 In1938, Edades, together with Ocampo and Diosdado Lorenzo, established the Atelier of Modern Art in Malate, Manila.  Thiswas interrupted by the second World War, but resumed in 1948, with sculptor Guillermo Tolentino and painter Fernando Amorsolo representing the conservatives.  However, it was also during this period that the infamous debate between the modernists and the conservatives, including Ariston Estrada, Ignacio Manlapaz and Fermin Sanchez, took place. This began the growth of mural painting in the Philippines. Ocampo, after they produced a mural for the lobby of the Capitol Theater on Escolta Street.  Edades later formed the Triumvirate of Modern Art with Carlos V. It was he who introduced the Liberal Arts program which led to a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, a first in the Philippines since art was only taught in vocational schools then.  Edades joined the University of Santo Tomas in the 1930’s where he stayed on for three decades and became dean of its Department of Architecture. He also came up with two of his most well-known works in that year: The Sketch (also known as The Artist and His Model), and The Builders.  He returned to the Philippines in 1928 and in the same year had his first one-man show at the Philippine Columbian Club. that he married American Jean Garrott, with whom he had his only daughter, Joan. During the summer, he worked in the salmon canneries of Alaska.  In 1919, he left for the United States to study Architecture and Fine Arts at the University of Washington in Seattle. He obtained his early education in barrio schools and went to a high school in Lingayen.

 Edades was born on Decemin Dagupan, Pangasinan to Hilario Edades and Cecilia Edades. A lot of his paintings portrayed the hardships of the working class, using dark and somber colors and bold strokes. In fact, he is known as the Father of Modern Philippine Painting.

Edades was the pioneer in modernism in the Philippine art scene.  Made National Artist in Painting in 1976, Victorio C.