Michael Cacnio’s life in brass
World-class brass sculptor discusses powerful connections inherent to his art, family, and technology
This 2006 The Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) awardee and world-renowned brass sculptor of the social realist genre has had over 50 exhibits worldwide within his two and a half-decade career.
Michael Cacnio’s masterpieces have gained praises in Asia, Europe, and the United States. In 2007, he became the first Filipino artist to be featured in a solo exhibit in the European Commission’s headquarters in Berlaymont, Brussels. The 45-year-old finds inspiration in the works of Vincent van Gogh, Alberto Giacometti, and Banksy.
Cacnio lives and breathes art, with every nook and cranny of his home teeming with uncontainable creativity. His home, bursting with impressive works—from his own sculptures to the paintings of his maestro father Angel Cacnio and fellow artists’ works, is a testament to his passion for the arts. Alongside these lauded pieces is his collection of vintage die-cast iron miniature cars.
“A car is a sculpture in itself. It’s a design, and it’s already three-dimensional. I’m not into fast cars; I’m into the design of cars” – an admittance that didn’t come as a surprise to us. To get to know him more, we chatted as we explored Cacnio’s art-filled home.
Social realism
His art goes beyond self-expression. It is a reflection of his unwavering commitment to spread love and happiness. “As a happy person and as an artist, you can see that in my work. I want it to have the power to move and inspire you,” Cacnio said.
Such themes are mostly present in Cacnio’s Children at Play, Kites and Balloons series, which portray playful images of children and adults enjoying life with carefree delight and ease. By depicting social realities, Cacnio aims to bring back the simplicity and sheer enjoyment of years past.
“My work is all about the daily lives of the Filipinos,” which he believes are slowly fading due to modern times. “Once people see my work, they are reminded of the past. By preserving it, I make people think back and recall past joy and happiness.”
The family man
Cacnio is as much a family man as he is an artist. Though dedicated to his craft, he makes sure to spend ample time with his wife Tess and sons Jacob (16), Mateo (12), and Lucas (8). Weekends are spent watching movies in their home theatre.
Cacnio’s talents are not only inherent to him, but also to his children. “All of them are interested in art, but I see the highest inclination in my eldest son. He’s very good in sculpting and painting. We created a majority of the pieces in my Lego exhibit together.”
Though the artist describes his life as basically “work” and “home”, travel also comes to play. To stay connected with his family, he keeps his gadgets close. “My laptop is most important to me because it lets me do lots of things in an efficient well-organized manner. My family and I use the Internet to keep in touch whenever I'm away.”
World-class technology and art
Technology and connectivity have proven themselves vital in Cacnio’s family life, but they play an equally substantial role in his artistic practice. “Powerful Internet does wonders, and I can accomplish things in record time.” This is most important when Cacnio works on new exhibits and pieces.
“Every exhibition must be new. It must have a new subject; it must have new material – something that won’t make the audience think it’s the same thing again and again.” He makes this happen through his PLDT HOME Fibr connection. “Using the Internet, I study, research, look up other artists and their works, and get inspiration from stories of people here and abroad.”
With the superior service of PLDT HOME Fibr, Cacnio continues to create meticulously detailed masterpieces, ratifying his place as a world-class artist. He has been enjoying strong connectivity since he subscribed last year. Surrounded by the ordered chaos of his artistic home, he confessed, “I like the power PLDT HOME Fibr brings with it. No waiting. No waste of time.”
For more information on HOME’s most powerful broadband PLDT HOME Fibr, visit http://pldthome.com/fibr.
