ALFREDO LIONGOREN

Alfredo Liongoren (b. 1944) has historically been associated with the Philippine art history's earlier generation of abstractionists: personalities marking the youngest acclaimed and awarded painters of his generation. Yet he distracted himself from the trappings of early fame by periodically retreating the sanctums of nature, scripture and solitude. 

Throughout these past five decades of making and reflecting on art, Liongoren has taken on various roles as a painter, performance artist, environmentalist, appropriate technology advocate, and concerned citizen. 

Liongoren's own artistic practice has undergone various shifts throughout these years; his choice of media ranging from oil acrylic and watercolor and his preferred subjects shifting back and fourth between figuration and abstraction. Whether stirred by the rhythm and rhyme of nature, the spirit of the nation, or the honest toil of labor, Liongoren's paintings seamlessly merge pristine naturalism, exquisite brushwork and the fervent drive to seek beauty in a broken world. During this time marked by hyperreality and pastiche, Liongoren's quiet art is a compelling reminder to look back at what is basic and essential to being. Increasingly drawn to the solace of nature, Liongoren's reflections on the current state of ecological peril-captured here in the work entitled Kalmot sa Kalikasan — have resulted in other projects and explorations, such as his new found fascination with inventing appropriate technology. Over the years, for instance, the artist has handcrafted a personal collection of customized tools: contraptions fashioned out of found objects and discards, finding renewed utility and longevity as implements for artistic creation. 

This penchant for exploring and experimenting with various materials once marked Liongoren's earliest works as a visual artist in post-war Philippines. Fifty years hence, the artist continues to harbor this same spirit of inquisitiveness and innovation - Lisa Ito, 2011