Literature: Puruganan, Ricarte. Folk Art: The Thread to National Art. Heritage Art Center, 1983, p. 107.

ABOUT THE WORK

Ricarte Puruganan, part of the Thirteen Moderns, fused Filipino folk art and Western modernist techniques in his pieces. His early works are marked by bold strokes and dynamic compositions, specifically movement through his folk subjects. Later on, specifically since the 1960s, he developed a style of synthesizing indigenous designs with contemporary subject matters. The artist is also known for his appreciation of the folk dance which is translated in his folk art. This work titled Bislak, featuring native people in folk dance, showcases this synthesis. In his book titled Folk Art: The Thread to National Art, Puruganan wrote that this is among the paintings inspired by his experience at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California, where the Bayanihan Dance Company performed a traditional dance, produced as “a token of [his] homage to an inspiration.” The Ilocos Norte-born artist utilized an expressive color palette in his vibrant works and, beyond painting, for sculpture, architecture work, and landscaping in the Ilocos region. Along with Botong Francisco and Galo Ocampo, among others, Puruganan also helped in the establishment of the fine arts program in the University of Sto. Tomas.