When visual artist Al Perez was in first grade, he took a thick pencil and a grade 1 pad paper and decided to draw Barasoain Church, an unusual subject for a six-year-old. Little did he know that his sketch of the historical church would be the first of the thousands of churches he would draw and paint years later and that it would come full circle in an exhibit of his works entitled “Obra,” at Museo ng Republika ng 1899, which is housed at the convent of the Barasoain Church in Malolos. Al Perez
Considered a quintessential Filipino artist, he has through his masterful “church portraits” immortalized history. He has traveled all over the country to capture the striking magnificence of our great churches as a celebration of our history and heritage. Every stroke and every detail he paints, for him, is to glorify God. “My advocacy is to paint the great heritage and culture of the Philippines through its glorious churches,” says Perez. “The churches that were destroyed by earthquakes, typhoons, fire, and other calamities were immortalized so that the next generation could appreciate them even through a painting. The portraits of old churches are the legacy I hope I will leave behind for this country.” A well-traveled artist, Perez has toured and shown his works in key cities in the world such as New York, Chicago, Honolulu, Tokyo, Seoul, and the Vatican. 'Barasoain Church,' watercolor on paper, 1972
Perez shares that he should personally see a church in order to paint it. That’s his trick in giving each painting its own story and personality. He would also interview priests about the church’s history or even the Pope, if he could, whom he had been privileged to have seen in both Manila and the Vatican. “My favorite will always be the historical Barasoain Church. It already has different versions because it has been restored many times because of fire,” says Perez. “I also love painting Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte. It has a wonderful Borobudur architecture. I also love the limestone of Miag-ao Church in Iloilo and the Morong Church in Rizal. And I would never get tired of painting San Agustin Church. I’ve painted it so many times. I got married at Paco Church and I’ve painted it many times, at various angles. Sometimes I would even put a carriage in to make it more romantic.” 'Mama Mary on Palette Board,' acrylic on Board, 2023
The works of Perez, however, are not devoted exclusively to churches. He also paints Philippine rural scenes, nipa houses, portraits, nudes, and flowers. He learned how to incorporate a modern touch in his paintings even in the old churches to capture new audiences and adapt to the contemporary concept of this era. Sometimes, Perez would incorporate religious images in his artworks like in *Mama Mary* and *Barasoin Church*. His palette board also became his canvas by painting Mama Mary’s white silhouette on it in *Mama Mary on the Palette Board*. 'My Patron Saint Sta Elena,' acrylic on canvas, 2023
Perez graduated from the University of Santo Tomas with a degree in Fine Arts. He furthered his craft by studying at the Artist League of New York in 1984 and the art School of Visual Art New York in 1996. “Artists give joy and beauty to the world. Everything you see around you is art,” ends Perez. “I was able to travel the world through it and it feels great when people appreciate your art. My world opened up when I started painting churches. More importantly, it taught me to be patient.”