We are alive because we die
Marvin Quizon’s art and the duality of existence
For Marvin Quizon, art is oxygen and expression is a means of sustenance. The propensity to create was so deeply ingrained in him even at a young age. He recalls wanting to be an artist before even encountering the word that defined his calling.
“There are a lot of challenges,” he admits. “The financial problems, the struggles—it’s hard. But it’s normal. The best thing about being an artist is that each new artwork is like embarking on an adventure, especially in times when it’s hard to paint because of problems. Art has caused problems for me even in love, because many believe that an artist’s life is not sustainable. But I think I am alive, and continue living, because of the art I do, not just because of the food I eat. Basic needs, those are easy.”
Quizon’s sense of adventure pushed him toward hyperrealism, because he viewed the genre as particularly difficult.
“I’m a bit of a thrillseeker,” he says, “and it was a challenge, which I liked. But what makes me relish the process is the subject of my paintings, which are relatable. That’s where the real joy comes from.”
The Pre-Raphaelites also heavily influenced his style, Quizon adds, though he is adamant not to be confined to any genre or to make too much of an effort in ensuring his works neatly fall under a particular aesthetic category, instead placing greater importance on the meaning he wants to communicate.
His contemplative approach reveals itself in the muted, desaturated tones of his paintings. Though works are rendered in full color, Quizon downplays the boldness of the shades to echo the mood of vintage photographs, which he has always been drawn to. As to his process, he says that, while there is magic in spontaneity and that he embraces impulsive changes as he paints, he believes that it is important to have a firm grip on his art’s direction through sketches, studies, and references using digital photo manipulation, gleaning from his background as a visual communications major.
Though subject matters vary depending on the tides of the time and on his overall mood, Quizon says that he often delves into visual narratives that flesh out dualities of existence—life and death, pain and pleasure, and, above all, love. This was demonstrated in his debut show “Bones and Blooms” at the Eskinita Art Gallery. The collection, featuring eight works, centers around death—but not merely in the physical sense.
The agents within the painting writhe under the emotional and psychic suffering to such an extent that their anguish mimics the pain of death. Yet, Quizon stresses, agony can be a source of strength. “Every suffering you experience in your life changes you,” he explains. “You learn something and you gain wisdom. With every painful encounter, there are also moments of happiness—you are not alive if you don’t experience both.”
Quizon points to an artwork entitled Walang Hanggang Paalam, inspired by a Joey Ayala song of the same name, as one of the pieces that he believes captured the ethos of the entire collection. The skeletal image representative of death juxtaposed with flora and fauna to represent life and the female subject, alluding to affection, a tenderness to soften harsh realities. “Love—that is the only thing that has no end,” he says. “Even if the person is gone, the love for that person never wanes. In that piece, the dying flower the woman holds symbolizes sacrifice.”
Quizon’s love for the craft and the subject he paints are a main driving force in his creative life, emphasizing that in sharing his truths as he paints, he is releasing his own suffering. For the artist, death is not a source of fear, as he believes it is our very mortal- ity that pushes us to seek and create meaning in our lives. We are alive because we die.
“All of us will fatten the earth, one day,” he says, “no matter who you are and what religion you adhere to. All of us are headed in the same direction. But that’s not important for me. There are always questions that can never be answered. The most important are good deeds and having a deeper understanding of what it means to be happy.”
‘Every suffering you experience in your life changes you, you learn something and you gain wisdom. With every painful encounter, there are also moments of happiness—you are not alive if you don’t experience both.’