By Dexter R. Matilla
Visit art fairs here and abroad and you'll most certainly see works that feature Willy Wonka-ish characters whiling away in whimsical wonderlands where the colors pop and the possibilities are endless. The subjects will almost always have some sort of enlarged body part or shortened limbs, irregularities that make them cute to some degree.
And with buyers obviously becoming younger, it is quite understandable why demand is shifting towards this particular art style regardless if it's a painting or a sculptural work. Ask a decent number of art viewers and you're likely to come across someone who'll say, "Because it's cute and nice to look at."
Rene Cuvos' latest collection for The Manila Bang Show is aptly titled "About Such Things" and here, the artist continues to expand on the world of "such things" that he has been building for more than a decade now.
Driven by his desire to be free of the rules of society, Cuvos invites viewers to step into a world that he says is a result of his lucid dreaming.
"For me, it's very magical and powerful," says Cuvos. "You can be anything and you can do everything. It will leave you with imageries that don't add up, leaving it unresolved. So when I wake up, I try to figure out what it means and what its connection is to me."
In a way, viewers themselves likely find a certain connection with Cuvos’ imaginations turned to reality on canvas. It’s easy to get lost, even if temporarily, while looking at the big picture but it is behind the eyes of Cuvos’ subjects where perhaps the story lies—one that may not even be as joyful or innocent as initially thought to be.
Just in the Guardian alone, the artist presents characters, humans, humanoids, and animals alike that have no clear definition who it is that guards who… or what for that matter. We are also introduced to Bimbim and Rara probably space travellers whose mission is known only to them. In Shroom Magus, we are shown a mushroom that has a slice of steak for a hat and a flower on one hand, hoping that the bee hovering overhead would just leave him be. It doesn't have to make sense, but it is quite something to look at.
Again, the popularity of such artworks could easily be attributed to the current global art trend but for Cuvos, he believes that collectors feel like they are kids again when they see or purchase the pieces.
Human edge
Having studied Fine Arts at the Philippine Women’s University, Cuvos says that he looks up to the old masters for their skill in using the elements of design especially when it comes to composition.
“They are a big influence in how I compose my subjects and the elements on the canvas,” he says, also mentioning Taiwanese-American visual artist James Jean as an example of an artist who has balance in his compositions.
Cuvos in his own right has mastered his art and the clean lines and smooth colors he achieves are due to years of practice and patience.
Even as a child, he was already exposed to art thanks to his father who is also an artist and the young Cuvos would be the one cleaning the palette table and brushes.
While the advent of artificial intelligence where anybody can just input key words and some form of art is composed instantaneously, poses some risk to traditional visual artists, Cuvos is not worried because he still believes that an artist’s heart will always have the edge.
“As long as you are honest with yourself, you don’t need AI to help you with ideas,” he says. “You’ll feel the more if it comes from the heart and I always tell young artists to tell stories based on their personal experiences because that is the truth. Believe in the talent God gave you because that’s where you will excel.”
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