MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Space design, art illustrations, art classes and workshops, and even running the family-owned company Papemelroti, Robert Alejandro has indeed worn all of the hats possible as an artist and designer.
In the fourth episode of adobo Talks x Usapang Design, Kuya Robert shares his works, challenges he’s been through as an artist, and how it greatly impacted him as a person and as an artist.
Kuya Robert shares his works through a video portfolio from the beginning up to the current ones. Space designs in malls, art illustration designs for Pan de Manila, Publication and Designing for Papemelroti are some of the projects he presented.
Papemelroti is a family-owned company, a proudly Filipino-made stationary, art crafts, home decor store, and running and working on it has once made Kuya Robert doubt his capability as an artist. “For the longest time kasi I’ve always had insecurities about what I did… Yung parang I’m not a great artist kasi what I do [are] bookmarkers”, Kuya Robert said.
Looking back at his childhood days, Kuya Robert has always been into art as he remembers drawing on walls and scratching furniture with designs using a fork. With his creative process being asked, he said that has changed a lot through the years. “When I was younger, much more focus ako sa kumita ng pera, focus ako sa being the best, you know awards… growing up you have these insecurities… I would try to make my work super perfect which I don’t do anymore. And I like my work better now”, Kuya Robert shared.
Recalling mentors and artists he looked up to when he was younger, he admires the works of Gilda Cordero-Fernando and Edwina Arroyo.
Kuya Robert has been holding online art workshops for kids since the pandemic happened. But pre-pandemic, he visits local communities in the Philippines to teach art to children. With his determination and passion for teaching art to children, Ang Illustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK) was founded 30 years ago – the Philippines’ first and only organization of illustrators committed to the creation of illustrations for children.
During the early years of the organization, Kuya Robert reveals that he did not think Ang INK in the long run and later realized that teamwork has greatly affected the foundation of the group. “INK has shown me that ang dami palang magagawa kapag tulong-tulong ang maraming tao”, he said.
With the event entitled Hamon ng Manlilikha, Kuya Robert urges artists and designers to use design and make a change in society.
Usapang Design is a series of insightful and inspiring sessions on visual communications organized by the Communication Design Association of the Philippines and adobo magazine.
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