Nunelucio Alvarado's Obra Maestra
Nunelucio Alvarado, a Negrense who has been considered as an icon in the world of visual arts, shared his talents with the equally talented Ilonggos with the opening of his month long one-man exhibit “Obra Maestra” last May 20. Obra Maestra features the works of Nunelucio Alvarado in different periods which he claimed as a documentation of his travels.
During the opening, Alvarado graciously painted the wall and floor of the gallery. Headed by the Graphitto proprietor and fellow artist Boyet Zoluaga, the Tribu Ni Mali added spice to the event by playing ethnic music. Tribu ni Mali is a local band made up of talented Ilonggos who plays a distinctive tribal compositions.
Alvarado, a native of Sagay in Negros Occidental, was one of the 13 influential artists recognized by the CCP in 1996. Nineteen years ago, he founded a group of young local artists and gave them the name Pintor Kulapol.
Inspired by the lives of the laborers in the sugarcane plantations known as sacadas, Alvarado's artworks were mainly commentaries. Alvarado expresses his sentiments through art. Using his pencil, he conveys messages that depict social issues. Alvarado's creations are a bit similar to that of the legendary artist Pablo Picasso. Black is prominent in his pieces, even in murals, and is oftentimes accompanied by a bright color.
Aside from pencil, Alvarado also uses one of the oldest type of media called the India Ink. Oftentimes, India Ink is paired with another form of medium known as the Gouache. A gouache is an opaque mixture of watercolor and tempera. For his paintings, he opts to utilize oil and acrylic on canvass.
Alvarado's artworks together with that of the Pintor Kulapol's were showcased in a two-week art exhibit at the Gallery Orange in Bacolod City. The art show culminated last May 29.
“He is planning to have a big show in Manila. Probably around 150 frames,” says Boyet Zoluaga of Graphitto.
Check out Alvarado's artworks at the Gallerie Graphitto at the Art Republic of the Robinsons Place-Iloilo. The show runs from May 20 to June 20 of this year.