The works of Rodel Tapaya can be viewed as tableaus to introspectively examine the stories of human culture. His canvases are decorated with great stylistic literacy, exhibiting a uniquely Filipino element in his paintings that often portray rich narratives of historical, mythological, folkloric, or contemporary themes. Though most of his creations depict the supernatural, the fine artist had also done a series of portraits that featured a more ‘real’ cast of persons from his neighborhood during the early period of his career. Named as one of the most active artists in Southeast Asia, Tapaya had his works exhibited locally and internationally. He was also among the Thirteen Artists Award of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2012, a prestigious government award for Filipino visual artists. (P.I.R.)