Painter Blanco dies of heart failure<\/p>\n
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Flamboyant painter Antonio Blanco died on
\nFriday of heart disease at Sanglah Hospital here.<\/p>\n
A member of the hospital's staff, Gede Wardana, said Blanco
\ndied at about 1:30 p.m. local time while undergoing intensive
\ntreatment from cardiologist I Wayan Wita.<\/p>\n
The Spanish-Indonesian painter is survived by his wife, three
\ndaughters and a son, who is also a painter. Blanco married one of
\nhis models, Balinese traditional legong dancer Ni Rondji, in
\n1954.<\/p>\n
There are conflicting reports on his age. Some accounts state
\nhe was born in Manila on Sept. 15, 1927, but he once said he was
\nborn in 1920. His son, Mario, said two years ago that his father
\nwas 84. Other reports said Blanco's date of birth was in 1911.<\/p>\n
Blanco was admitted to Kasih Ibu Hospital last week before
\nbeing transferred to Sanglah on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"Bali once again has lost one of its greatest painters. We
\npreviously mourned the deaths of Ida Bagus Made Poleng and
\nKobot,\" said Jais Hadiana Dargawijaya, an art dealer who was also
\na close friend of Blanco.<\/p>\n
An employee in one of Blanco's galleries, Asmari, told The
\nJakarta Post the painter's family was discussing funeral
\narrangements.<\/p>\n
Blanco resided in Ubud since 1952. His love affair with Rondji
\ninspired film actress Rima Melati to direct the television series
\nThe Burning Love of Antonio Blanco based on the relationship.<\/p>\n
Blanco, who was often compared to the Spanish surrealist
\npainter Salvador Dali, arrived in Bali after an adventurous tour
\nof the world. He chose Bali to be his source of inspiration after
\nreading Island of Paradise by Mexican painter Miguel Covarrubias,
\nfirst published in the 1930s.<\/p>\n
\"Covarrubias explained much about Bali (but) in fact there is
\nmuch more to tell,\" Blanco said in an interview with Kompas daily
\nin 1997.<\/p>\n
Italian diplomat Giuseppe \"Pino\" Confessa recalled Blanco as a
\nman who was \"full of vitality and hopes for a better future\".<\/p>\n
\"Many thought he was an Italian, from his name. There were
\nmany Italian tourists who dropped by his residence for that
\nreason.\"<\/p>\n
Despite leaving an outstanding body of work, Blanco's
\nmasterpiece was unfinished, noted painter Nyoman Erawan said.<\/p>\n
\"He has yet to finish the construction of a park which will be
\ndecorated with statues of legong dancers,\" Erawan said. (zen)<\/p>",
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