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Manila: Residents of Angono in eastern suburban Rizal on Tuesday bid a tearful farewell to folk muralist Jose Blanco, who died of a heart attack four days ago.
The number of ordinary folk who had turned up to pay last respects lent the funeral the busy feel of Blanco's canvasses but the sense of loss felt by the mourners was quite unlike the sunny mood his works would embrace.
One-time critics who had come to pay last respects described him as "the most famous contemporary folk artist". The funeral mass at San Clemente Parish Church saw relatives and friends paying tribute to their "national artist".
Artistic family
"He was the artistic father at the head of a family of artists," said one relative.
At 76, Blanco leaves behind his wife Loreto Perez and seven children, all of whom have adopted his style. The "Blanco Family of Artists" had last summer held a show in Xiamen, China.
"There was not a single night during his wake that there was not a crowd at the Bahay Blanco Family Museum at 312 Ibanez Street," said a grieving Angono resident who used the artist's folk name, "Pitok Bunggan."
Blanco graduated from the School of Fine Arts of the the University of Santo Tomas in 1955. He was honed by among others Victorio Edades, Manansala, Galo Ocampo, and Botong Francisco, who too hailed from Angono and whom he idolised.
Blanco famously took to fishing to fund his tuition and art materials.
There was not a single night during his wake that there was not a crowd at the Bahay Blanco Family Museum at 312 Ibanez Street."
Angono resident who referred to Jose Blanco as 'Pitok Bunggan'
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