MANILA, Philippines - Fundacion Sanso is a non-stock, non-profit organization with the primary objective of educating the public on the cultural and historical impact of Filipino and Spanish visual artists as well as Filipino artists in France. Fundacion Sanso created and organized Museo Sanso to promote, preserve and conserve the artistic legacy of internationally-renowned expressionist artist Señor Juvenal Sanso. In addition, the organization is intended to be an educational resource as well through year-round exhibits in conjunction with other artists and museums. The foundation will also conduct researches on both the historical and cultural conditions that influenced Sanso and his contemporary Filipino artists in the Philippines, Spain and France. The inaugural exhibit gave visitors a glimpse/snippets into the lifework of Juvenal Sanso: born in Reus, Catalonia, Spain in 1929, but moved to Manila at the age of five. His early artwork as a student in UP, Rome and Paris; his so-called Black Period; Brittany, rocks, baklad and seascapes; prints, etchings and lithographs; flowers series; designs for textiles and opera; abstract and moderno.
Sanso held his first one-man show in Paris then came home in 1957 for his first local one-man show at the Philippine Art Gallery. Among his accolades are: The Presidential Medal of Merit, awarded by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on May 20, 2006; The Distinguished Cross of Isabela awarded by the Spanish King Juan Carlos on January 8, 2007; and The Chevalier de I’Ordre des Art et des Lettres conferred on February 26, 2008 by the Ministry of Culture and Communications of the Republic of France. PHOTOS BY KLAY TAN