Cid Reyes

Cid Reyes is a rare combination of the Filipino artist and art critic who has produced an impressive body of works in both fields. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts at De La Salle University, he received a grant from the Italian government to study painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. Thence, he pursued his art history studies in England at the City Lit Institute in London.

His first solo show was held in 1969 at Joy Dayrit’s Print Gallery, followed through the years by shows at Solidaridad Gallery, The Hyatt Hotel, West Gallery, The Drawing Room, Ricco-Renzo Gallery, and Galerie Astra, raking up a total of 20 solo shows, to date.

As an art critic, Reyes’ record of achievements commenced upon winning the Grand Prize in an AAP art criticism competition. This was then sustained by: the landmark book of interviews, “Conversations on Philippine Art,” a decade-long weekly art column from 1995 to 2004; “Gallery Hopping,” in TODAY, where he wrote over 500 art reviews; coffee table books for National Artists Arturo Luz, BenCab, J. Elizalde Navarro, and Napoleon V. Abueva, and scores of art books on Malang, Augusto Albor, Lao Lianben, Charito Bitanga, Valeria Cavestany, Edwin Wilwayco; the Philippine Art Awards’ “Decade of Achievement,” and; the Metrobank’s art competiton, “MADE of Gold.”

In 1979, the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) presented Reyes with a “Best in Art Criticism Award.” In 2015, he was a recipient of the “Most Outstanding Kapampangan in the Arts” presented by the Government of Pampanga. In 2021, his coffee table book “MVP: The Man and His Art” won a GOLD Trophy from the American Business Awards. Making history, this is the first Philippine art book that has gained international distinction.

Further immortalizing his expertise through authorship of several art books, Reyes is also a co-author of “Tanaw: The Central Bank Art Collection” and “Herencia: The BPI Art Collection.” His most recent books are on the Spanish, Manila-based artist Betsy Westendorp and the MVP Group of Companies Art Collection. Whereas, his forthcoming books are on the glass sculptor Ramon Orlina, Prudencio Lamarroza, Roy Veneracion, and the Saturday Group’s 50th Anniversary.