Rey Paz Contreras (August 31, 1950-March 23, 2021) was a pioneering Filipino sculptor celebrated for transforming urban refuse and natural materials into powerful works of art. Inspired by indigenous culture, he developed a distinct Filipino aesthetic through wood, volcanic stone, and other non-traditional media.
He first began carving with old railroad sleepers and later expanded his practice to include logging refuse and lahar from the Mount Pinatubo eruption, creating sculptures that reflected the resilience of displaced communities. Contreras was also a leading advocate of community-based people’s art, founding and mentoring self-sustaining groups of carvers across the Philippines, from Nueva Ecija to Quezon Province.
His public artworks can be found in chapels and churches across the country, including Calaruega, Chapel on the Hill in Batulao, and the Episcopalian Church in Sagada. Based in Tondo, Manila, he established the Daambakal Sculptors Collective, continuing his lifelong mission of promoting socially responsive art rooted in Filipino identity.
Bio from Wikipedia
