Art critic Alice Guillermo dies at 80

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Art critic and writer Alice Guillermo, who once chaired the University of the Philippines Colleges of Arts and Letters (CAL), died Sunday, July 29. She was 80 years old.

Her son, Dr Bomen Guillermo confirmed the news of her death to GMA News Online. The cause of her death was not revealed. She had a heart condition and acute kidney injury in 2017. 

The CAL mourned the death of one of their beloved professors. 

“Dr. Guillermo, UP Professor Emeritus and former Department Chair, was a pioneering force in Philippine Art. Along with other esteemed faculty members, she helped set new directions in the field of art scholarship. Among her legacies are her multiple books and essays on art history, art criticism, and cultural studies that serve as foundation for Art Studies in the Philippines.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Dr. Guillermo’s family and loved ones.”

The Unyon ng mga Manunulat ng Pilipinas also paid tribute to her.

Her colleagues from the University of the Philippines, Joi Barrios and Sarah Raymundo, said no wake will be held for the late art critic. “Her ashes will be brought home. Her family thanks everyone for the many tributes and the great outpouring of support,” they said. 

Guillermo authored books, such as Image to Meaning: Essays on Philippine Art and Protest/Revolutionary Art in the Philippines 1970-1990.

She also wrote about the arts for various publications, such as Today newspaper and Asian Art News. 

A magna cum laude graduate from Holy Spirit, Alice also studied in France and was a recipient of a Japan fellowship grant. She won a Palanca award in 1979 for her essay “Ang Kaisipang Filipino Batay sa Sining Biswal.” – Rappler.com