Philippine Art Awards pays tribute to National Artist Botong Francisco

MANILA, Philippines - To mark the birth centennial of National Artist Botong Francisco, his heirs —through Botong’s daughter, US-based Carmen Francisco-Whalen and his artist-grandson Totong Francisco — collaborated with Philippine Art Awards (PAA) to upgrade and refurbish Maestro Botong’s studio in Angono, Rizal. The Art Studio Museum, constantly visited by students and local tourists, was damaged by recent floods. The PAA embarked on this activity as part of the yearlong celebration of the art and life of National Artist Botong Francisco which has been organized by several museums, universities and art organizations. Personal memorabilia of the maestro, reproductions of his works from institutional collections, and photographs by Richard “Dick” Baldovino, form part of the new museum exhibit. As a fitting tribute, a PAA marker, commemorating his birth centennial has been installed in his studio-home.

Philippine Art Awards, the nation’s preeminent visual art competition, participated in the Botong Francisco Centennial celebration as it recognizes the ever-growing community of local artists from the lakeshore towns, particularly Angono and Binangonan in Rizal, who regularly participate in its biennial competition. Aside from the refurbishing of the Botong Francisco Art Studio Museum, PAA mounted an exhibition at the nearby Blanco Family Museum of works by current and previous PAA winners who hail from the same locality as their fitting tribute to their idols — muralists National Artist Francisco “Botong” Francisco and Jose “Pitok” Blanco.

“The works of National Artist Francisco, as well as those of Jose Blanco vividly echo the charm and color of the Filipino countryside. We hope that our contemporary artists continue to recognize the potent opportunity of having the works of these masters as their inspiration.” states Chris J. Nelson, president of PMFTC, as he toured the exhibits at the two must-see museums of Angono, Rizal.

“We hope that other cultural organizations and museums can join in and mount similar activities all throughout 2013” says Marites M. Pineda, granddaughter of the late senate speaker Eulogio Rodriguez of Rizal, who spearheads the group behind the Botong Francisco Art Festival. The Festival is supported by Ayala Museum, Angono Artists’ Association, BSP Museum, Far Eastern University, Freeway’s National Artists Series, Municipality of Angono headed by Mayor Calderon, Museum Foundation of the Philippines, SM Malls, University of Santo Tomas, Yuchengco Museum, and Philippine Art Awards.

“We are very grateful to the Philippine Art Awards for helping us refurbish our Botong Francisco Art Studio Museum. Now we are more than ready to receive the many museum visitors who visit us and we hope they will be able to appreciate better the life and art of the master artist,” says Totong Francisco. Totong, the only practicing visual artist among Botong’s grandchildren, gave up his art gallery adjacent to Maestro Botong’s studio, to give way to the expansion of the Art Studio Museum.

The Botong Francisco Art Studio Museum and the Blanco Family Museum invite the public to celebrate with them the rustic charm of Angono by visiting, so they may discover for themselves the reason why Angono is dubbed as the art capital of the Philippines.