History of AAP
Right after the war, Purita Kalaw Ledesma, a businesswoman, art collector and visionary together with the graduates of the UP School of Fine Arts used to get together and talk about the need to organize an alumni association. All talk and no action, finally in 1947 she paid a visit to the UP school of Fine Arts where she met her old professor, and brought up the idea organizing an
alumni association. They suggested several names of people who she would met. These professors were not very enthusiastic and they discouraged her, saying that it was another “ningas cogon” project one of the names that came up was Emilio Aguilar Cruz. She never met him before, so she has introduced herself to him. Another name was Virginia Flor Agbayani, Purita was able to gather enough people; 13 in all and they decided to get together, met on a Sunday, February 15, 1948 at the school of fine arts which was still on Taft Avenue where the Supreme Court is now located. Besides Cruz, there were Ramon Peralta Jr. the son of a former professor; Severino Fabie, a talented sculptor and Nemesio Faustino who was teaching art education at the School of Fine Arts and Trade. Candido Alcantara was there recording secretary and Purita Kalaw Ledesma was chosen President, Peralta was appointed executive secretary. More artist came to that meeting because word had gotten around. Some who came were not even graduates or student of UP they came to listen, discuss and suggest ideas, there was this need to communicate with fellow artist. In the secondary meeting, Hernando Ocampo and Cezar Legaspi were present. Since many of those joined were not graduates of UP the group simply could no longer be an alumni association. It became Art Association of the Philippines.
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The Art Association of the Philippines is an art organization that aims to "advance and foster, and promote the interests of those who work in the visual arts." (AAP Amemded By-Laws, 1986) It stakes its position as a circulator of artistic goods within a general system of production, circulation and consumption. It is founded by Purita Kalaw Ledesma. In 2002 the main office and gallery of AAP is located in Kanlungan ng Sining, Rizal Park, Manila, under the leadership of AAP President Fidel Sarmiento.
