Legaspi's Dreamscape

To enter the world of Raymond Legaspi is to enter an indulgently dreamy landscape, filled with strange shapes and heavenly beings, native folks and lavish creatures.  His careless brushstrokes create a languid atmosphere, almost magically vague, but so infused with color and imagination that captivation is sure to result.

“Tango,” Raymond Legaspi’s last offering at the Ayala Museum, was an instant hit, with fans immediately snapping up the works on display.  The show was filled with porcine women and portly men, engrossed in the attractions of dancing and absorbed with each other’s heft.  By the second day of the exhibit, only a few pieces were left, and out-of-towners had to make arrangements to purchase what was left sight unseen, relying only on technology to make their decisions for them. (One purchaser had to make arrangements for someone to take phone camera shots and on the basis merely of mms pictures, decided to make an offer right there and then.)

This painter was a former ad executive in Makati, slaving away for two decades in such international agencies as Ogilvy & Mather and J. Walter Thompson.  Then he upped and moved to Bacolod City, ready to concentrate full time on painting.  Already armed with a degree in fine arts (but major in advertising) from the University of Sto. Tomas, it didn’t seem difficult for this creative director to do such a seemingly radical shift. 

One could surmise Raymond’s creative juices had been bottled up during those twenty years. After his move back to sugarlandia, Raymond’s talent could now be channeled towards the personal pleasures of creation, as opposed to commercially-driven creative pursuits.  It seems like this was a wise move, as Raymond’s had exhibits in Bacolod, Manila, and Singapore.

Working mostly with oil on canvas, Raymond also has pastels on smaller frames.  A quick comparison results in the conclusion that these pastels are darker and less vibrant, though no less arresting. But it seems his oil works are much more of a commercial hit, with these selling much faster than the pastel ones.

There’s a bit of naughtiness in Raymond and perhaps, this streak shows itself in his works.  In a recent interview published in the Philippine Press Club website, Raymond was asked which celebrity he’d like to paint and the setting that he would use.  Raymond responded that he wanted to paint the senators clad in colorful ‘dasters’ (housedress), sleeping during the session while equipped with a microphone. 

This same streak probably accounts for his next planned one-man show in Ayala, slated for April of 2009.  Raymond is now busily ensconced in his wonderfully-lit Bacolod home, where he works full time in the morning coming up with ideas and sketches.  For his next show, the dominant themes are clowns and harlequins, fashion buffoons and political jokers.

The works are vibrant splashes of color, guaranteed to liven up both foyers and discourse.  For example, in one work, a pious-looking overdressed matron, with hands stuck in prayer, has a budgerigar and countless daisies stuck in her stiffly starched hair.  Behind her are various shadowy figures, a backdrop of intrigue. 

In another example, up on Raymond’s easel is a trio of clowns, the central figure sporting a snowy-white barong.  Pressed against the cloth, however, are faces of the oppressed, probably ingested by the politician on his way to power.

There are political overtones to this next collection – but regardless of his provocative speech, what’s come out so far are mouth-watering creations guaranteeing another sold-out collection.  It will be interesting to see where Raymond Legaspi will bring us.  But so far, it’s been real fun.