Bio

Santiago Bose (b. 1949 - d. 2002, Baguio City, Philippines) was a mixed-media artist, educator, community organizer and art theorist. Co-founder of the Baguio Arts Guild, he is recognized as a pioneer in the use of indigenous materials. Often incorporating materials such as bamboo, found objects, and volcanic ash, his influential assemblages champion the resilience of indigenous cultures, like that of his home region of the Cordilleras. Drawing on deep criticality yet never lacking a sense of humor and wit, his body of work conveys the power of folk consciousness, religiosity, and the strength of traditional cultures in a society inundated with foreign influence.

As a widely sought-after artist for public commissions and artist residencies, Bose’s practice included extensive international travel and several prominent grants and fellowships. In 1976, Bose was granted the Thirteen Artists Award by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He has participated in major international exhibitions, including the Third Asian Art Show in Fukuoka, Japan, and the Havana Biennial in Cuba, both held in 1989.

In 1993, he was invited to exhibit his work at the First Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane, Australia. In 2000, Bose’s artwork was featured in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s exhibition, At Home & Abroad: 20 Contemporary Filipino Artists. In 2002, the City of Manila presented him with the “Gawad ng Maynila: Patnubay ng Sining at Makabagong Pamamaraan” (Cultural Award for New Media presented to outstanding Filipino Artist). Bose was also honored posthumously with the “Gawad CCP Para sa Sining” Award for Visual Arts in 2004. In 2006, he was shortlisted for the National Artist award, also posthumously.

Santiago Bose (b. 1949 - d. 2002, Baguio City, Philippines) was a mixed-media artist, educator, community organizer and art theorist. Co-founder of the Baguio Arts Guild, he is recognized as a pioneer in the use of indigenous materials. Often incorporating materials such as bamboo, found objects, and volcanic ash, his influential assemblages champion the resilience of indigenous cultures, like that of his home region of the Cordilleras. Drawing on deep criticality yet never lacking a sense of humor and wit, his body of work conveys the power of folk consciousness, religiosity, and the strength of traditional cultures in a society inundated with foreign influence.

As a widely sought-after artist for public commissions and artist residencies, Bose’s practice included extensive international travel and several prominent grants and fellowships. In 1976, Bose was granted the Thirteen Artists Award by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He has participated in major international exhibitions, including the Third Asian Art Show in Fukuoka, Japan, and the Havana Biennial in Cuba, both held in 1989.

In 1993, he was invited to exhibit his work at the First Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane, Australia. In 2000, Bose’s artwork was featured in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s exhibition, At Home & Abroad: 20 Contemporary Filipino Artists. In 2002, the City of Manila presented him with the “Gawad ng Maynila: Patnubay ng Sining at Makabagong Pamamaraan” (Cultural Award for New Media presented to outstanding Filipino Artist). Bose was also honored posthumously with the “Gawad CCP Para sa Sining” Award for Visual Arts in 2004. In 2006, he was shortlisted for the National Artist award, also posthumously.

Baguio Souvenirs
1976
8775
1
mixed media
27.17h x 51.18w in • 69h x 130w cm
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Man in a Boat, Burnham Lake
2000
8776
1
mixed media
40.16h x 40.16w in • 102h x 102w cm
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Price available upon request
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Untitled
1970
8771
1
acrylic on plywood
24.06h x 47.24w in • 61.10h x 120w cm
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SPI_SB005
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Mabini Blues I
1976
8773
1
mixed media, acrylic on plywood
37.40h x 25.39w in • 95h x 64.50w cm
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Marlboro Series
1971
8772
1
acrylic on board
48.03h x 23.82w in • 122h x 60.50w cm
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Travelling Bones in Hanging Bridge
2000
8770
1
scanned image on canvas, acrylic
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Leaving Baguio
2001
433
1
mixed media
71.06h x 55.12w in • 180.50h x 140w cm
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Visayas Dream
1999
432
1
intermedia on carpet
74h x 93w in • 187.96h x 236.22w cm
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9-11 Return of the Comeback
2002
434
1
mural
135h x 135w in • 342.90h x 342.90w cm
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Selected Exhibitions

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