Abdulmari Imao
Abdulmari Asia Imao | |
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Born | (1936-01-14)14 January 1936 Siasi, Sulu, Philippine Commonwealth |
Died | 16 December 2014(2014-12-16) (aged 78) Marikina, Philippines |
Nationality | Filipino |
Education | University of the Philippines University of Kansas |
Known for | Sculpture, Painting |
Awards | ![]() |
Abdulmari Asia Imao (January 14, 1936 – December 16, 2014) was a Filipino painter and sculptor. Imao was named National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts in 2006. A Tausūg, Imao is the first Moro to receive the recognition.[1] Aside from being a sculptor, Imao is also a painter, photographer, ceramist, cultural researcher, documentary film maker, writer, and a patron of Philippine Muslim art and culture.[2][3][4]
Early life
Imao was born on 14 January 1936 in Siasi, Sulu. Imao spent most of his childhood in the town of Pata, also in Sulu. His family came from a generation of tokang or boat makers dating back to the precolonial era. At the age of nine, Imao began to show interest for the arts.[5][6]
Imao etched trophies with the shape of a swimmer atop a pedestal for the swimmers in Sulu. At that time, swimmers from Jolo were the best bets of the country for the Olympics.[5]
Imao finished high school in 1956. During the same year, the Philippine Navy held a floating exhibit named LST which hosted works of Filipino artists, Fernando Amorsolo, Botong Francisco and Vicente Manansala. Imao conversed with Tomas Bernardo, who was in-charge of the exhibit, about painting and asked if Imao was into the discipline. Imao presented Bernardo some of his works who later took Imao to Manila.[5]
Career and education
Imao wrote to then President Ramon Magsaysay to seek a study grant. Jose Maria Ansaldo, aide to the President, helped Imao enter college at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. Imao entered as a pensionado of the Commission on National Integration. Among his mentors at the university were Guillermo Tolentino and Napoleon Abueva, who preceded him as National Artists. Imao graduated from the university with the degree Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture.[2][5]
In 1960, Imao entered the University of Kansas in the United States as a Smith Mundt and Fulbright Scholar. Imao was able to qualify for the top 20 slots of the scholarship. In 1962, Imao earned his Masters of Fine Arts in Sculpture, major in Metal Brass Casting. From 1962–1963 at the Rhode Island School of Design, Imao honed his craft as a scholar taking Creative Sculptor in Ceramic Technology.[2][5]
Imao also entered the Columbia University in New York City under the Columbia Faculty Scholarship in the tuition of Dr. Lloyd Burden. who developed the first color processing for Kodak. Imao studied documentary motion picture and photography at the university.[5]
In 1963, Imao received the New York Museum of Modern Art Grant to Europe and Scandinavia becoming the first Asian recipient of the grant.[2]
On 9 June 2006, Imao was named with the National Artist of the Philippines for Sculpture. Imao was also recognized as a brass-making consultant of the United Nations[7]
Style and technique
Imao is known for using the okir, sarimanok and the naga as motifs in his artworks and is credited for popularizing the motifs to the Filipino national consciousness.[3][8] Imao draws inspiration from Tausūg and Maranao art. Imao's Islamic faith is also a source of inspiration in his art as evidenced in his sculptures composed of elements of Allah's name through Arabic calligraphy.[7]
Personal life
Imao was married to Grace Bondoc de Leon, an art dealer from Santo Tomas, Pampanga. They had four sons, including Toym.[5]
Death
Imao died on 16 December 2014 at the age of 78 at his home in Marikina. Imao was suspected of dying due to heart attack but his family later released a statement through Imao's daughter-in-law, Cielo Imao, that he died in his sleep.[9]
A traditional state necrological service and tributes, which is usually given to National Artists, was accorded to Imao on 21 December at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Main Theater. Imao was later interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani at noon.[10]
References
- ^ "National Artist Abdulmari Imao dies at 78". The Philippine Star. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Abdulmari Imao, National Artist". Website on Muslim Mindanao For Journalist and Other Communicators. Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ a b "Abdulmari Asia Imao". National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ "National Artist for Visual Arts Imao passes away". ABS-CBN News. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Sharief, Nasser (16 January 2007). "Abdul Mari Asia Imao: Moro National Artist". Mindanao Examiner. Moro Times.
- ^ "Abdulmari Imao's soaring vision & sarimanok rainbow". MSN Lifestyle. The Philippine Star. 28 December 2014. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ a b Sorza, Rexcel John (11 June 2006). "Muslim Sculptor Wins Filipino National Order". OnIslam. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ "'Pambansang Obra' at The Podium". The Philippine Star. 7 June 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ Garcia, Angelo (17 December 2014). "National Artist Abdulmari Asia Imao dies". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ Mateo, Ibarra (21 December 2014). "State necrological service for National Artist Abdulmari Imao held at CCP". GMA News. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- v
- t
- e
- 1973 Juan Nakpil
- 1976 Pablo Antonio
- 1990 Leandro Locsin
- 2006 Ildefonso P. Santos Jr.
- 2014 José María Zaragoza
- 2018 Francisco Mañosa
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/National_Artist_of_the_Philippines.svg/80px-National_Artist_of_the_Philippines.svg.png)
- 1973 Francisca R. Aquino
- 1976 Leonor Orosa
- 1988 Lucrecia Reyes
- 2006 Ramon Obusan
- 2014 Alice Reyes
- 2022 Agnes Locsin
- 2006 Ramón Valera
- 2022 Salvacion Lim Higgins
- 1976 Lamberto V. Avellana
- 1982 Gerardo de León
- 1997 Lino Brocka
- 2001 Ishmael Bernal
- 2003 Eddie Romero
- 2006 Fernando Poe Jr.
- 2009 Manuel Conde
- 2018 Kidlat Tahimik
- 2022 Nora Aunor
- 2022 Marilou Diaz-Abaya
- 2022 Ricardo Lee
- 1997 Carlos Quirino
- 1973 Amado V. Hernandez
- 1973 José Garcia Villa
- 1976 Nick Joaquin
- 1982 Carlos P. Romulo
- 1990 Francisco Arcellana
- 1997 N. V. M. Gonzalez
- 1999 Edith Tiempo
- 2001 F. Sionil José
- 2003 Virgilio S. Almario
- 2003 Alejandro Roces
- 2006 Bienvenido Lumbera
- 2009 Lazaro Francisco
- 2014 Cirilo F. Bautista
- 2018 Ramon Muzones
- 2018 Resil B. Mojares
- 2022 Gémino Abad
- 1973 Antonio Molina
- 1976 Jovita Fuentes
- 1988 Antonino Buenaventura
- 1988 Lucrecia Kasilag
- 1991 Lucio San Pedro
- 1997 Levi Celerio
- 1997 Felipe Padilla de León
- 1997 José Maceda
- 1999 Ernani Joson Cuenco
- 1999 Andrea Veneracion
- 2014 Ramon Santos
- 2014 Francisco Feliciano
- 2018 Ryan Cayabyab
- 2022 Fides Cuyugan-Asensio
- 1987 Atang de la Rama
- 1997 Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero
- 1997 Rolando Tinio
- 1999 Daisy Avellana
- 2001 Severino Montano
- 2003 Salvador Bernal
- 2018 Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio
- 2022 Tony Mabesa
- 1972 Fernando Amorsolo
- 1973 Botong Francisco
- 1973 Guillermo Tolentino
- 1976 Napoleon Abueva
- 1976 Victorio Edades
- 1981 Vicente Manansala
- 1990 Cesar Legaspi
- 1991 Hernando R. Ocampo
- 1997 Arturo R. Luz
- 1999 J. Navarro Elizalde
- 2001 Ang Kiukok
- 2003 José T. Joya
- 2006 Benedicto Cabrera
- 2006 Abdulmari Imao
- 2009 Federico Aguilar Alcuaz
- 2014 Francisco Coching
- 2018 Larry Alcala
- National Commission for Culture and the Arts
- Cultural Center of the Philippines