Paco Gorospe | |
|---|---|
| Born | Francisco "Paco" Gorospe Sy July 10, 1939 |
| Died | September 22, 2002 (aged 63) |
| Occupation | Painter |
Francisco "Paco" Gorospe Sy (July 10, 1939 – September 22, 2002) was a Filipino painter, called the "Picasso of the Philippines".
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface. The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and airbrushes, can be used. The final work is also called a painting.
Paco Gorospe is one of the famous painters of the Philippines. [1] He was born in Binondo, Manila. He was inspired by the simple and colourful lifestyle of native tribes from the south of the country such as the Yakans, the Bogobos and the Tausugs[ citation needed ].
Binondo is a district in Manila and is referred to as the city's Chinatown and is the world's oldest Chinatown. Its influence extends beyond to the places of Quiapo, Santa Cruz, San Nicolas and Tondo. It is the oldest Chinatown in the world, established in 1594 by the Spaniards as a settlement near Intramuros but across the Pasig River for Catholic Chinese, it was positioned so that colonial rulers could keep a close eye on their migrant subjects. It was already a hub of Chinese commerce even before the Spanish colonial period. Binondo is the center of commerce and trade of Manila, where all types of business run by Filipino-Chinese thrive.
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the capital of the Philippines. It is the most densely populated city proper in the world. It was the first chartered city by virtue of the Philippine Commission Act 183 on July 31, 1901 and gained autonomy with the passage of Republic Act No. 409 or the "Revised Charter of the City of Manila" on June 18, 1949. Manila, alongside Mexico and Madrid are considered the world's original set of Global Cities due to Manila's commercial networks being the first to traverse the Pacific Ocean, thus connecting Spanish Asia with the Spanish Americas, marking the first time in world history when an uninterrupted chain of trade routes circled the planet. Manila has been damaged by and rebuilt from wars more times than the famed city of Troy and it is also the second most natural disaster afflicted capital city in the world next to Tokyo yet it is simultaneously among the most populous and most wealthy cities in Southeast Asia.
He joined a local group of artists in Ermita, Manila, and sold his paintings locally, gradually gaining recognition. Paco started with crayons, later using water colours but finally shifted to oil paintings. His paintings caught the eye of Lydia Arguilla, founder of the Philippine Art Gallery (PAG), who displayed his work at PAG and included over 40 of his paintings in her personal collection.
Gorospe's first major exhibition, due largely to Lydia Arguilla's patronage, took place in 1962 at the World's Fair in Seattle, Washington. [2] Following his stint at the "Century 21" World's Fair in Seattle, US sales increased, and in 1964 his works were chosen to represent the Philippines at the World's Fair in New York[ citation needed ].
Other foreign exhibitions followed including Okinawa, Japan (1972), Baden-Baden, Germany (1989), Switzerland and Denmark[ citation needed ].
In 1990, his work Sabungeros ("cockfighting") was chosen by Philippine Airlines for the cover of their playing cards given to passengers. [3]
Philippine Airlines (PAL), a trade name of PAL Holdings, Inc., also known historically as Philippine Air Lines, is the flag carrier of the Philippines. Headquartered at the PNB Financial Center in Pasay City, the airline was founded in 1941 and is the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia operating under its original name. Out of its hubs at Ninoy Aquino International Airport of Manila, Clark International Airport of Angeles, Mactan-Cebu International Airport of Cebu, and Francisco Bangoy International Airport of Davao, Philippine Airlines serves 31 destinations in the Philippines and 41 overseas destinations in Southeast Asia, East Asia, Middle East, Oceania, North America and Europe.
