Ricarte Madamba Puruganan (November 20, 1912 â January 15, 1998) was born in Dingras, Ilocos Norte.
He is the first of six children of Honorio S.
Puruganan, a musician, composer, poet and painter, and Victoria M.
Puruganan, a school teacher and housewife.
Puruganan is regarded as "One of the Thirteen Moderns", a group of artists that broke away from the Conservatives, led by fernando Amorsolo.
His paintings were exhibited side by side with those of the other masters: Juan Luna, Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, Fabian de la Rosa, Amorsolo, Victorio C.
Edades, Vicente Manansala, Hernando R.
Ocampo & Cesar Legaspi.
The other side of Ricarte Purugananâs artistry is manifested by the 60 existing government and private edifices, sculptures and landscapes which he undertook during his 25 years of self-imposed exile from the art scene of Manila starting 1950.
During those years, he spent communing with his ancestral town of Dingras, Ilocos Norte.
Which is why we see in many of his paintings those scenes closest to his heart â the rustic, the indigenous; quaint seascapes and evocative agricultural.(*)
Education
1920 - 1927 Dingras Elementary School
1927 - 1931 Ilocos Norte National High School
1931 - 1936 School of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines âDiploma in Paintingâ
1939 - 1941 College of Fine Arts and Architecture, University of Santo Tomas,(Degree Bachelor of Fine Arts)'Honors as a student and a faculty member'
At UP - Awarded 6 Medals (first prize), 25 honorable mentions, and two special prizes from the President of University and from the School Director, and named âMost Distinguished Graduateâ of the year.
Elected School Representative to the UP Student Council.
Elected Class Representative to the UP Senior Council.
Appointed âChief â Artistâ of the 1936 Philippinensian.
At UST - Awarded âFull Scholarâ for two years on the basis of maintaining excellent grades on every academic subject every semester
Appointed Instructor, School of Fine Arts, 1937
Appointed Assistant Professor, College of Fine Arts and Architecture, 1946
Appointed Associate Professor, 1948â1950Achievements as a professional artist
1935 â Painting, âComing Stormâ, 1st Prize Winner.
National Landscape Painting Competition, sponsored by the Philippine Vistas Gallery, Intramuros Manila.2nd Prize Winner â Anita Magsaysay-Ho
3rd Prize Winner â Vicente Manansala
4th Prize Winner â Arsenio Capili1937 - âSalty Breezeâ, First Prize, Third Annual Art Exhibition, sponsored by the UP Presidentâs Committee on Culture, Up Manila.
1938 - âInauguration of the Philippine Commonwealthâ, Second Prize, National Historical Painting Contest occasioned by celebration of Dr.
Jose Rizalâs Birthday in Calamba Laguna, sponsored by UP.
1943 - âBull-Fightâ, First and Second Prizes, first National Art Contest, Escolta Manila, under the auspices of the Japanese sponsored Philippine Government.
1943 - âOne December Morningâ (a portrayal of Dr.
Jose Rizal and his vision as he fell) First Prize, Literary and Art contest, City Foundation day Celebration, Manila.
1944 - âMass Burial of the Heroes at Capasâ and âRailroad Sceneâ were among five finalists in the second National Art Contest held at Escolta Manila, under the auspices of the Japanese sponsored by the Philippine Government, but were disqualified from the final judgement for Strong Anti-Japanese Sentiment (issued in Mallariâs article, âModerns on Paradeâ, was published in the Philippine Review magazine in 1944)
1949 â âAdobe Stoneâ Third Prize, Second Annual National Art Competition sponsored by the Art Association of the Philippines, Manila, 1949.
1949 â âNeighborsâ First Prize, âSuburbanâ Third Prize and âFather and Sonâ Honorable Mention.
These three prizes were awarded during the semi-annual National Art Competition jointly sponsored by the Manila Club and the Art Association of the Philippines, Manila 1949.