Angelito Antonio
Article by Kirsten_E
From his first painting until the latest, Angelito Antonio has served as a pillar of 21st-century Philippine Art, with his intricate brushstrokes that capture the eyes and hearts of Filipinos and the people of foreign countries.
Background and Career
Born on February 3, 1939, Angelito “Mang Lito” Garcia Antonio was raised in Malolos, Bulacan. Joining contests from a very young age, he earned prizes and awards. He graduated college at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in 1963 with a degree in Fine Arts, later becoming an esteemed member of its faculty, where he taught for decades. He is married to the artist Norma Belleza, a likewise alumnus of the institution. He has three children, Marcel, Emil, and Fatima, who all share his talent and passion for painting.
According to several published articles, Antonio spent most of his earlier life studying and mastering art at the University of Santo Tomas, with his artistic career spanning half a century. National Artist Vicente Manansala and Galo Ocampo were two of his well-known instructors who had heavily contributed to the accomplishment of his pursuits of the art by providing him with a scholarship and a teaching position when he was still a student, which he took the opportunity to accept after graduation (GMA News, 2014). Some of his colleagues were Ang Kiukok, Antonio Austria, Danilo Dalena, Mario Parial, Jaime de Guzman, and Norma Belleza (his wife). He has over 20 local and international awards credited to his name, including the Grand Prize (1964) and Third Prize (1963) in AAP's Annual Art Competition. He is one of the committed constituents of the Art Association of the Philippines and the Saturday Group of Artists (Lifestyle. INQ, 2014).
In 1977, Antonio held his first exhibition at the Luz Gallery in Pasig, showcasing his sets of paintings that featured his inclination toward monochromatic palettes (Lifestyle. INQ, 2014). He is a well-decorated artist with numerous exhibits hosted abroad, particularly in New York and Saigon. His style was hugely influenced by the notable Spanish sculptor and painter Pablo Picasso, who he adapted from his taste for bright colors to give emphasis on his figures. The themes his works often display are taken extensively from the folk genre. He is both a modernist and an expressionist. In addition to the mentioned titles, people regard him as a prime mover in action painting and the extension of cubism in Philippine Art. His recent works see him channeling towards abstraction, or a mix of abstract and figurative (Namiart-Gallery, 2023).
Art Style
Antonio has evolved from years of painting in black and white to using vivid hues. These prominent features of his works were the colors of yellow, red, and blue. Manansala impacted his subjects most, primarily cockfighters, vendors, ice cream peddlers, and balloon sellers. His paintings portrayed the rich culture of Filipinos in everyday life, suggesting a great sense of nationality and pride to the viewers.
Works and Awards
In the Shell National Students Art Competition:
- The Beginning is Green, in 1958, third prize
- Kristo (Christ), in 1963, second prize
- Mag-iisda (Fish Seller), in 1963, certificate of merit
From the Art Association of the Philippines:
- Mananahi (Seamstress), in 1962, third prize
- Deposition, in 1963, second prize
- He, in 1969, honorable mention
- Oracion (Evening Prayer), in 1970, first prize
- Procession, 1970, special award
- Pangarap sa Buhay, in 1972, major award
- In the Travellers Life art competition, 1961, first prize
- In the University of Santo Tomas 300th Anniversary, 1962, first prize
- In the Travellers Art competition, in 1963, second prize
- In the Philippine Airlines art contest, 1968, first prize
- Thirteen Artist Award from the CCP in 1970
- Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award by the City of Manila in 1984
References
- Artist (Angelito Antonio). (n.d.). https://www.gallerybig.com/gallerybigantonio.html
- Besguerra. (2014, September 29). ‘La Musique’ exhibit features Antonio, Cacnio, Rubio | Lifestyle.INQ. Lifestyle.INQ.
https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/173106/la-musique-exhibit-features-antonio-cacnio-rubio/ namiart-gallery. (n.d.).
- Angelito Antonio | Artists | Nami Art Gallery, Philippines. Namiart-gallery. https://www.namiart-gallery.com/collections/angelito-antonio
Wikipedia contributors. (2023).
- Angelito Antonio. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelito_Antonio