If someone took an 8-bit Nintendo video game, mixed it with Terry Gilliam’s style of animation in “Monty Python,” and then rinsed it through Filipino social media, the end result would be something like Richard Quebral‘s art. The Pinoy artist creates mixed-media pieces characterized by bright pastel colors, grids, and unexpected textures. While his art is often deeply personal, it’s communicated in a way that’s humorous and engaging. It often depicts homey—albeit strange—settings inhabited by characters based on Quebral’s real-life neighbors and family.
如果有人将 8-bit 像素的任天堂游戏，与特瑞·吉列姆在《巨蟒与圣杯》中的动画风格相混合，然后再经过菲律宾本土社交媒体元素的冲洗，差不多就是 Richard Quebral 的作品了。这位来自菲律宾的艺术家，用明亮淡雅的色彩、栅格设计以及意想不到的纹理，绘制出多媒介混合而成的拼贴感作品。他的作品通常描绘着家中舒适的环境，虽然作品看上去有些奇怪，但取景与人物灵感都来自他真实生活中的家人和邻居；虽然个性十足，但却总能以幽默和引人入胜的方式表现出来。
Quebral grew up in the region of Ilocos, in a rural town that he still calls home. His work is heavily inspired by small-town life, with its overly inquisitive neighbors, strong community bonds, and quiet days set against the sound of crashing waves and swaying bamboo trees. It’s an idyllic way of life to him. His community is mostly filled with hardworking fishermen, farmers, and construction workers who are happy with living a simple life. Even the gossipmongers, or chismosas, that small towns are notorious for, are frequently featured in his art as prying sets of eyes peering in from the window. “I love these kinds of neighbors. They always keep me up to date with daily news,” he laughs.
Richard 在伊洛克斯省（Ilocos）的乡村小镇长大，并在那里一直生活至今。小镇生活是他主要的创作灵感来源。那里的邻里关系融洽，大家总是忙着询问彼此的生活，社区之间也联系紧密，日子过得恬静平淡。对他来说，这是一种田园诗般的生活方式，到处是海浪和竹木摇曳的声响，小镇居民是他源源不断的创作灵感。社区里住着渔民、农民和建筑工人，他们勤劳努力，过着简单并快乐的生活。即使是小镇上臭名昭著的 “闲话爱好者”，也经常出现在他的艺术作品中，变成一双双在窗边窥视的眼睛。“我爱我的邻居。他们让我不会错过每天的新闻。”他笑着说道。
His favorite part about living in a small village is the strong sense of bayanihan, a Tagalog word meaning communal unity. It’s a uniquely Filipino term that refers to when a community comes together to help one another in times of need, and it’s a concept that’s ingrained in the culture. This sense of community still exists in larger cities, but in smaller villages like the one where Quebral lives, it can be strongly felt day to day. He shows it in his art through the roster of familiar characters and brick houses, which evoke a communal spirit. The reappearing motif of radio and cellular technology is a visual representation of this sense of connectedness.
Quebral 很喜欢村里强烈的 “bayanihan” 精神，这是一个塔加路语，意为 “社区团结”。作为菲律宾当地的特殊用语，“bayanihan” 指社区在需要时团结一致，相互帮助，这也是当地文化中一个根深蒂固的理念。如今，强烈的社区意识在菲律宾大城市依然保留，而在较小的村庄，如 Quebral 的家乡，你能愈发强烈地感受到这种精神的存在。在作品中，他通过对自己熟悉的人物和砖房的绘画，将社区群体发扬光大。作品中反复出现的收音机和蜂窝通讯技术图案，以视觉呈现的方式把大伙儿维系在了一起。
Quebral’s most recent show, held at Manila’s Blanc Gallery and titled Lazaro Trails the West, is named after his grandfather, who embodied this community spirit. “Lolo Lazaro was a plumber and a miner when he was still alive, and he loved cockfighting in his time off,” Quebral recalls. “He was humorous, cheerful, and hardworking.”
Quebral has certainly inherited his grandfather’s levity and humor. His work is impossible to view without a smile. “Humor is important in my daily life to stay inspired and productive. It also helps with my art and allows me to express my emotions freely,” he says.
最近在 Manila’s Blanc Gallery 举办的展览中，作品《Lazaro Trails the West》以 Quebral 祖父的名字命名，在他看来，祖父身上有着明显的社区印记。Quebral 回忆道：“我的祖父 Lolo Lazaro 生前曾做水管和矿工，闲暇时光喜欢斗斗鸡，幽默、有趣、勤奋是他的个性。” 显然，Quebral 也继承了祖父的幽默感。他的作品总是让人会心一笑，这种幽默感也来自他的生活态度：“幽默在我的生活中充当着重要的部分，它能让我保持灵感和创造力，能让我随心所欲地表达自己的情感，对我的艺术创作有很大帮助”。
Being an artist in a village far from the city can be difficult, but in recent years it’s become easier to stay connected. “You have to spend money and invest your time traveling to the city in order to attend openings, visit galleries, learn from other artists,” Quebral notes. “But despite those challenges, social media is helping to bridge some of those gaps. It’s easier to keep up with the art world, find fans, and even buy supplies.”
To keep up to date with Richard Quebral’s work, visit Blanc Gallery.
作为一名艺术家，生活在远离城市的村庄并非易事，但近年来，情况有所改善。“每次去城里去参加开幕、参观画廊、向其他艺术家学习，你都要花一定的金钱和时间。” Richard 指出：“虽然有这些困难，但社交媒体有助于弥合其中的差距。现在，无论是获取艺术世界的新趋势，还是收获粉丝或者购买原材料，都变得更加轻而易举了。”
想了解 Richard Quebral 的更多最新作品，请浏览 Blanc Gallery。
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Contributors: Mike Steyels
Chinese Translation: Olivia Li
