A tribute to Roberto “Bob” Feleo, the artist who gave flesh to Philippine myths
Roberto “Bob” Feleo’s greatest legacy lies in the enduring impact he left as an art educator, both within and beyond the walls of the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), UP College of Fine Arts (UPCFA), and the Philippine Women’s University. There, he not only nurtured in his students a sensibility and intuition for a distinctly Filipino way of seeing but also embodied a way of living—“placidly amid the noise and haste, while remembering what peace there may be in silence,” as inspired by one of his favorite poems, Max Ehrmann’s “Desiderata.”
Feleo was a man of few words—words that instruct, edify, reframe, and redirect. His presence carried gravitas, and his conversations held transformative power.
Beyond his accomplishments, Feleo, in his passing, demonstrated that most enduring memory of him would be his role as a human being who was present when it mattered the most.
A tribute from friends and loved ones
These tributes of collective remembrance for Feleo are from some of today’s most influential artists and thinkers, individuals whose lives he touched in one way or another.
“One of our finest artists, a maker in both the classical and contemporary conception. His saintly devotion to craft and form is layered with a keen critique of the world’s wicked ways as well as the inspiration of a lasting cultural memory. Mentor, lodestar, [and] keeper of faith in the Philippine intuition.”
Patrick Flores, art curator and critic
“Dear Bob,
I heard you left us in your typical high spirits, even excited to do a few more works—despite your worsening condition—for an upcoming show to coincide with the launch of your book next month. This is you, Bob, tirelessly wanting to create and share, even to your last breath—a never-ending legacy of excellent works that embody your thorough understanding of the entire spectrum of Philippine culture.
Truly, Philippine art has not seen from one person a plethora of images that together capture the soul and essence of the Filipino, distilled from multiple layers of histories built from encounters and contacts with other cultures. Maraming salamat, Bob!”
Ma. Corazon A. Hila, author and professor at the UPCFA Department of Theory
“As his co-faculty member when I was still teaching, I observed that Sir Bob lived his life as he taught art—with an integrity that shaped not only his work but also the hearts of those he mentored. From Sir Bob, I learned that creativity is inseparable from honesty, discipline, and perseverance. His legacy lies not only in the art he made but also in the marks he left through his example for other artists and his students alike.”
José Santos III, visual artist
“During my first year of teaching materials classes at the UP College of Fine Arts back in 1997, I was nervous not because of teaching, but because the other section was handled by Sir Bob. And I knew how deeply respected and admired he was both as a teacher and as an artist. Even though I had never been his student, he welcomed me with kindness, shared his syllabus, and guided me without making me feel like a newcomer.
Looking back, I realize his commitment and dedication to teaching quietly inspired me and helped shape my own approach—teaching with the same generosity and commitment that he had shown me then.”
Pam Yan Santos, visual artist
“While in conversation with Bob a long time ago, he commented about a work of another sculptor who was recycling old wood. He just casually said, ‘Sinasayang niya lang ’yong materiales.’ It is a line that we keep reminding ourselves of when creating a work of art and the innumerable possibilities of narratives materials can convey.
On another instance, in another conversation, we mentioned this artist who had been a bestseller, as a lot of collectors had been frantically buying his work, and he said, ‘Sino ba ’yong mga bumibili ng trabaho niya?’—another one-liner that makes us always think of the value of art and why we do what we do.
The last time we saw each other, he just casually said, ‘Masaya ako sa ginagawa ninyo.’ Bob is a man of few words, but has been an inspiration not only through his work, but also through his deeds. [We admire] him as a person, as a fellow student in fine arts (I was a freshman and he was in his final year), as a colleague in the academe (we’ve been teaching together in PHSA for more than a decade), and as a fellow artist (we have been in numerous exhibitions here and abroad).
I can say that mabibilang ko lang sa aking mga daliri ang iilan na alagad ng sining na totoo; isa dito si Roberto Feleo.”
Alfredo Aquilizan, visual artist and art educator
“Sir Bob had an effortless coolness about him, and a presence that made us nervous in the best way. He joked around and told stories, and while some of his lessons felt puzzling back then, they’ve grown clearer with time, becoming part of how I see and practice art today. Even in silence, he challenged me quietly, and that brief time under his mentorship left an imprint I continue to carry in my art and in life.”
Pope Bacay, visual artist
“I was lucky enough to have Sir Bob as my thesis advisor in high school. I learned so much from him about discipline in the studio, that you had to do something over and over and over again in order to understand the craft. Sir Bob was often quiet, but he had such a distinctive laugh and when we heard it, we knew we were onto something good.”
Ryan Villamael, visual artist
“It is with great sadness that I say farewell to Bob Feleo, an artist whose vision and integrity contributed greatly to the landscape of Philippine visual arts. To have worked closely with him, to believe in the depth of his practice, and to help bring his work to audiences both here and abroad has been an extraordinary privilege. I am profoundly grateful for the time shared and deeply grieve the loss of such a remarkable and respected artist.”
Cesar Jun Villalon, gallerist behind The Drawing Room
“Dear Sir Bob,
Salamat po sa lahat, sa mga payo, pakikinig at pagiging mabuting halimbawa. Sa UP noon, sabi-sabi strict ka! Strict nga pero mabait! Hindi ako makakagraduate on time noon kung hindi mo binigyan ng oras ang plate ko na late ko naipasa. Salamat, sir, sa iyo at sa family niyo po.”
Tekla Tamoria, visual artist
“Sir Bob, isa ka sa mga nagturo sa akin ng kahalagahan ng integrity at ng doubt bilang artist—na kapag nawala ang doubt, nawawala rin ang growth. Sobrang grateful ako na ikaw ang naging thesis adviser at huli kong guro bago ako gumraduate sa UP. Maraming salamat, Sir Bob—dala ko habang-buhay ang mga tinuro mo.”
Is Jumalon, visual artist
“Bob was one of the PHSA visual arts teachers when I was PHSA executive director. Everyone in the school, especially the young students and the younger members of the visual arts faculty, looked up to him and admired him as a teacher, a colleague, and a friend.
Maraming salamat, Bob, for the friendship, for your dedication to Philippine arts education, and for your exceptional, nurturing way of mentoring your students. You were, and will always be, an inspiration to young visual artists.”
Fernando Josef, theater actor and former executive director of the PHSA
“I remember in one of our classes, he told us that back when he was our age, art was such a male-dominated course and career. He said he felt very devastated for one of his female classmates who couldn’t become the artist she was meant to be because she was faced with the realities of motherhood—which were not bad things per se.
He told us how unfair it was because men could have children, make art, and have a career. And so, he told us he hoped that one day we wouldn’t sacrifice art-making because of established societal roles. He said: ‘Ang daming magagaling sa inyo, ‘wag sayangin.’
I thought it was so amazing for someone from his generation to acknowledge and share that with us. And I guess, in that sense, you could see his moral compass.”
View the complete tributes on lifestyle.inquirer.net
