Don Antonio Blanco - In Memoriam

A world known Spanish-American artist, Don Antonio Maria Blanco, the maestro of expressive-romantic paintings has passed away by complication of heart and kidney problems on Friday, December 10, 1999 at 1:30 pm in the hospital, in Denpasar - Bali.

Don Antonio Blanco was born under the influence of Virgo on September 15, 1912 in the Ermite district of Manila. He lived and worked in Florida and California, until he felt the call of the Pacific Islands as Gaugin, Covarrubies and others before him. He planned to go to Tahiti, but his destiny took him to Hawaii, Japan and later Cambodia, where he was a guest of honour of Prince Sihanouk.

From here, he went to Bali in 1952 and married his Balinese model and a dancer, Ni Ronji in 1953 which has given him the essential elements he needed to develop his artistical genius: The beautiful landscape, the dreamlike atmosphere, the omnipresence of art and love. Since that moment, Blanco will never leave his dream but he starts to shape it in his life and works. He built in Ubud a house-museum which is in fact his magic retreat, made to his own image and resemblance from where he rarely comes out.

One can not talk about Blanco without talking about women, because woman are the focus of his work. It could be said that Blanco is the painter of the "feminine eternal".

During his career, Blanco has received several-distinctions, which include the Tiffany Fellowship, Special Award of the Society of Honolulu Artists, Chevalier du Sahametrai of Cambodia, Society of Painters of Fine Art Quality by President Soekarno and Prize of the Art Critique in Spain. (fotos 1 and 2: Soekarno & Blanco). Blanco honorably received a "Cruz de Caballero" from the King of Spain as a "Don" of Spain

There are many collectors who admire his paintings, including actress Ingrid Bergman, Thalia Como of Venezuela, his best friend: Soekarno (Indonesia’s 1st President), H.M.Soeharto (Indonesia’s 2nd President), Adam Malik (Indonesia’s previous Vice President), Prince Sihanouk, Michael Jackson, the world’s King of Pop who put his autograph on for a donation to the children of the world foundation, and many more.

He left his wife and his 4 children:

Tjempaka Blanco (married with Farley Sudjana, 2 children)
Mario Blanco (married with Gst.Ag.Ayu Wimas Hendrayani, 3 children)
Orchid Blanco (married with I Gusti Ngurah Oka Suryawan, 3 children)
Mahadevi Blanco (married with Ida Bagus Oka Suryaputra, 1 child)

The Balinese Cremation Ceremony for Don Antonio Blanco was held at the funeral house in Campuhan, Ubud - Bali with chained sessions since December 23, 1999. The Cremation Ceremony (Ngaben) itself took place on December 28, 1999.

BTN - International was fortunate to cover this event and presents an album of the ceremony to honor the artist and his family. We are currently editing images from Don Antonio Blanco's studio and residence. Look for more details of Don Antonio's life and work in the near future.