
Napoleón Isabelo Veloso Abueva (born January 26, 1930), more popularly known as Napoleón Abueva, is a Filipino artist. He is a sculptor given the distinction as the Philippines' National Artist for Sculpture. He is also entitled as the "Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture". He was awarded National Artist of the Philippines in the field of Visual Arts.
Napoleon Abueva, nicknamed Billy, was born on January 26, 1930 in Tagbilaran, Bohol to Teodoro Abueva, a Bohol congressman and Purificacion (Nena) Veloso, president of the Women’s Auxiliary Service.
Abueva has six other brothers and sisters: Teodoro (Teddy -deceased ), Jr.; Purificacion (Neny -deceased), married to Atty. Ramon Binamira (dec.) of Tagbilaran City; Jose Abueva (Pepe), former president of the University of the Philippines; Amelia Martinez (Inday), now living in Chicago; Teresita (Ching) Floro, now living in Sydney, Australia; and Antonio (Tony), a landscape artist.
He assumed the name Napoleon at the age of six, when as a student at the St. Joseph Academy in Tagbilaran, one of the nuns first called him Napoleon after Napoleon Bonaparte. The name stuck, and ever since, Abueva references the quote from Napoleon: "If I weren’t a conqueror, I would wish to be a sculptor."
At U.P, one of his mentors was Guillermo Tolentino, also a national artist, who created the oblation at the university entrance . Tolentino later relegated to him the task of replicating the sculpture for the Campus of U.P. Los Banos.
In 1976, he was proclaimed as National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts by then President Ferdinand Marcos. He was the youngest recipient of the title at age 46.
...
Wikipedia