In celebration of National Heritage Month, the Makati City local government launched an exhibit showcasing the works of National Artist and well renowned editorial cartoonist and illustrator Larry Alcala.
Makati City Mayor Abby Binay spearheaded the opening of the exhibit dubbed as "Larry Alcala: Slices of Life, Wit, and Humor" held at the Museo ng Makati.
"Ang “Slices of Life” ay isang koleksyon ng mga comic strip na kilala sa kanilang nakakatawang humor, observational style at kakayahang ilarawan ang mga pang-araw-araw na sandali at sitwasyon sa buhay Pinoy. Naging tanyag ang mga comic strip dahil sa detalyado at makatotohanang paglalarawan ng buhay ng mga Pilipino, kasama na ang mga pangkaraniwang eksena tulad ng mga palengke, pampublikong transportasyon, at family gatherings (Slices of Life is a collection of comic strips known for its funny humor, observational style, and talent in showcasing the everyday happenings and situations in the life of Filipino. This type of comic strip became famous due to its well detailed and realistic description of a Filipino's life which include markets, public transportation, and family gatherings)," Binay explained.
She added that the exhibit is open free to the public until June 3, Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Alcala was born on August 18, 1926 in Daraga, Albay and rose to fame with his slice of life cartoons such as Mang Ambo in the 60's and Kalabog and Bosyo in 1947. Kalabog and Bosyo eventually became the longest running cartoon series created by a Filipino.
His campaign for the advancement of illustration and commercial art in the country resulted to the establishment of the Visual Communication Department at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Fine Arts.
In 1997, the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) granted Alcala the title Dean of Filipino Cartoonists, an achievement award for his lifetime dedication to the art of capturing humor in the character and everyday life in the Philippines and in 1991, he promoted the formation of a group of young children's book illustrators called Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK).
All in all, he made over 500 cartoon characters, twenty comic strips, six movies, two murals, and 15,000 published pages in his 56 years of professional cartooning career.
He died at the age of 75 on June 24, 2002 due to heart failure.
In 2018, Alcala became National Artist for Visual Arts in 2018.