However, he returned to London once more in 1974, partly to get away from the tightening grip of Martial Law, which His Larawan series was developed out of his nostalgia for the Philippines. This collection became the basis for his Larawan series. In 1985, however, BenCab's 16-year marriage with Kennedy ended in divorce, and he eventually decided to come home to the Philippines.BenCab eventually returned to the Philippines, and settled in the City of Later in the 1990s, BenCab's input was a critical element in the creation of Tam-awan Village, "a refuge for local artists who desire a nurturing environment in which to develop their talents, and a community for all those who wish to take part in the harmonious fusion of art, culture, environment, and history. Among the most prominent of the many awards received by BenCab during this period was the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining (Cultural Center of the Philippines Award for the Arts) in 1992.In 2006, the Philippine Government conferred upon him the Order of National Artist for Visual Arts.Five books covering BenCab's works have been released: He has been noted as "arguably the best-selling painter of his generation of Filipino artists." BenCab was born to Democrito Cabrera and Isabel Reyes in Malabon, Philippines on April 10, 1942. Benedicto Reyes Cabrera (born April 10, 1942), better known as "BenCab", is a Filipino painter and was awarded National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts (Painting) in 2006. "BenCab also exhibited considerably during the last decade of the Millennium, also reaping many accolades. He was the youngest of nine children.BenCab met British journalist Caroline Kennedy (author of An Affair of State, 1987, and How the English Establishment Framed Stephen Ward, 2013) in Manila in 1968, and married her in London in 1969.Bencab's first years as a painter in London "were not particularly easy", but his talents were immediately recognized.When BenCab returned to the Philippines in 1972, he was hailed as a Filipino pioneer of the arts and a significant influence among his peers. He and Caroline used to scour local flea markets all over Europe looking for early maps and prints of the Philippines.