Taking Art to the Streets
His art is out of this world. And they have landed in the City of Taguig.
JERALD UY // 5 MIN READ
Published September 15, 2017
“With street art or graffiti, you don’t need to be an outstanding talent. It’s not about being famous or popular. The intention is very pure,” says Nemo Aguila, a street artist whose works could be seen around Taguig and neighboring cities in Metro Manila.
“You just want to create art in the streets, not for profit, but for self-expression. You want people, those who cannot go to a gallery, to see it.”
For Aguila, street art is accessible to everyone and people don’t need to pay to see it. “What’s important is for the art to affect people. It should start a conversation, whether or not they like it,” he added.
Aguila uses acrylic and spray paint for his paintings. But from time to time, usually when participating in group shows, he experiments with collage and mixed media. He has also customized designs for toys. “Instead of the usual designs, we paint it and try to put our own stamp on it,” he shared.
His fascination with surrealism started when he took up Fine Arts, mentioning Salvador Dali as one of his art influences. His work began to reflect elements of gore, of the weird and strange, of things that only exist in his subconscious mind.
“I would categorize my paintings as pop surrealism with social commentary. The pieces I put on exhibit reveal things that are going on in my personal life, events that happen around me and to my friends,” said Aguila.
Like other struggling artists, he had to deal with resistance from his parents. “First of all, if parents find out that their child has taken up Fine Arts, they will say, ‘Oh, there’s no money there. Your career will go nowhere, you won’t succeed.’ It is the reality, but there’s something there that money can’t buy. It’s your passion,” he said.
Aguila advises aspiring artists to develop their skills and constantly practice. “Don’t pay too much attention to what other people say,” he said.
Now, Aguila is also invading public events and galleries. His next conquest – having his own space that would provide small studios or rooms that other artists could use for their own projects.
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