New publication reveals previously unseen archival discoveries and documents more than 300 artworks in the most comprehensive volume ever devoted to Federico Aguilar Alcuaz
MANILA, Philippines — One of the most ambitious art publishing projects undertaken in the Philippines in recent years is finally nearing completion.
After almost five years of research, documentation, archival investigation, and editorial work, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz: Salaysay will be released in 2026, offering the most comprehensive portrait yet of National Artist for Visual Arts Federico Aguilar Alcuaz.
Published by MAGIS, an imprint of Ateneo de Manila University Press, the landmark volume brings together leading scholars, newly uncovered archival material, rare photographs, and the documentation of more than 300 artworks from museums, institutions, and private collections in the Philippines and abroad.
For decades, Aguilar Alcuaz has been celebrated as one of the country’s most internationally successful artists, exhibiting across Europe, Asia, and the Americas while earning a place among the most important figures of Philippine modernism. Yet despite his prominence, no single publication has fully documented the breadth of his life and artistic achievement.
Salaysay seeks to change that.
The book features new essays by historian Ambeth R. Ocampo and art historian Patrick Flores, offering fresh perspectives on Aguilar Alcuaz’s life, career, and enduring significance within Philippine and international art history.
It also includes an extensively researched historical timeline by co-editors Matthew Benjamin P. Lopez and Ricky P. Francisco, tracing the artist’s remarkable journey from Manila to Barcelona, Prague, Hanover, and beyond. Drawing from archival documents, exhibition records, photographs, and historical sources, the chronology reveals the story of an artist whose career spanned more than seven decades and crossed continents.
Among the publication’s most significant contributions are new archival discoveries that shed light on previously overlooked aspects of Aguilar Alcuaz’s life and career. Led by researcher Renato Aguila, the project uncovered documents, records, and historical references that substantially expanded the archives of the Aguilar Alcuaz Estate, offering scholars and collectors new insights into the artist’s relationships, exhibitions, travels, and artistic development.
The publication is equally remarkable for its visual scope. Renowned art photographer Erik C. Liongoren, assisted by Michelle Palijo, spent years documenting more than 300 artworks from public and private collections, creating an unprecedented visual survey of Aguilar Alcuaz’s oeuvre. Many of these works have rarely been reproduced, while others are published together for the first time.
Edited by Christian M. Aguilar, Matthew Benjamin P. Lopez, and Ricky P. Francisco, the volume represents a collaborative effort involving scholars, collectors, museums, institutions, and members of the artist’s family.
More than a monograph, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz: Salaysay stands as a major cultural undertaking—one that seeks to preserve, reassess, and celebrate the legacy of a National Artist whose influence continues to shape generations of Filipino artists.
Drawing on works from collections across three continents and years of archival investigation, Salaysay is the largest publishing project ever undertaken on Federico Aguilar Alcuaz.
Pre-orders for the publication will open in June 2026, with information on launch events, public programs, and distribution channels to be announced by MAGIS and Ateneo de Manila University Press in the coming weeks.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Federico Aguilar Alcuaz: Salaysay is a major monograph on National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz. Published by MAGIS, an imprint of Ateneo de Manila University Press, the volume features essays by Ambeth R. Ocampo and Patrick Flores, a historical timeline by Matthew Benjamin P. Lopez and Ricky P. Francisco, newly uncovered archival discoveries, and the documentation of more than 300 artworks photographed by Erik C. Liongoren. The book is edited by Christian M. Aguilar, Matthew Benjamin P. Lopez, and Ricky P. Francisco.
