Art For All

National Artist Arturo Luz is featured in the latest Rustan’s for the Arts exhibit.

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Rustan’s has become the foremost purveyor of class, style, and taste in the Philippine market. The brand is known for introducing Filipinos to an unparalleled range of prestigious global and homegrown brands and exciting upscale events, all designed to elevate the Filipino lifestyle. It is in the same spirit that Rustan’s formed Rustan’s for the Arts, a division that promotes artistic and cultural endeavors in the country. 

Seeing the arts as a shaper of national identity, Rustan’s for the Arts offers a platform for local artists to showcase their works, be it in the visual, music, dance, or theater arts. Rustan’s for the Arts gathers once again, this time, to celebrate the legacy of the national artist and key figure in Filipino neo-realism, Arturo Luz, in an exhibit titled Improvisations by Arturo Luz.

Improvisations presents some of the master’s most iconic works. The exhibit is on the fourth floor of Rustan’s Makati and kickstarted with a launch event on September 19, 2024. Arturo Luz’s granddaughter, artist Paulina Luz-Sotto, was at the launch to speak about the collection on her grandfather’s behalf. 

The life and legacy of Arturo Luz

Luz once said that “his art is for all.” On this note, Rustan’s For The Arts is bringing one of the country’s most important artists to the public.

Arturo Luz, honored as a National Artist for the Visual Arts in 1997, was a painter, sculptor, photographer, printmaker, designer, and one of the most influential voices in the neo-realist movement in the local art scene. His 60-year career also included museum directing (Metropolitan Museum of Manila and Museum of Philippine Art), art directing (Design Center of the Philippines), and founding a museum (The Luz Gallery, known for featuring works of acclaimed local modernist artists like Joya, Sanso, Bencab, and himself). 

Educated in Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas and art schools in France and the United States, Luz made his mark for his brand of neo-realism that used minimalist aesthetics, simple geometric shapes, monochromatic hues, and interplays of lines, shapes, and textures to depict the realities of Filipino life. His art also offers a screenshot of the zeitgeist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by a cultural, intellectual, and artistic desire to deviate from realist and classical conventions.

This spirit is palpable in Luz’s notable works, such as The Cyclist series, which features abstracted representations of cyclists in motion; Carnival Forms, which features geometric depictions of performers and scenes of celebration; and the Anito series, minimalist sculptures representing traditional Filipino ancestral figures.

Throughout his career, Luz’s works have been celebrated locally and abroad and exhibited in prestigious events like the Philippine Cultural Exhibition in New York in 1953, Arte de America y Espana in 1963, the 11th Sao Paolo Biennial in 1971, the Tokyo International Print Biennial in 1974, the 8th British International Print in 1984, among others. 

Today, Luz’s works are among the most sought-after by art collectors. He is also considered a driving force in helping forge a distinct Filipino modern art; his influence is visible in many local art institutions. Improvisations by Arturo Luz illustrates this perfectly. 

Over the years, Rustan’s has helped nurture the local art scene through its countless art exhibitions, collaborations with local artists, and sponsorship of cultural events. Through its efforts, Rustan’s aims to help preserve and promote Filipino culture, a statement of the brand’s broader philosophy of emphasizing quality, luxury, and respect for heritage.

For more updates on Rustan’s for the Arts exhibit, head to @rustansph on Facebook and Instagram or visit https://rustans.com.