Fundacion Sanso has announced that its founder, Juvenal Sansó, passed away yesterday, March 28. The 95 year-old artist had battled Stage 2 Diabetes for years.
By FRANCHESCA L. TUAZON
In his long and productive life, Sansó established himself as one of the country’s most notable modernists with more than 70 years of work.
Sansó earned prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Merit from the Republic of the Philippines, the Order of Isabella from Spain and the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from France. His legacy continues through Fundacion Sansó, which continues to preserve his works, authenticate his art and support the next generation of Filipino artists and cultural workers through scholarships and programs that promote the arts.
Born in Spain and raised in Manila, Sansó’s artistic journey was shaped by both personal experiences and the difficult times he lived through. He witnessed World War II firsthand, an experience that was heavily reflected in his earlier works.
Family Portrait; Construction
In a 2009 interview with PeopleAsia editor-in-chief Joanne Rae Ramirez, Sansó reflected on the emotions in his art. “I am happy now, and I hope my works show it, too, but when I had something to say from my aching guts during World War II, my works showed the pain, too,” he shared.
Despite the hardships of his youth, Sansó’s artistic career blossomed. He studied under Alejandro Celis, an Amorsolo-trained artist, before enrolling at the UP College of Fine Arts. Throughout his career, he explored multiple creative disciplines, including sculpture, photography, theater and set design.
As the years passed, Sansó’s art evolved. His later works moved away from the pain of war, moving on a brighter palette of seascapes, florals and dreamlike landscapes.
With Royal Countenance; In Joyous Exuberance 2000
For Sansó, art was both an outlet and a reflection of himself. When asked if painting gave him good health and a positive outlook, he said, “Maybe it’s the other way around. It works both ways. I give my good disposition to my paintings.”
The master also said: “Sanso is the result of all his paintings and all his paintings are the result of Sanso.”
