Cabangis, Benjie

Born in Manila in 1957, Benjie Cabangis is a multi-awarded abstract painter, printmaker, and academic. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman in 1978 and dedicated over forty years of his life to nurturing generations of Filipino artists. He served three consecutive terms as Chairperson of the Department of Studio Arts and is a former curator of the UP Fine Arts Gallery (Corredor Gallery). In late 2022, the University of the Philippines formally conferred upon him the lifelong title of Professor Emeritus.

With a prolific career spanning several decades, Cabangis has mounted over 30 solo exhibitions—including his major 2023 retrospective Reelin' in the Years—alongside countless group shows locally and across Asia.

Selected Awards & Distinctions:

2018: Jose Joya Professorial Chair in Painting

2014: UP Arts Productivity Award

1992, 1996, 2002, 2004: Four-time grantee of the Fernando Amorsolo Professorial Chair in Painting

2000: Conferred the Gawad Chanselor as UP's Outstanding Visual Artist

1978: Received the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Thirteen Artists Award

Notable Solo Exhibitions:

2023: Benjie Cabangis, Reelin' in the Years (31st Solo Exhibit) – UP Fine Arts Gallery (Parola)

2019: Tales of Topography – Galerie Joaquin, Quezon City

2015: Heart of the Matter – Blanc Gallery, Quezon City

Prestigious Collections:
His works are highly sought after by corporate, public, and private institutions globally. Notable permanent collections holding his work include:

The World Bank (International Finance Corporation), Washington, D.C. – Features his prominent diptych, Endangered Icons I & II.

The Philippine Consulate, New York City

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Manila

Sycip, Gorres, Velayo & Co. (SGV), PLDT, PHINMA Group, and the Far East Bank and Trust Co.