 | About Rosscapili | Aug 31, 2004 |
Born in Manila, Philippines in 1959, ROSSCAPILI is an ARTIST
[ Painter + Photographer + Piezo Printmaker + Lecturer ]
A graduate of TUP Drafting Technology and studied Fine Arts (major in Advertising) at PWU in 1981 ; served Philippine Airlines as its Art Director for 16 years. He has successfully mounted over 30 one-man art exhibitions in Manila, Paris, and the United States. He has participated in more than 35 group exhibitions, including the Asian International Art Exhibitions in Fukuoka, Japan; Taipei; Taiwan; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Ulaanbataar, Mongolia. He has also accumulated at least 55 awards and distinctions, including the Jurors’ Choice in the 1994 Philip Morris Asean Art Awards; Pamana ng Lahi Award in San Francisco, USA (2001), and the latest of which are the 2008 PATA Gold Award for Travel Photo Journalism in Hyderabad, India; 2008 ANVIL Award; Ani ng Dangal Presidential Award 2009; and 2009 Quill Award. He was a member of the Executive Council of the National Committee on Visual Arts of the NCCA from 2007-2010. At present, Chairman of the Philippine Committee, 26th Asian International Art Exhibition
Gallery Representation in the Philippines :
-Crucible Gallery
4th Level Bldg A, SM Megamall Mandaluyong City
-Galerie OneWorkshop
Unit 324, LRI Design Plaza, Nicanor Garcia St. Bel Air II, Makati City, Philippines
Telefax : +6328368799
Mobile : +639176273193
E-mail : one_workshop@yahoo.com
The Past, Present and Future of Rosscapili
Manila Bulletin newspaper
By DIDY EVANGELISTA
Photos by Pinggot Zulueta
November 14, 2011, 8:33am
MANILA, Philippines -- In art, one takes a step backward and at the same time, a step forward. The artist draws on his experiences and memories to fill up his canvases with images, but his technique, style and way of presenting must push limits so that he creates something new and different. Looking at Rosscapili’s work, one gets a sense of all this – the backwards pulling of his memories, captured in black and white photographs and reprinted on canvas, and the crossing of boundaries with how he presents his images; an amalgamation of paint, found objects, and of course, his pictures.
Push and Pull
The push and pull of the past and the future aren’t immediately obvious when one looks at a Rosscapili. In his current collection, 'Coexistence,' what one sees is a collage of black and white pictures and a smattering of black, white and grey paint, with a dash of color in some parts to break the monotony. But looking deeper into the images, one sees something more. “It’s a journal, there’s still a story there. It tells a story. It’s not [an] empty [gesture] that you put on canvas. I want the paint to smear, to layer, to interact with my photographs,” says Rosscapili.
Cross Road
'Cross Road,' a piece from the collection, is a collage that features the Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover and a picture of men doing penance on Holy Week while standing at a cross walk. “I found this piano [board] and mixed it with the Beatles, merging, and connecting the pedestrian. And in 1966 the Beatles said they were more popular than Jesus Christ, adding to their problem. There was a crossroad. There was also crucifixion,” Rosscapili says, explaining his work.
Another piece called 'Dambana ni San Miguel' has a censored image of a statue of Mother Mary placed side by side with ladies dancing onstage. An almost indistinguishable bottle of the iconic Filipino beer is thrown into the mix, creating a statement about religion, macho culture and feminism.
Stories Behind the Lens
The pictures themselves, taken on their own, already tell a story; but even more interesting are Rosscapili’s stories of what happened behind the lens. All the photographs he used in the collection are his own images, and with it, he created a record of his experiences while he was taking them. Rosscapili tells of how he took the picture of the dancing ladies in 'Dambana ni San Miguel,' going to a night club with his wife and furtively clicking on his camera hidden underneath the table.
Experience in Abstraction
And then there are the paint strokes and gestures that bring the work together. Rosscapili brings his experience in abstraction to the pieces in “Coexistence,” having created abstract pieces for more than 10 years. “I wanted layers of images, layers of technique. I didn’t want my work to be flat; if you look at it from different angles, you’ll see something different,” says Rosscapili.
Most of his works have opposing and supporting ideas that come together on one canvas. And much how like these ideas coexist with one another, his pictures and abstractions tell a story deeper and more meaningful than what meets the eye.
Art Forms Brought Together
It is only fitting that Rosscapili calls the collection 'Coexistence,' because apart from the juxtaposed images on his canvases, the collection brings together two of Rosscapili’s chosen art forms – photography and painting.
These two run parallel in his life, ever-present and effective outlets of Rosscapili’s creativity. At some points in his life as an artist, one was used to support the other, feeding and nurturing not just his creative side, but the other parts of his life as well.
Working Student
A working student, Rosscapili would do Philippine Airline’s graphic design, illustration and photography requirements during the day and attend his night classes in Fine Arts at the Philippine Women’s University. He would leave the PAL office at 5 p.m., rushing to get to Sta. Cruz, Manila, where he had pictures for work developed before he went to class, and then submitting them the following day.
Painting was something he had always done, joining art contests and winning quite a number of them. His first win allowed him to buy a camera that he used for work. With painting, he first began with representational images, eventually evolving into abstraction and expressionism. “I lasted with abstraction. But I got tired of it, that it came to a point where it felt like I was just forced to create. There was also frustration on my part that my work was similar to the other artists. That everyone was [doing] abstraction,” says Rosscapili.
Digital Pioneer
It was perfect timing that digital media was becoming popular in the Philippines. Rosscapili was one of the pioneers who adapted to the technology, learning Photoshop when it was nothing more than a simple photo editing program. He started to push the limits on his abstraction work, searching for something different and original, leading him to the merging of his photography and painting.
Mixed Media
The current technology allows him to print his photographs onto artist’s canvas, on which he then layers on acrylic paint. Rosscapili explains, “I don’t present it as a photograph, I present it as mixed media. Before, my style was more abstract. It was all swiping, broad strokes, swirling colors. Now I’m applying it, on canvas still, but with images, my photographs. So everything is merging.”
There is still more to experiment with in Rosscapili’s brand of mixed media, and he is unwilling to move on to the next style until he has mastered it. The challenge he faces right now is gaining acceptance from the art community. And so far, it has been forthcoming, with exhibits and shows overseas, the most recent of which was the 26th Asian International Art Exhibition in Seoul, South Korea, which he also chairs. Rosscapili has another show at the Singapore Art Fair, opening on the 18th of November.
Art is Old and New
Art captures the old and new, becoming both dated and timeless. Rosscapili has gotten a grip on this elusive concept, in terms of both technique and content. There is the old in his pieces – memories and almost-forgotten images captured by Rosscapili’s previous experience on the different mediums – but the future is also in there, reinvigorating photography and painting to create a different art form.
But for Rosscapili, the bottom line has always been passion. “That is what is left at the end of the day. Fads may come and go, but the ones with passion, it won’t matter what medium he uses. Even if it’s not new, or it’s not the trend, he will always create art.”
Sincere gratitude to the women in my artful life:
Year 1959 : Minerva Capili (my Nanay), who gave birth to me.
Year 1974 : Professor Asuncion Joaquin, who guided me how to paint.
Year 1975 : Curator Salva Ramboyong Limbo, who gave me a break to join a group painting show with painters Cenon Mangahas Rivera and Galo Ocampo at Silangan Art Gallery.
Year 1981 : Artist Imelda "Impy" Pilapil, who gave me a break and mounted my First Solo Painting exhibit at City Gallery.
Year 1987 : Elena Dimaano Capili, my beautiful and patient wife, who as of this writing has continued to inspire me to go on and express my artistic vision.
Year 1988, 1993, and 2009: My daughter Kristen Amaris (Kiten), Miro Frances (Mio), and Lulu Berry our dog (Lulai) who keep me young and make me proud.
[ Painter + Photographer + Piezo Printmaker + Lecturer ]
A graduate of TUP Drafting Technology and studied Fine Arts (major in Advertising) at PWU in 1981 ; served Philippine Airlines as its Art Director for 16 years. He has successfully mounted over 30 one-man art exhibitions in Manila, Paris, and the United States. He has participated in more than 35 group exhibitions, including the Asian International Art Exhibitions in Fukuoka, Japan; Taipei; Taiwan; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Ulaanbataar, Mongolia. He has also accumulated at least 55 awards and distinctions, including the Jurors’ Choice in the 1994 Philip Morris Asean Art Awards; Pamana ng Lahi Award in San Francisco, USA (2001), and the latest of which are the 2008 PATA Gold Award for Travel Photo Journalism in Hyderabad, India; 2008 ANVIL Award; Ani ng Dangal Presidential Award 2009; and 2009 Quill Award. He was a member of the Executive Council of the National Committee on Visual Arts of the NCCA from 2007-2010. At present, Chairman of the Philippine Committee, 26th Asian International Art Exhibition
Gallery Representation in the Philippines :
-Crucible Gallery
4th Level Bldg A, SM Megamall Mandaluyong City
-Galerie OneWorkshop
Unit 324, LRI Design Plaza, Nicanor Garcia St. Bel Air II, Makati City, Philippines
Telefax : +6328368799
Mobile : +639176273193
E-mail : one_workshop@yahoo.com
The Past, Present and Future of Rosscapili
Manila Bulletin newspaper
By DIDY EVANGELISTA
Photos by Pinggot Zulueta
November 14, 2011, 8:33am
MANILA, Philippines -- In art, one takes a step backward and at the same time, a step forward. The artist draws on his experiences and memories to fill up his canvases with images, but his technique, style and way of presenting must push limits so that he creates something new and different. Looking at Rosscapili’s work, one gets a sense of all this – the backwards pulling of his memories, captured in black and white photographs and reprinted on canvas, and the crossing of boundaries with how he presents his images; an amalgamation of paint, found objects, and of course, his pictures.
Push and Pull
The push and pull of the past and the future aren’t immediately obvious when one looks at a Rosscapili. In his current collection, 'Coexistence,' what one sees is a collage of black and white pictures and a smattering of black, white and grey paint, with a dash of color in some parts to break the monotony. But looking deeper into the images, one sees something more. “It’s a journal, there’s still a story there. It tells a story. It’s not [an] empty [gesture] that you put on canvas. I want the paint to smear, to layer, to interact with my photographs,” says Rosscapili.
Cross Road
'Cross Road,' a piece from the collection, is a collage that features the Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover and a picture of men doing penance on Holy Week while standing at a cross walk. “I found this piano [board] and mixed it with the Beatles, merging, and connecting the pedestrian. And in 1966 the Beatles said they were more popular than Jesus Christ, adding to their problem. There was a crossroad. There was also crucifixion,” Rosscapili says, explaining his work.
Another piece called 'Dambana ni San Miguel' has a censored image of a statue of Mother Mary placed side by side with ladies dancing onstage. An almost indistinguishable bottle of the iconic Filipino beer is thrown into the mix, creating a statement about religion, macho culture and feminism.
Stories Behind the Lens
The pictures themselves, taken on their own, already tell a story; but even more interesting are Rosscapili’s stories of what happened behind the lens. All the photographs he used in the collection are his own images, and with it, he created a record of his experiences while he was taking them. Rosscapili tells of how he took the picture of the dancing ladies in 'Dambana ni San Miguel,' going to a night club with his wife and furtively clicking on his camera hidden underneath the table.
Experience in Abstraction
And then there are the paint strokes and gestures that bring the work together. Rosscapili brings his experience in abstraction to the pieces in “Coexistence,” having created abstract pieces for more than 10 years. “I wanted layers of images, layers of technique. I didn’t want my work to be flat; if you look at it from different angles, you’ll see something different,” says Rosscapili.
Most of his works have opposing and supporting ideas that come together on one canvas. And much how like these ideas coexist with one another, his pictures and abstractions tell a story deeper and more meaningful than what meets the eye.
Art Forms Brought Together
It is only fitting that Rosscapili calls the collection 'Coexistence,' because apart from the juxtaposed images on his canvases, the collection brings together two of Rosscapili’s chosen art forms – photography and painting.
These two run parallel in his life, ever-present and effective outlets of Rosscapili’s creativity. At some points in his life as an artist, one was used to support the other, feeding and nurturing not just his creative side, but the other parts of his life as well.
Working Student
A working student, Rosscapili would do Philippine Airline’s graphic design, illustration and photography requirements during the day and attend his night classes in Fine Arts at the Philippine Women’s University. He would leave the PAL office at 5 p.m., rushing to get to Sta. Cruz, Manila, where he had pictures for work developed before he went to class, and then submitting them the following day.
Painting was something he had always done, joining art contests and winning quite a number of them. His first win allowed him to buy a camera that he used for work. With painting, he first began with representational images, eventually evolving into abstraction and expressionism. “I lasted with abstraction. But I got tired of it, that it came to a point where it felt like I was just forced to create. There was also frustration on my part that my work was similar to the other artists. That everyone was [doing] abstraction,” says Rosscapili.
Digital Pioneer
It was perfect timing that digital media was becoming popular in the Philippines. Rosscapili was one of the pioneers who adapted to the technology, learning Photoshop when it was nothing more than a simple photo editing program. He started to push the limits on his abstraction work, searching for something different and original, leading him to the merging of his photography and painting.
Mixed Media
The current technology allows him to print his photographs onto artist’s canvas, on which he then layers on acrylic paint. Rosscapili explains, “I don’t present it as a photograph, I present it as mixed media. Before, my style was more abstract. It was all swiping, broad strokes, swirling colors. Now I’m applying it, on canvas still, but with images, my photographs. So everything is merging.”
There is still more to experiment with in Rosscapili’s brand of mixed media, and he is unwilling to move on to the next style until he has mastered it. The challenge he faces right now is gaining acceptance from the art community. And so far, it has been forthcoming, with exhibits and shows overseas, the most recent of which was the 26th Asian International Art Exhibition in Seoul, South Korea, which he also chairs. Rosscapili has another show at the Singapore Art Fair, opening on the 18th of November.
Art is Old and New
Art captures the old and new, becoming both dated and timeless. Rosscapili has gotten a grip on this elusive concept, in terms of both technique and content. There is the old in his pieces – memories and almost-forgotten images captured by Rosscapili’s previous experience on the different mediums – but the future is also in there, reinvigorating photography and painting to create a different art form.
But for Rosscapili, the bottom line has always been passion. “That is what is left at the end of the day. Fads may come and go, but the ones with passion, it won’t matter what medium he uses. Even if it’s not new, or it’s not the trend, he will always create art.”
Sincere gratitude to the women in my artful life:
Year 1959 : Minerva Capili (my Nanay), who gave birth to me.
Year 1974 : Professor Asuncion Joaquin, who guided me how to paint.
Year 1975 : Curator Salva Ramboyong Limbo, who gave me a break to join a group painting show with painters Cenon Mangahas Rivera and Galo Ocampo at Silangan Art Gallery.
Year 1981 : Artist Imelda "Impy" Pilapil, who gave me a break and mounted my First Solo Painting exhibit at City Gallery.
Year 1987 : Elena Dimaano Capili, my beautiful and patient wife, who as of this writing has continued to inspire me to go on and express my artistic vision.
Year 1988, 1993, and 2009: My daughter Kristen Amaris (Kiten), Miro Frances (Mio), and Lulu Berry our dog (Lulai) who keep me young and make me proud.