ABOUT THE WORK

A graduate of Fine Arts from the University of the Philippines and a colleague of Vicente Manansala, Cesar Legaspi, and Ang Kiukok, Angel Cacnio formerly worked as an illustrator for Liwayway Magazine for 10 years. His works have become the mirror to the customs and heritage of the Philippine rural life. His artistry is defined as having a distinct Filipino character, paying homage to a way of living that is rustic and bucolic. His paintings evoke a feeling of nostalgia and retrospection attached to rural traditions and values. Cacnio shows admiration and appreciation for the humble way of rural living in the face of rapid modernization and urbanization. Titled Biyaya Mula sa Dagat, this piece portrays fisherfolks returning from their laborious toiling on the rugged seas. Cacnio captures the fishermen and town folks bearing the bounty of their catch, with emphasis on their striking expressions of excitement and gratitude. As observed by some art critics, his oil paintings are “sprawling with life and overwhelming with emotions,” with the unconstrained brushstrokes, the harmonious intermingling of hues, and how he blends light and shadow to produce illusions of movement, depth, and clarity that is mesmerizing for both the critic and the spectator.