MANILA, Philippines – The Ateneo Art Gallery remembers Alfredo “Al” Manrique (1949-2006) through the 2009 Ateneo Art Awards Contemporary Art Lecture: “Remembering Al Manrique” on July 29, 4:30 p.m.
Alfredo “Al” Manrique was an artist, activist, digital pioneer and founding member of e@rt Philippines. He was an original member of the ’70s Social Realists. Having trained as an architect at the University of Santo Tomas, he became an outstanding photographer, printmaker and became one of the earliest Filipino visual artists, in 1982, to explore digital media and cyberspace. He was also an activist who gave his skills and time to various cause-oriented NGOs and was a founding member of e@philippines Inc., a community of digital art practitioners.
He is represented in the Ateneo Art Gallery by several works: the iconic “Bunong Balikat,” 1978, oil on canvas; “Pagpanaw ni Ama,” 1982, etching and aquatint; “Harvest,” 1983, oil on canvas; and a series of 32 laser prints, 1983, which were the first works rendered via computer media to be included in the permanent collection of a major Philippine museum.
Malou Lauzon Manrique, the artist’s wife will give an introduction to the life of Al while Al’s friend and artist Jose Tence Ruiz will speak about Manrique’s pioneering work in digital art. On this occasion other artist-friends will share Al’s inspiring life’s lessons.
For information, call Ian Jaucian at 426-6488 or e-mail ijaucian@ateneo.edu.