Romeo Tabuena

Biografía

Romeo Tabuena (Iloílo, Philippines, 1921 – San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, 2015) was a Filipino painter and printmaker who settled in Mexico in 1955. He studied architecture at the Mapúa Institute of Technology in Manila and painting at the University of the Philippines. Tabuena also studied at the Art Students League of New York and the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris. Influenced by Mexican artists such as Rufino Tamayo, José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Diego Rivera, he developed a distinctive acrylic style that blended Mexican and Filipino traditions. Tabuena’s work earned him numerous accolades and exhibitions. Notably, in 1995, he was honored with a major exhibition at the Instituto de Bellas Artes, Centro Cultural Ignacio, celebrating his 40 years in Mexico’s art scene. He also participated in the São Paulo Biennale in 1965 and was part of the "El Nigromante" exhibition at the Instituto Mexicano de Bellas Artes. His awards include the Centauro de Oro from the Accademia Italia and a Master's degree in Painting from the Seminario Internacional de Arte Moderno. His work spans various mediums, including watercolors, oils, pastels, and acrylics. Early in his career, he was influenced by the Philippine neo-realist movement, and later his style matured through his fusion of both Filipino and Mexican artistic influences.