Franklin Caña, a visual artist and a member of The Saturday Group of Artists, continuously carves a unique niche for himself in the Philippine art scene. His style, which he playfully calls “Cañaism,” is characterized by a vibrant kaleidoscope of colors.

Caña’s work is a fascinating blend of influences. His iconic 8-Colored Bottles, for instance, is a testament to his graphic design background. “I wanted to play with the overlapping colors. As a graphic designer, when I have a problem, it’s like advertising—what do I want to convey? The kaleidoscope of different colors. So I thought that overlapping colors could be interpreted and shown through empty bottles. When you place them together, they create a transition of different colors. I chose eight bottles for good luck,” he says.

His La Pieta is another standout piece, inspired by Michaelangelo’s renowned sculpture. Caña’s interpretation, however, is uniquely his own. “I wanted to render it in my Cañaism style. I wanted to make Mama Mary and Jesus Christ happy with my Cañaism colors, like an Easter celebration, rendered in kaleidoscope colors, sad and happy,” says Caña.

Being part of The Saturday Group of Artists has played a pivotal role in Caña’s development as an artist. 

“As a member, you have to paint continuously, and with that your style will emerge. My style all started when I was young while I was playing with the jolen. I would point it toward the sun and I would see many different colors and my imagination would run wild. So from there, even as a child, I had a chaotic mind and I imagined different things based on the colors I saw in the kaleidoscope. I didn’t even know the meaning of the kaleidoscope back then. That was the springboard of how I render my paintings now,” he recalls. 

Caña’s advice to aspiring artists is simple yet profound: “Just keep painting. When you paint every day, you will learn every day. You will discover new things and you will still have eureka moments.” He encourages artists to never let go of their inner child and experiment freely with various mediums and colors. 

As The Saturday Group celebrates its 56th anniversary this year, Caña’s journey reminds us that legacy is not about the work we leave behind, but also the lives we touch along the way. He has always been open to teaching and learning from others, a philosophy that has been central the Saturday Group’s ethos.

“I think in the art industry, there are many styles of painting—mine is Cañaism, and I will consider that as my legacy to the younger generation. But for me, the best legacy came from the advice of my mentor, Malang. He told me to not be stingy and always offer my help. Young artists come to my house and most of them are earning more than me now, and that makes me proud,” he ends. 

The Saturday Group of Artists, in partnership with Galerie Francesca, recently celebrated its 56th anniversary with “Legacy” at SM Megamall.