GALO OCAMPO (1913-1983)
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Galo Ocampo was one of the most formative Filipino artists of the 20th Century. In his lifetime the multi-talented Ocampo was a muralist, painter, writer, professor, heraldry specialist, museum curator, and one of the Thirteen Moderns who transformed Filipino Art. Ocampo was born in the town of Santa Rita in 1913, and went on to attend the College of Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines. After graduating in 1934, he became employed painting murals with fellow artists Victorio Edades and Carlos “Botong” Francisco. In 1935, the trio painted the first Philippine mural at Manila’s Capitol Theatre, and in 1937, he published a book called Philippine Churches and Other Scenes. As a solo artist Ocampo created a mural called Hispanidad at the University of Santa Tomas, and three years later he painted The Brown Madonna; a Filipino representation of The Blessed Virgin. Ocampo held his first exhibition in Baguio, outside of Manila in 1938, along with contemporary artist Diosdado Lorenzo. His painting Moro Dance, displayed at the Baguio exhibition, clearly showed Ocampo’s emerging Modernist tendencies. In 1940 Ocampo taught at the University of Santo Tomas, and when the Japanese invaded during WWII, he was involved with the Filipino resistance to the war-time occupation.
After the war Ocampo went to the United States to study heraldry in Washington D.C. and painting at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. His paintings became renown at this time, and in 1949 he won second prize in the UN Art Contest for United Nations. In 1951, he won second place for Pounding Rice and honorable mention for Igorot Dance at the Art Association of the Philippines annual contest. He was also awarded the Rotary Golden Anniversary Award for Bayanihan in 1955. In 1956, he went on scholarship to Madrid to study genealogy and heraldry, and then to Rome to study Liturgical Art at the Instituto de Arte Liturgica. Due to his expertise in heraldry, Ocampo was then commissioned to create the coat of arms for the Republic of the Philippines, the personal seal of the president, and an insignia for the Archbishop of Manila. In 1959, under direction of the Archbishop, he was chosen to oversee the formation of an ecclesiastical art museum to be housed at the Manila Cathedral.
In 1973, at the age of 59, Ocampo finally held his first solo exhibition at the Galerie Blue entitled Anthropographic Designs, a tribute to early Filipino culture. A few years before his death in 1985, a retrospective exhibition was held at the Museum of Philippine Art in honor of Ocampo’s many accomplishments.
A partial list of Awards and Honors:
1949 - 2nd prize at the UN Art Contest for United Nations.
1951 - 2nd prize at the Art Association of the Philippines for Pounding Rice
1955 - Rotary Golden Anniversary Award for Bayanihan
2015 - Posthumously awarded the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Marangal na Pinuno
After the war Ocampo went to the United States to study heraldry in Washington D.C. and painting at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. His paintings became renown at this time, and in 1949 he won second prize in the UN Art Contest for United Nations. In 1951, he won second place for Pounding Rice and honorable mention for Igorot Dance at the Art Association of the Philippines annual contest. He was also awarded the Rotary Golden Anniversary Award for Bayanihan in 1955. In 1956, he went on scholarship to Madrid to study genealogy and heraldry, and then to Rome to study Liturgical Art at the Instituto de Arte Liturgica. Due to his expertise in heraldry, Ocampo was then commissioned to create the coat of arms for the Republic of the Philippines, the personal seal of the president, and an insignia for the Archbishop of Manila. In 1959, under direction of the Archbishop, he was chosen to oversee the formation of an ecclesiastical art museum to be housed at the Manila Cathedral.
In 1973, at the age of 59, Ocampo finally held his first solo exhibition at the Galerie Blue entitled Anthropographic Designs, a tribute to early Filipino culture. A few years before his death in 1985, a retrospective exhibition was held at the Museum of Philippine Art in honor of Ocampo’s many accomplishments.
A partial list of Awards and Honors:
1949 - 2nd prize at the UN Art Contest for United Nations.
1951 - 2nd prize at the Art Association of the Philippines for Pounding Rice
1955 - Rotary Golden Anniversary Award for Bayanihan
2015 - Posthumously awarded the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Marangal na Pinuno
