Alfred Galvez

Alfred Galvez : Bringing Legends to Life

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

The forest is alive. As it breathes, it pulses with vigor. Its gentle leaves tickling the breeze, its bosom heaving with the rhythm of the wind. The sound of tranquility resonates within the safety of its womb, the birthplace of elusive and stunningly beautiful women gleaming with stardust and manifesting the powerful energy of the universe. These are the women of the forests. Stripped bare, they are a pure and ever-present life force, a representative of ethereal magnificence and the unwavering guardians of our land. These are the captivating and entrancing diwatas of Alfred Galvez.

The diwata, the enchanted maiden of the forest, has always fascinated me,” says Alfred. “As a student at the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), I believed that these fairies of local legend were just flitting about among the trees and flowers that grew so abundantly on Mt. Makiling. The diwata became my muse, igniting my imagination and filling my paintings over the years with untold stories.”

Alfred’s strikingly-rendered diwatas, as can be seen in his latest exhibit at the Rico Renzo Gallery, which opened last March 13. Entitled Kuwentong Diwata, the exhibit is fascinating not only as a subject layered with many meanings, but also for its treatment that categorizes it under classical realism.

Art would not be what it is today without the foundation laid down by the classical paintings. The renaissance period produced the best painters that the world has ever seen in the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci and Boticelli. As aesthetic geniuses, the artists of the classical period left a legacy of perfection within the canvas. A perfection that lends itself to the many dimensions of a broad imagination, tied together by a peculiar understanding of symmetry, composition, and color. When other art identities flooded the contemporary consciousness, a new artistic school of thought came about as modern artists yearned for the rigorous training and application of classical painters. Thus, classical realism came about. It is a style, in which contemporary subjects are rendered in line with traditional visual philosophies. Emerging in the early 2000s, it is a slowly emerging style that is gaining momentum with the widespread establishment of different ateliers all over the world and with the influences of atelier artists like Juliette Aristides, Scott Burdick, David Kassan, and Gregory Mortenson.

In the same way, Alfred’s serious call to creation came from an encounter with an empty space that promised to incubate his creative yearnings. “I saw this place and I so loved it,” says Alfred, as he sits with his excited and irresistible white dog named Picasso in his spacious studio and workshop he aptly named Artalyer, located at 11th Jamboree St. corner Scout Fuentebella, Quezon City. Established in July last year, Artalyer was made possible with fellow artists Paul Quiano and Sean Cassidy. Together, they promote the ideals of classical realism in students and apprentices, whose imaginations are sparked by the lively discussions and workshops in the atelier. It became a way to quench their dismay at the lack of discipline that often plagues youthful artists, some of whom “never even touched a pencil.” “We were thinking of going back to the classics. It’s not about going back to the past and drawing in a manner that makes it look old; it’s about the foundation and there is no other foundation than the classical method.”

Alfred’s own inclination for classical works may have been foreshadowed by his early exposure to the works of many great Filipino masters. Hailing from Davao, Alfred’s immense talent was noticeable early on as he became a government scholar at PHSA. At 17, he became an apprentice of Mariano Madarang, former dean of the College of Fine Arts at the Philippine Women’s University. Under his tutelage, Alfred was trained in the restoration and conservation of the paintings of Fernando Amorsolo and Juan Luna. “I saw the process, the colors and I saw the emotion.”

When he went on to study Fine Arts as a Visual Communications student of at the University of the Philippines–Diliman, Alfred’s love of classical works flourished as he continued to restore the works of old masters such as Botong Francisco, Hidalgo, and other masters of the 18th century. During this time, his skill was further refined, as he observed the master’s expert manipulation of light, color, and elements within the very paintings that he was tasked to restore. It was also at this time that he worked as a muralist for various commercial establishments as well as homes.

His business thrived, eventually becoming AG Murals in 2003.

Even with a successful business, his need to express his classical yearnings persisted. In 2007, Alfred enrolled in classes at the Bottegad’ Arte in Florence, Italy. Studying under Marco Cavallini, who was known for illusionistic wall decoration, conservation, and antique painting techniques, he studied an architectural illusion painting technique called “Quadraturismo,” which was used by Italian masters during the 16th century Baroque period, aside from the traditional Florentine decorative painting.

Establishing Artalyer last year, which also serves as the office for AG Murals, ignited his creative juices as he revisited the classical methods and poured his visions on the canvas. The result is a collection of paintings that he showed at his most recent solo exhibition. All expressed relevant and contemporary subjects in a stunning traditional treatment. “Classical painting has many characteristics,” says Alfred. “The three being harmony, beauty, and completeness. Every painting should be harmonious, it should look complete, and it should be beautiful.”

In observing the works of Alfred, one can see the characteristics of revered paintings of time past. They are a testament to his breadth of knowledge, which he applied in his haunting sceneries that seem to be either a dream or a memory. “If you notice in classical realism, there is the discipline of a limited palette,” says Alfred. “That’s the best practice before you go very colorful. Classical realism has muted plates. Balance is very important. Classical paintings often have grid patterns. Another thing about classical realism is the distribution of color temperatures. Even flesh tones should have cold and warm color temperatures.”

The diwata series is an enthralling narrative on industrialization’s encroachment on natural resources. As the diwatas escape the money hungry clutches of their captors, they flee from the very land they were ordained to protect. “That is how classical realism is. It’s poetry brought on by current issues,” says Alfred. “It’s about being captive in your own land. They take the life out of you, but keep you living. So you’re living but you’re not alive.”

Their delicate beauty is a suitable metaphor for the fragility of our land, its raw beauty, and struggle in the face of greed and artificiality. The story of the diwata, however, has not reached its end. It continues to live in the playful mind and restless hands of Alfred Galvez.

Kuwentong Diwata is ongoing until April 3.