Among the many infamous things people see on the streets of Metro Manila are the footbridges. While they are built to keep commuters safe from crossing busy roads, sometimes the engineering that backs them doesn’t make sense. We saw it just recently after one upcoming footbridge in Kamuning, Quezon City trended online. At such a great height, it leaves one gasping for air as they climb its stairs, as people fail to see what they should be looking at when they reach the “summit,” which are panoramic views that are uniquely Filipino, no matter how good or bad they are. 

Erwin Mallari's 'Urbanites'

Aiming to document those kinds of scenes is visual artist Erwin Mallari. On his trusty bicycle, he went around Metro Manila and its many bridges to see the beauty beneath them. The result is a collection of hyper-realistic watercolor paintings he curated on the theme “Under the Bridge.”

“I’m always fascinated by the views I see from the top of a bridge,” Erwin says. “Every time I ride my bicycle, I stop to look at what’s happening under the bridge. These are the scenes many people do not see. I got curious and I saw Manila from a new perspective. They may be usual for others, but I see beauty in them when I start painting them.”

A self-confessed outdoorsy person, Erwin always looks for an adventure, whether it is through roaming around the city or hiking a mountain in the countryside. This passion for traveling perfectly matches his life in the arts. Ever since he pursued painting as a full-time profession in 2014, he turned his artworks into a visual diary of the places he has visited and sights he has seen. 

But what makes “Under the Bridge” different from his past showcases is the portraits’ vantage point. Unlike his previous landscape art pieces, his latest works give a bird’s eye view of the things that happen in the city. His creative process involves two parts. First is the “studio work,” where he takes photographs of places and works on the images for two to three weeks in his workshop. The other one is “en plein air” where he picks a location, sets up his colors and canvas, paints on the spot, and accomplishes an artwork in an hour or so.

“I enjoy the process of going out every day,” the artist muses. “I’m like a fisherman who goes out to the sea and returns to shore with a great catch. I always do an impromptu painting. Wherever the journey may lead me, there is always a surprising element, a voice that says, ‘paint me.’”

“Under the Bridge” presents images that Filipino commuters will easily recognize. On Erwin’s canvases are urban sites made more warm and moody with his play on light and shadows. His Marikit and River Park pieces mirror the idyllic scenes in Marikina City. While Diverge and Share the Road capture the rush and the striking road lines of EDSA and Guadalupe Bridge. His favorite piece, the Urbanites, presents more than just vehicles and golden sunlight. It explores a scene from his hometown in Malabon about commuters struggling to get a ride. 

Currently, Erwin is moving from Malabon to Pulilan, Bulacan on a mission to paint agricultural fields that are slowly being converted into industrial zones.

“My goal in creating these artworks is that one day, they will be a basis of a place’s history,” Erwin says. “Change happens so fast these days. After a decade, the look of the place I painted will be different. Viewing my work then will be like looking at old photographs.”

Check out Erwin Mallari's "Under the Bridge":

"Share the Road," Watercolor on Paper, 2022

"Marikit," Watercolor on Paper, 2022

"Golden Rush Hour," Watercolor on Paper, 2022

"Diverge," Watercolor on Paper, 2022

"River Park," Watercolor on Paper, 2022