As one of the most important figures in Philippine contemporary art, Andres Barrioquinto brilliantly captures the complex and sometimes dark emotions that veil us at various phases in our lives
This is an excerpt from MEGA Man’s November 2022 cover story.
Among art collectors, enthusiasts, and cognoscenti, the surrealist and hyperrealist paintings of Andres Barrioquinto are statement pieces to have in any space. His is a body of work that continues to grow, evolve, and tell a poignant story of the human experience. He begins, “My early works were dark and unplanned. It was full of angst, and it reflected my observations of the people around me. I made portraits of them because the face is where we primarily communicate our emotions.”
Prestigious awards and early shows that barely sold
Barrioquinto admits that his high school academics leave much to be desired. By the time he began his course in Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas, however, his brilliance began to shine through. As an art student, he was prolific and excelled in competitions like the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence and was one of the artists given the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Thirteen Artists Award. He adds, “I was also awarded the Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award twice.”
Campus life and early success proved completely different from the real world. Immediately after graduating, he began creating pieces for shows. He recalls, “People barely purchased my work. I was struggling to sell. Back then, most galleries were located in malls. I would see paintings with flowers and noticed that there was a certain aesthetic that sold.” Even then, Barrioquinto had already caught the attention of contemporary art critics who prophesied that he would be the “master of the dark and the mysterious.”
Read more about the stories that Andres Barrioquinto shares through his art in MEGA Man’s November 2022 issue, now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Photography SEVEN BARRETTO, assisted by ERWIN BOTIN
Art Direction MARC YELLOW
Grooming Direction MIA CASTRO
Fashion Direction RYUJI SHIOMITSU
Styling MIGUEL QUILANG, assisted by BEA GUERRERO and JOAQUIN RODRIGO
Grooming CATS DEL ROSARIO
Videography EXCEL PANLAQUE
Shot on Location at PROVENANCE ART GALLERY
Shoot Coordination KZ FRANCISCO and MJ ALMERO