Benedicto Reyes Cabrera
(born April 10, 1942),
better known as "BenCab", is a Filipino painter
and was awarded National Artist of the
Philippines for Visual Arts (Painting) in 2006.
He has been
noted as "arguably the best-selling
painter of his generation of Filipino artists."
BenCab was born to Democrito Cabrera
and Isabel Reyes in Malabon, Philippines
on April 10, 1942. He was the youngest of nine
children. BenCab's first exposure and discovery
of the arts happened
through his elder Brother
Salvador, who was already an established artist
during Bencab's childhood.
He went on to study at the University of the
Philippines College of Fine Arts, where he
explored different art visual forms - photography, draftsmanship, printmaking - while honing his
chosen craft as a painter.
He received his
bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in 1963.
When the 1990 Luzon earthquake struck, BenCab
and the BAG helped out by instituting programs
such as the ArtAid workshop for traumatized
children, and a fund-raising art auction they titled "Artquake." Bencab was elected president
of the
guild the following year.
Later in the 1990s, BenCab's input was a critical
element in the creation of Tam-awan Village, "a refuge for local artists who desire a nurturing
environment in which to develop their talents,
and a community for all those who wish to take
part in the harmonious fusion of art, culture,
environment, and history."
BenCab also exhibited considerably during the
last decade of the Millennium, also reaping many
accolades. Among the most prominent of the many
awards received by BenCab during this period
was the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining (Cultural
Center of the Philippines Award for the Arts) in 1992.
Published Collections of Works
Four books covering BenCab's works have been
released:
• Ben Cabrera: Etchings (1970–1980)
by Cid Reyes;
• Bencab’s Rock Sessions by Eric Caruncho;
• BENCAB by Alfred Yuson and Cid Reyes; and
• BenCab: Nude Drawings by Alfred Yuson. |
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