ART THROUGH LUZ
ILUZTRATIONS OF ARTURO LUZ
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I-A. DEBRIEFING (MIND MAP)
II-A. RESEARCH
ABOUT HIM
Arturo Rogerio Dimayuga Luz was born on November 20, 1926, in Manila, Philippines His passion for art ignited at the age of 17 when he created a drawing of his mother, leading him to declare his intention to become an artist. Luz pursued formal education at the School of Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. He further honed his skills abroad, studying at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, the Brooklyn Museum Art School in New York, and the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris during the late 1940s and early 1950s.
CAREER
Luz began exhibiting his artwork while still in college and quickly gained recognition. His first solo exhibition took place in 1951 at the Manila Hotel, following an earlier exhibition of drawings in Paris He became a prominent figure in the Philippine art scene, contributing significantly to the modern Neorealist movement alongside contemporaries like Fernando Zobel de Ayala This movement sought to reinterpret daily life through a modernist lens.
In 1960, Luz co-founded the Luz Gallery with his wife, Tessie Ojeda Luz, which became one of the first commercial art spaces in the Philippines. This gallery played a crucial role in professionalizing the art gallery scene in the country He also served as the founding director of several important cultural institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Manila from 1976 to 1986.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Arturo Luz is celebrated for his minimalist and geometric style, characterized by abstract compositions that often feature themes such as musicians and cityscapes His works predominantly utilize a limited palette of black, white, red, and ochre, focusing on essential elements like lines and curves. Influenced by modernist artists like Paul Klee, Luz's art reflects a disciplined economy of means while evoking universal themes and aspirations for Asian modernity.
Throughout his career, Luz participated in numerous international exhibitions, including significant events such as the São Paolo Biennial and the Tokyo International Print Biennial. His contributions to Philippine art were recognized when he was named National Artist for Visual Arts in 1997, marking him as one of the foremost figures in contemporary Filipino art.
LEGACY
Arturo Luz passed away on May 26, 2021, leaving behind a rich legacy that continues to inspire artists and art lovers alike His works are celebrated not only for their aesthetic qualities but also for their profound cultural significance within Philippine history. The National Commission for Culture and the Arts remarked on his passing as a significant loss to modern Philippine artistry but emphasized gratitude for his enduring creative legacy.
II-B. RESEARCH (IMAGES)
II-C. RESEARCH (TYPOGRAPHY)
III-A. IDEATION (IMAGES)
DEVELOPMENT
IV-A. DEVELOPMENT
CHOOSING THE PAINTING TO RECREATE: BAGONG TAON (1952)
I’ll be using a photo I took of my bike standing on an invisible stand, made by acrylic glass, to create the illusion of it standing on it’s own.
IV-B. DEVELOPMENT
I then color graded the photo to somehow match the vibe of the painting, but not too close to add a bit of my own taste. Then I added the the trio of cyclists via digital tools, with the same vibe of textures as the original painting.
IV-C. DEVELOPMENT
CHOOSING THE PAINTING TO RECREATE: MAN WITH GUITAR (1997)
I’ll be using a photo I took of my guitar, hanging on two strings, with the matching background of the painting itself.
IV-D. DEVELOPMENT
I then removed the strings by the power of editing, then color graded the photo to match the vibe of the painting again. Then, lastly, added the man with the guitar via digital tools, with the same vibe of textures of the original painting.
V-A. FINAL DESIGN/S
V-A. FINAL DESIGN/S
VI-A. REFERENCES
Hildawa, S. G. (2006, November 19). The luminosity of luz. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/other-sections/starweek-magazine/2006/11/19/369697/luminosity-luz
We buy and sell Philippine paintings - Arturo Luz. (n.d.). PHILIPPINE ART GALLERY. https://www.philippineartgallery.com/arturo-luz.html
Wikipedia contributors. (2025, February 19). Arturo Luz. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arturo Luz
ArtAsiaPacific: Obituary: Arturo Luz (1926–2021). (n.d.). https://artasiapacific.com/news/obituary-arturo-luz-1926-2021