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 No list of expatriate painters in Bali would be complete without
the name of Antonio Blanco, who settled here after independence. Married to a beautiful
Balinese woman and father to several talented children, Blonco has successfully created a
legend in his own time based on admirable talents, eccentric flair and a long term,
successful PR campaign.A Philippine of Catalan descent, blanco was born in Manila in 1927. Later he became an American citizen and attended the Fine Arts Academy in New York City. Blanco traveled the world, dressing outlandishly from Hawaii to Florida, before ending in Bali (see the photos in his book). Picking up where Walter Spies and Le Mayeur left off, he decided that he would be the ultimate painter of Bali. Assuming the role of one of greatest artists of his era, he dazzled tourists with such dramatic statements as, "Life is Art and my Life is Art". If this was not enough, a beautiful bare breasted Balinese girls carrying an offering of flowers would often nonchalantly appear in the background to emphasize the drama of the moment.
While identifying himself with Salvador Dali, another Catalan, Blanco’s painting is much moreindebted to such realists as Willem Hofker. Blanco continued where Hofker stopped, liberating the pigment with bolder strokes and sweeps of color. He also took Hofker’s sensuality to a new often shocking level. His woman are provocative and even daunting. While inviting on the first impression, they display a certain ambiguity which reflects on the orientation of the artist. For many the best part of Blanco’s art is his acting ability, closely followed by his extraordinary frames, often more avant garde then the paintings they enclose.A favorite among the rich of Jakarta, Blanco rarely paints at his point-perhaps too busy receiving awards. A true cultural icon in Ubud -everyone should be sure to visit the immitable and unmatched master, Antonio Blanco. |
