Raul Lacanilao

RAUL LACANILAO

Started his career in the advertising industry.  From 1985 to 1993, he served as an art director at several advertising firms in the Philippines.  He later relocated abroad to take up various senior advertising roles in the United Arab Emirates and China from 1993 to 2002.

But even as he left this fast-paced industry, Raul’s foundation in advertising would prove helpful when he embarked to work as a visual artist full time.  He has sharpened his understanding of and innate curiosity about people.  His paintbrush dares to go beyond the surface, penetrating the masks and barriers people hold as shields.  The more people he sees and meets, the more his paintbrush is energized.  The strokes vividly evoking their stories, grief beside gaiety, tears behind laughter, hate falling through the cracks of love.

Energy is found either in the everyday minutiae or any event teeming with people.  He captures intricate glimpses of the human spirit.  This can be seen in “Debosyon” an art series depicting fiestas and religious parades in the Philippines, or in “Rancho Cordova”, an introspective display of the colors and revelry in a musical extravaganza.  Further, as more and more people crowd inside social media platforms, Raul crosses over to depict photobombing and selfie situations, and is currently working on “You R My Art”, a virtual wall containing portraits of his million friends on Facebook.

Whether he mixes bright colors, or whisks dark strokes and silhouettes, Raul loves to show and tell.  People are complicated creatures, but it is within these depths that we find truth, beauty and meaning.