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Arturo Luz Sold at Auction Prices
b. 1926 - d. 2021
Filipino artist Arturo Luz (b.1926) was one of the founders of the modern Neo-Realist style in Philippine art.Though he used several styles and techniques, he was primarily influenced by Modernist Paul Klee. Arturo Luz's artworks, usually in oil or acrylic paint, were abstract figural or architectural pieces. In the 1950s, he used geometric shapes to create a series of carnival paintings.
Artist Arturo Luz was the Founding Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila in 1976, and worked there for 10 years. In 1997, he was recognized as the National Artist in Visual Arts by the Philippine government. At auction Arturo Luz paintings' prices for originals continue to increase; prices can also vary by size and medium. Purchase a variety of unique abstract prints for sale online and create your own fine art gallery.
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soldSep. 16, 2023Arturo Luz, Philippines (1926- 2021), Abstract Houses, Lithograph
Est: $200 - $400Arturo Luz Philippines, (1926- 2021) Abstract Houses Lithograph signed and nomered 105/275, framed
Link Auction Galleries
soldSep. 09, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021) - Juggler and Cyclist
Est: PHP1,600,000 - PHP2,080,000Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021) Juggler and Cyclist signed (lower right) acrylic on handmade paper 57 1/2" x 40” (146 cm x 102 cm Accompanied by a certificate issued by Mrs. Luisa Luz-Lansigan confirming the authenticity of this lot Asignificant portion of Arturo Luz's artistic practice centered around circus performers like acrobats, musicians, and cyclists. This combination of subjects indicates the artistic path and aesthetic disposition that Luz pursued during the 1960s and 1970s. This artistic direction involved a focus on abstract geometric paintings. All of Luz's elegant pieces showcase his instantly recognizable and succinct utilization of lines to craft precise, balanced geometric scenes. He adopted the formal and spatial techniques of Cubism as a framework to rein in the increasing levels of fantasy and irrationality that began infiltrating his imagery in the early 1960s. Gradually simplifying his technique, he developed an approach that primarily featured pure geometric shapes and their interactions, placed against understated backgrounds. The artwork is meticulously organized to accentuate straight lines and circular forms. Vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines are evident in the figures' forms. By employing a rich and textured backdrop, Luz unites the color element to underscore the straight lines within his composition. His simple geometric constructs are given life through the aforementioned contrast; an example of the uncomplicated yet elegant interplay of Luz’s canon. The figures' heads, lacking distinct features and appearing like pins, are distilled into their fundamental geometric elements. Luz simplifies his subjects into substantial, uncomplicated masses, as these shapes evoke timeless values. As a result, even though the color palette is limited in this piece, the formal attributes are enhanced by the precisely structured geometric lines and meticulous modeling, aspects that further mirror Luz's pragmatic ideals. (Jed Daya)
Leon Gallery
soldSep. 09, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021) - Modula
Est: PHP200,000 - PHP260,000Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021) Modula steel H: 15 3/4" x L: 4" x W: 4" (40 cm x 8 cm x 8 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Mrs. Luisa Luz-Lansigan confirming the authenticity of this lot While most known for his abstractions on canvas, Arturo Luz’s transition into sculpting began with his“Objects” painting series in which ceramic wares arranged on cube-like tables were rendered in the abstract with three dimensional qualities. As Art critic and historian Raymundo Albano writes, it was from this transitional stage that Luz realized the sculptural potential of his abstract forms. Through a three-dimensional translation of lines in space, Luz introduced a physicality that brought new possibilities of experiencing his abstract forms. The added variety of angles from which one is able to view the sculptures allowed for what Albano calls “poetic luminescences” that brought a new life and luster to his lines. Situated in a three-dimensional space, the sculptural abstractions of Luz lead the viewer to ponder upon the interaction of space and form in their sheer geometric poetry. (Pie Tiausas)
Leon Gallery
soldSep. 09, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021) - a.) Juggler No. 1 b.) Juggler No. 2 c.) Cyclist
Est: PHP4,600,000 - PHP5,980,000Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021) a.) Juggler No. 1 b.) Juggler No. 2 c.) Cyclist signed (lower right) dated 1999 acrylic on canvas 54" x 36" (61 cm x 91 cm) each Each piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Ms. Mrs. Luisa Luz-Lansigan confirming the authenticity of this lot The circus performers form an iconic ensemble within the oeuvre of Arturo Luz, and such is the case with the lots at hand – Juggler No. 1, Juggler No. 2, and Cyclist. Luz, who was born in 1926, had a penchant for depicting the festive despite his austere brand of art. For that reason, one might wonder if he encountered the Manila Carnival as a child. The event was like New Year's Eve with all the gaiety and laughter, delighting the Filipino people with parades and pageants. A variety of shows were held, from circus and vaudevilles to slapstick comedies and grand theatrical performances. The annual carnival festival did not last long, though, taking place only from the early 1900s to the late 1930s. Apart from that, it is said that his interest could have in fact started back in the 1950s. In 1952, the artist witnessed a sight that struck him as truly Filipino. He was amazed that four men could ride a single bicycle! That scene made its way into his renowned work titled Bagong Taon, a depiction of three people riding a bicycle and celebrating the New Year. From his Bagon Taon in 1952, Luz continued his artistic journey on exuberant themes throughout the 1950s until the late 1960s when the artist abandoned the vestiges of figuration and explored abstraction. Then, decades later, he embarked on his Celebration, Carnival Forms, and Forms of Amusement in the 1990s. As observed in these Luz paintings, his minimalistic approach is evident through the monochromatic palette and the void of intricate details. The human figures at the center of each canvas are reduced to basic shapes and rendered with improper body proportions to emphasize their linear strength. Here, Luz wanted to exhibit his linear coherence, logical abstraction, and mastery of geometric forms. Luz dedicated the last two decades of his artistic career to recreating his most celebrated themes that are applauded to this day, and one of those was his Carnival Series. Albeit modest in form, that particular series has a certain charm that remains alluring to art collectors and connoisseurs. Two years prior to the creation of these acrylic pieces, Luz was conferred the National Artists Award in 1997. (Isabella Romarate)
Leon Gallery
soldSep. 09, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021) - Maja
Est: PHP1,400,000 - PHP1,820,000Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021) Maja signed (lower right) acrylic collage 48" x 36" (122 cm x 91 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Mrs. Luisa Luz-Lansigan pconfirming the authenticity of this lot Arturo Luz was best known for his abstract works that are most of the time minimalistic and monochromatic. His art is straightforward, incorporating the notion of sublime austerity in form and expression. Furthermore, a detail that contributed to making his abstraction stand out was his predilection for featuring subjects that have geometric-planar shapes, as observed in this piece titled Maja. The lot at hand done in acrylic could be a part of his collage series. His interpretation of the art form shows his firm hand in subtle aesthetics. He used the negative space in his canvas to emphasize the intensity of disengaged yet coordinated and interconnected figures. Also, his keen attention to detail through the impeccable linework is present in this piece. Luz started to explore the art form of the collage in the late 1960s, when he abandoned figurative art. In a book written by Cid Reyes, he shared: “Through the twenty years or so that I have been painting, it has always been at the back of mind to work in a completely non-figurative, non-objective style…” Luz added, “collage was the bridge I used to shift to total abstraction.” (Isabella Romarate)
Leon Gallery
soldSep. 09, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021) - Abstract Improvisation 1
Est: PHP1,000,000 - PHP1,300,000Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021) Abstract Improvisation 1 signed (lower right and verso) dated 1986 (verso) acrylic collage 53" x 47" (135 cm x 119 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Mrs. Luisa Luz-Lansigan confirming the authenticity of this lot An acclaimed pioneer of modernism in Philippine Art alongside contemporaries like Vicente Manansala, Cesar Legaspi, H.R. Ocampo, and Romeo Tabuena, Arturo Luz embodied the transformative spirit of neo-realism that emerged in the 1950s. At that time, artists sought to paint a new vision of reality as the aftermath of the war entailed a rebuilding of Manila’s city space that brought along with it a changing sociopolitical landscape. This new vision, however, did not mean a total departure from reality, a retreat into fancy— nor a mere escape from the horrors of war. Instead, for the neo-realists, the abstractions of their making were intimations into nature and the social landscape that worlded them as subjects. Because such works were necessarily inflected with an individuality that drew from the subconscious, the neo-realist was thus closer to reality than ever. It is a character very much exemplified in the works of Arturo Luz whom art critic and historian Patrick Flores describes as having a “feeling for form.” Owing to his educational background in design practice, Luz developed this natural instinct for forms and their interrelations in space which allowed him to make masterfully sound abstract compositions throughout his artistic career: “I suppose that at the end of such training, you develop this instinct for design. It becomes second nature to you…You can sit down and analyze all inter-relations among the different shapes and colors if you wish. You can look at any object, any art, or building even, and analyze it purely in terms of design. But I don’t do this. Everything to me has become instinctive…” The oeuvres of Arturo Luz saw experimentations in various mediums from painting, sculpture, and printmaking to photography and collage. What significantly recurs throughout these various explorations in medium is the technique of improvisation that espoused the spirit of neo-realism and the ethos of design. To improvise means to make do in the moment—and cleverly so, at that. It is also what belies the heart of Luz’s artistic practice: Making do with the scraps of form that the respective medium allows, alongside the sheer creative impulse of the subconscious in the present. Particularly evident in Luz’s collage works, what often materializes on canvas is an artfully sound arbitrariness which art critic Raymundo Albano describes as an ‘open-ended system of ordering’ that presents ever-emerging possibilities. (Pie Tiausas)
Leon Gallery
soldAug. 20, 2023LUZ Arturo (Philippines 1926-2021), Untitled, 1962., W/Clr & Graphite, 57x41.5cm
Est: AUD2,000 - AUD3,000LUZ, Arturo (Philippines 1926-2021) Untitled, 1962. W/Clr & Graphite 57x41.5cm PROVENANCE: Purchased in The Philippines prior to 2000 by the current owner's mother - private collection, Sydney.
Davidson Auctions
soldAug. 20, 2023LUZ Arturo (Philippines 1926-2021), Untitled, 1962., W/Clr & Graphite, 57x41.5cm
Est: AUD2,000 - AUD3,000LUZ, Arturo (Philippines 1926-2021) Untitled, 1962. W/Clr & Graphite 57x41.5cm PROVENANCE: Purchased in The Philippines prior to 2000 by the current owner's mother - private collection, Sydney.
Davidson Auctions
soldAug. 20, 2023LUZ Arturo (Philippines 1926-2021), Untitled, 1962., W/Clr & Graphite, 57x41.5cm
Est: AUD2,000 - AUD3,000LUZ, Arturo (Philippines 1926-2021) Untitled, 1962. W/Clr & Graphite 57x41.5cm PROVENANCE: Purchased in The Philippines prior to 2000 by the current owner's mother - private collection, Sydney.
Davidson Auctions
soldJul. 29, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP110,000 - PHP143,000Homage to Isamu Noguchi #14/100 2018 metal tube in black finish 6 1/2” x 10 3/4” x 7” (17 cm x 27 cm x 18 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by The Crucible Gallery confirming the authenticity of this lot
Leon Gallery
soldJul. 29, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP110,000 - PHP143,000Homage to Isamu Noguchi #16/100 mild steel rod in silver finish signed (base) 2015 8 3/8” x 8 1/2” x 6 1/2” (21 cm x 22 cm x 17 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by The Crucible Gallery confirming the authenticity of this lot
Leon Gallery
soldJul. 29, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP75,000 - PHP97,500Duo Performers #57/100 signed dated 2020 stainless steel 7” x 9 1/2” x 13 1/2” (18 cm x 24 cm x 34 cm)
Leon Gallery
sold
soldJul. 29, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP35,000 - PHP45,500Collage signed and dated 2015 (lower right) collage (C-prints) image size 9” x 5 3/4” (23 cm x 15 cm) with white background 16 5/8” x 13 5/8” (42 cm x 35 cm)
Leon Gallery
soldJul. 29, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP80,000 - PHP104,000Nikko signed (lower left) dated 2015 (verso) acrylic collage on paper 8” x 8” (20 cm x 20 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by The Crucible Gallery confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE The Good Art Gallery
Leon Gallery
soldJul. 29, 2023Arturo Luz and Paulina Luz Sotto Collaboration
Est: PHP100,000 - PHP130,000Untitled signed and dated 2021 (lower left and verso) acrylic on canvas 15” x 15 (38 cm x 38 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Paulina Luz Sotto confirming the authenticity of this lot
Leon Gallery
sold
soldJul. 29, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP100,000 - PHP130,000PROPERTY FROM THE MILLET MARTINEZ MANANQUIL COLLECTION Untitled hand signed (upper right) monoprint 38 1/2” x 58 3/4” (98 cm x 149 cm)
Leon Gallery
soldJul. 29, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP100,000 - PHP130,000PROPERTY FROM THE MILLET MARTINEZ MANANQUIL COLLECTION Untitled monoprint 29” x 39” (74 cm x 99 cm)
Leon Gallery
soldJun. 17, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP1,000,000 - PHP1,300,000Imaginary Landscape signed (lower right) dated 2005 acrylic on paper 21" x 35" (53 cm x 89 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Luisa Luz-Lansigan confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Manila Asia’s monumental landmarks were reconstructed as abstract panoramic landscapes in the hands of Arturo Luz. The palaces and temples that inspired his oeuvre have been notable since ancient times, but some of the settings he also depicted are nowhere to be found. As observed in this acrylic piece, a never before seen architecture but is familiar to the eye inhabits the canvas. That is not to say, though, that the artist simply drew a random structure because it was actually culled from his vivid memory. His recollections of the extensive Asian pilgrimages he embarked on in the late ‘80s, supported by the photographs he took with his film camera, resulted in a series called Cities of the Past, which included works with the title: Imaginary Landscapes. For the National Artist, his architectural paintings have “one common element: they are not literal but rather composite images from memory. They are imagined, transformed, invented.” The structures in this series were deconstructed of their defining characteristics, retaining only their simplest elements but never sacrificing their magnificence. Owing to his iconic brand of abstract-minimalist art, the lines that formed into grids created a pictorial surface that penetrated and animated the desolate space with its imposing upward movement. (P.I.R.)
Leon Gallery
soldJun. 17, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP500,000 - PHP650,000Quartet Performers signed (lower right corner, base) stainless steel 31" x 20"x 16 1/4" (79 cm x 51 cm x 42 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Luisa Luz-Lansigan confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Manila He studied at the University of Santo Tomas School of Fine Arts, where he was mentored by the renowned artist Guillermo Tolentino. Luz's journey in the art world began with painting, but he eventually turned to sculpture in the 1960s. His early sculptures were made from wood and metal and were often inspired by the human form. However, he soon began experimenting with other materials, such as marble and bronze, and began to focus more on abstract forms. Luz’s sculptural practice was born out of the opening up of the country to not only new and novel concepts and ideas, but also the international and almost utilitarian predisposition of Modernity. Thus, Luz’s minimalist works often sought to capture the brevity of shapes and forms as a way of understanding the essence behind visual languages. (J.D.)
Leon Gallery
soldJun. 17, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP1,200,000 - PHP1,560,000Quartet: Cyclists/Acrobats signed (lower right) dated 2012 acrylic on canvas 36" x 24" (91 cm x 61 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Luisa Luz-Lansigan confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE Private Collection, Manila Circus themes recurrently appeared in Arturo Luz’s work towards the last two decades of his artistic career, such as in the case of this 2012 work depicting a quartet of cyclists and acrobats. They reaffirm Luz’s confidence in his artistry and the totality of his creative process grounded in his crisp brand of geometric abstraction, for he had nothing more to prove over the course of his stellar and prolific seven-decade career. In these works, structured spontaneity whips up revelry into the canvases. The circular shape evoking the unicycle—an integral element to the circus performers’ manner of imparting classic entertainment—embodies the wholeness and timelessness of Luz’s art. Furthermore, the circle represents infinity and limitlessness; it has no beginning and end. Thus, being one of his favorite motifs, circus performers have become the quintessential Luz, for they represent the inherent balance, omnipresence, and universality of his art. In 1997, Luz was conferred the National Artists Award. Its citation states: “From the ‘Carnival’ series of the late 1950s to the recent ‘Cyclist’ paintings, Luz produced works that elevated Filipino aesthetic vision to new heights of sophisticated simplicity.” (A.M.)
Leon Gallery
soldJun. 17, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP1,200,000 - PHP1,560,000Cyclist signed (lower right) acrylic on canvas 36" x 24" (91 cm x 61 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Luisa Luz-Lansigan confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE Acquired directly from the artist Private Collection, Manila Cyclist by Arturo Luz depicts a man on a unicycle. The cyclist poses his hands as if he is performing tricks on a circus show, and such can be said because musicians and performers formed an iconic ensemble within the oeuvre of the artist. At the center of the canvas is a figure reduced to basic shapes. Luz rendered his subjects with elements of linear coherence and mastery of geometric forms. His minimalist approach is observed through the void of intricate details and monochromatic palette – stark white, black, and bold red. Still, despite the simplicity of the piece, it did not fail to show the artist’s complex techniques and ability to establish a connection with its audience. “I don’t know at what point my figure became very linear,” Luz recalls. “I was influenced by the cave paintings [of Lascaux and Altamira]. There, you will see a similarity with my stick figures.” Albeit modest in form, Luz’s unique brand of geometric abstraction has a certain charm that is alluring to art collectors and connoisseurs. He has exhibited both here and abroad, in countries such as the United States, Japan, and Brazil. He was also included in the exclusive roster of the Philippine Art Gallery, the first establishment to champion exclusively the cause of non-objective art. Luz has achieved much acclaim throughout his artistic career, and among those was the most-coveted National Artists Award. (P.I.R.)
Leon Gallery
soldJun. 17, 2023Arturo Luz (1926 - 2021)
Est: PHP600,000 - PHP780,000Black Forms, White Space signed (bottom) aluminum 12" x 12" (30 cm x 30 cm) each Accompanied by a certificate issued by Luisa Luz-Lansigan confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE Private Collection, Manila EXHIBITED The Crucible Gallery, The Art of Arturo Luz: Metal Reliefs, Mandaluyong City, December 17 - January 4, 2015 LITERATURE "Arturo Luz at The Crucible." The Philippine Star, December 22, 2014. Full-color photograph on page "I-3." n Arturo Luz’s interview with Cid Reyes in March 1973 and published in the latter's landmark book Conversations on Philippine Art, Luz says: “My work is linear or geometric, and that’s it, essentially. I cannot imagine myself going conceptual or surrealistic tomorrow.” In 1963, the defunct Rizal Theater was built on a parcel of land on the corner of Ayala and Makati Avenues (now occupied by another Makati landmark, the Makati ShangriLa). It was designed by National Artist for Architecture Juan Nakpil. Arturo Luz would be commissioned by his friend, Fernando Zóbel, to do some drawings on a blank concrete wall in the lobby. Luz recalls this moment in Cid Reyes’ book on him. “With no prior study, and with my cans of black paint and two brushes, I started to do these doodles of a city scene,” Luz says. “Eventually, I began to fill up the wall with all these lines. I was painting direct on the concrete wall, which I had prepared with a yellow background. In fact, Zóbel himself got interested and added a few of his lines. In three days, I finished the entire wall. Years passed, and the mural began to suffer from discoloration and molds. Luz recalls his solution to fix the issue: “To this day, I still remember my solution to the problem. I said, ‘Plaster it!’” In the latter half of the 1970s, Luz would be commissioned to create a mural for the lobby of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Bulwagang Carlos V. Francisco. Reyes writes in Arturo Luz: “In preparing for the large mural at the Cultural Center (Carlos V. Francisco Hall), Luz learned from his Rizal Theatre experience. Several wood panels were seamlessly conjoined together…Executed in black-and-white automotive lacquer, animated by simple patterns and forms, a dynamic and expansive realization of positive and negative space. Working on a grid, Luz spiked the design with sharp triangular forms, tempering these at the same time, graced by arching edges.” The CCP mural, aptly titled Black Form, White Space, would serve as an impetus for numerous similar works bearing Luz’s mastery in exploring the endless possibilities between forms and spatial relationships. Here, the nonobjective art style that Luz imbibed in his works in the late 1960s becomes more conspicuous. The work at hand bears similarities to the CCP mural, albeit on a smaller scale. In this piece, we see Luz in a different light: a non-representational artist aiming for heightened simplicity and veering away from the figurative Luz that painted cyclists, musicians, and acrobats. Here, Luz gives more emphasis to the fundamentals of art: shapes, forms, colors, and space. Taking cues from Oriental aesthetics, Luz establishes spatial depth through the subtle and harmonious convergence of the composition’s white space with another flat surface of the same color. Thus, illusions of seemingly infinite space and volume are engendered, highlighting Luz’s firm adherence to his distilled geometric visual language. Reyes notes that Luz’s venture into this kind of artistic practice made him join the ranks of what art critic Lawrence Alloway called “One-Image” artists. Alloway notes this as “a possible term for repeated use of a configuration…All the One-Image artist has to have done is to have painted his earlier work… Here, forms become meaningful, not because of ingenuity or surprise, but because of repetition and extension. The recurrent image is subject to continuous transformation, destruction, and reconstruction; it requires to be read in time as well as in space…In One-Image art, we look for variety within conspicuous unity.” (A.M.)
Leon Gallery
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