Rene Cuvos

PLAYGROUND OF HIS MIND 

Rene Cuvos’ creative process of making otherworldly art 

October 29, 2018 / C-2 

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

"Everything is embedded in symbols, from things to happenings in our everyday life. You just have to observe and find what it means to you and what its message to you is."

Innocence often falls victim to the reality of adulthood. This is not the case for Rene Cuvos whose talent lies not only in his exceptional ability to paint but also in his capacity to cultivate a unique form of enthusiasm reserved for those un­tainted by the ways of the world.

 

Daydreaming, for Cuvos, is more than a past time. It is an art perfected over the years. Ever since he was young, Cuvos’ ability to daydream was so strong and his imagination so vivid that many people, including his parents, were concerned with the young boy staring blankly into space. 

“In addition to that, I didn’t really like to go out with other kids when I was young,” he said. What he did en­joy was staying at home and feeding his already hyperactive imagination by engaging with visitors, the toys they would bring, as well as those giv­en to him. These toys became the piv­otal characters within his imaginary narrative. In Cuvos’ mind’s eye, the toys became animated, and accompa­nied him in the numerous adventures he had embarked upon during his lucid daydreaming.

 This manifested physically, as well, as Cuvos would often interchange toy parts to create an entirely different toy altogether, imbibing it with a life all on its own. 

Cuvos’ uncanny ability to day­dream became more than a child­hood past time—it became fuel for his artistic craft which showcases his ability to capture the rich and vivid dreams he would, by will, undergo to share with viewers a secret and inti­mate world. 

Perhaps the innocence in Cuvos’ work that remains irresistibly allur­ing is driven by his fearlessness to­wards his craft, allowing himself to make mistakes, and submitting him­self to the process. This, however, is not being rolled out mindlessly, with the artist committed to proving that enthusiasm is most effective when coupled by strong discipline toward improving one’s craft. “My creative philosophy is to create and work ev­ery day,” he said. “Allow yourself to make mistakes.” 

Before Cuvos sits down in front of his easel, he starts his day with a freshly brewed cup of coffee which he carefully sips as he does free range doodle sketches on a pad. It allows him to loosen up his hands, he said, as part of its conditioning. 

Cuvos said that his father served as his biggest stimulation, not only with regard to his work ethic but also in his decision to pursue an artistic life in the first place. “My dad is the biggest influence,” he said, “Seeing him making art while growing up was such an inspiration.” 

In terms of his style, Cuvos admitted that surrealism had the most impact in his aesthetics, citing Rene Magritte, Salvador Dali, Mark Ryden, Brue­gel, Bosh, Margaret Keene, and the godfather of Philippine surrealism, Raul Lebajo, as his biggest influences. While surrealism served as the biggest and most influential art movement that had an impact on Cuvos’ aesthetics, he is also enthusiastic about animation and comics. “To evolve as an artist is one of my struggles,” he said. “I really don’t want to be stagnant. I am challeng­ing myself to create better works than my old works.” 

Life can often be par­ticularly enig­matic and, as such, Cuvos indulges in the creation of elements and t r a n s f o rms them into sym­bols for view­ers to ponder upon the subtle connec­tions between imaginat ion and reality. “To me, life is not as literal as it is” Cuvos said. “Everything is embedded in symbols, from things to happenings in our everyday life. You just have to observe and find what it means to you and what its message to you is.” 

In Cuvos’ most recent solo ex­hibition at the Nova Gallery titled “Sugar Tidbits: Zero Fat, “ the artist delves deep into his dreams, unrav­elling this secret world. 

“I’m mostly dreaming,” Cuvos admitted. “Even while working, my mind flies, and from there, I find im­ages.” Showcasing micro paintings which, while small, carry depth and impact, Cuvos offers viewers a peek into the playground of his mind. 

These are the images that flash through his consciousness when day­dreaming, as he immerses himself into a parallel reality composed of memory, hope, and innocence, driv­ing the artist toward creating char­acters that are familiar and loveable and providing the collection with a certain sense of magic. “I always play with all the imagery I see or pass by in my thoughts,” he admitted. “I wish my hands could catch up with my mind because I would see so many images.” This, perhaps, is the seduc­tive quality in Cuvos’ work—its ability to draw audiences in his own world, a world full of the wonder that so many have lost in life.