Art Association of the Philippines

The Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) is an art organization that aims to "advance and foster, and promote the interests of those who work in the visual arts." It stakes its position as a circulator of artistic goods within a general system of production, circulation and consumption.^[1][2][3]

History

The Art Association of the Philippines was conceived through a supposed to be Alumni Association through Purita Kalaw Ledesma together with the graduates of the UP School of Fine Arts. After the war Ledesma, Together with Alfredo Pestano and Antonio Dumlao get together and discussed about the need to put up an alumni association.

In, 1947, she visit the college and met her old professor and brought up the topic of putting up the Association. Many had discouraged her but she pursued and met with Emilio Aguilar Cruz and Virginia Flor Agbayani and was able to gather enough people, 13 in all, and meet up one Sunday, February 15, 1948 at the school of fine arts in Taft Avenue, at that time, now it was where the Supreme Court is located.

Besides Cruz, there were also names that joined the meeting, some of them were, Ramon Peralta Jr., who is the son of a former professor and eventually became the appointed executive secretary, Severino Fabie, a talented sculptor and Nemesio Faustino who was teaching art education at the School of Fine Arts and Trade. Candido Alcantara was the recording secretary and Purita Kalaw Ledesma was chosen as the President. In the second meeting, Hernando R. Ocampo and Cesar Legaspi were present. Many had joined the meeting even though they were not graduates or students of UP. Because of this, the group could not be longer an alumni association, so it became the Art Association of the Philippines.

Legacy

AAP Art exhibitions featured and promoted works by the members from across the Philippines and overseas. The organization also aims to advance and foster, and promote the interests of the artists.

References