Purita Kalaw Ledesma (February 2, 1914 – April 29, 2005) was a writer and art critic and founder of the Art Association of the Philippines in 1948.
Purita Kalaw Ledesma | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Purita Kalaw February 2, 1914 Manila, Philippine Islands |
| Died | April 29, 2005 (aged 91) Manila, Philippines[1] |
| Occupation | Writer, art critic |
| Alma mater | University of the Philippines University of Michigan |
| Spouse | Rafael Ledesma |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Maria Kalaw Katigbak (sister) Eva Estrada Kalaw (sister-in-law) Pura Villanueva Kalaw (mother) Teodoro Kalaw (father) |
Early life
editPurita Villanueva Kalaw was born in Manila on February 2, 1914, to government official Teodoro M. Kalaw (1884-1940), who at the time served as representative from Batangas, and journalist and beauty queen, Purificacion (Pura) Villanueva Kalaw (1886-1954). Her mother Pura was a prominent writer and suffragist. Purita's sister Maria Kalaw Katigbak became a senator, as did their sister-in-law Eva Estrada Kalaw. Purita Kalaw studied fine arts at the University of the Philippines and pursued further studies in art and design at the University of Michigan.[2] She held two master's degrees, one in education and one in art education, the latter completed when she was 72 years old.[3]
Career
editIn 1948, Purita Kalaw Ledesma founded the Art Association of the Philippines[4] and became president of the organization.[2] Kalaw Ledesma also managed the family real estate company, L. P. Kalaw, Inc.,[5] and attended a conference in Boston in that capacity in 1960.[6]
Books by Kalaw Ledesma include The Struggle for Philippine Art (1974, with Amadis Maria Guerrero); Edades: National Artist (1979, with Amadis Maria Guerrero, about Victorio Edades); The Biggest Little Room (1987, about the Philippine Art Gallery); and And Life Goes On (1994, an autobiography).[3][7][8][9] Her 1955 essay "A Critical Analysis of Modern Painting in the Philippines Today" is still considered an important text on the subject.[10] She also published a cookbook, Family Recipes, in the 1980s.[11]
Personal life and legacy
editPurita Kalaw married Rafael Ledesma.[12] They had four daughters, Rita, Consuelo, Ada, and Lourdes. Kalaw Ledesma experienced a debilitating stroke in 2000 and died in April 2005, aged 91 years.[2]
In 2010 there was an exhibit of works by Filipino artists from Kalaw Ledesma's personal collection, held at the Ayala Museum in Makati.[13] There is a Purita Kalaw Ledesma Prize for Art Criticism, presented by the Ateneo Art Gallery and the Kalaw-Ledesma Foundation, "to foster critical public discussion about exhibitions and artworks."[14]
References
edit- ^ "Purita Villanueva Kalaw". Geni.com. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ a b c Rosalinda L. Orosa, "Remembering Purita" Philippine Star (May 4, 2005).
- ^ a b Anne Marie Ozaeta, "Purita Kalaw Ledesma: An Accidental Writer" Philippine Star (January 27, 2014).
- ^ Eloisa May P. Hernandez, "The American and Contemporary Traditions in Philippine Visual Arts" Republic of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (April 15, 2015).
- ^ Rowena C. Burgos, "Purita Kalaw-Ledesma, the woman behind Philippine visual arts" Philippine Daily Inquirer (January 31, 2010).
- ^ "Realty Course Holds World Wide Interest" Bristol Daily Courier (April 18, 1960): 22. via Newspapers.com
- ^ Purita Kalaw Ledesma and Amadis Maria Guerrero, The Struggle for Philippine Art (Ledesma 1974).
- ^ Purita Kalaw Ledesma and Amadis Maria Guerrero, Edades: National Artist (Filipinas Foundation 1979).
- ^ Purita Kalaw Ledesma with Jaime C. Laya, And Life Goes On (P. Kalaw-Ledesma 1994).
- ^ Anna Gamboa, "Notes from Purita" Adobo Magazine (February 15, 2016).
- ^ Angelo Comsti, The Filipino Family Cookbook (Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd 2014): 42. ISBN 9789814634946
- ^ Alex Castro, "1908, Queen of the Orient, Pura Garcia Villanueva, part 2" Manila Carnivals 1908-1939: A Pictorial History of the "Greatest Annual Event in the Orient" (August 12, 2008).
- ^ A Vision of Philippine Art: Selections from the Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Collection (exhibition catalog, Ayala Museum, 2010).
- ^ "Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Prize for Art Criticism 2015 is now accepting entries" Philippine Star (December 15, 2014).
