Words Mara Fabella
Photography Bimpoman
October 18, 2024

The Ancient Greeks called it mimesis. It was a concept many philosophers and great thinkers like Aristotle and Plato studied—one that would influence literature and art back then and for centuries to come. Essentially, imitation. The imitation by the arts of life as closely as possible, according to ancient philosophy, rendered it beautiful. The more closely we resemble life, the more closely we achieve a semblance of truth or good. And yet, where does this question of realism situate itself in today’s contemporary art landscape? When the very foundations of art and realism have changed, is mimesis still relevant?

For artists working within the realms of realism, there may yet be stories to tell. One such artist is Arnold Lalongisip. Lalongisip is a painter hailing from Batangas who specializes in hyperrealistic paintings of nature, painted in striking black and white. His works have an illusory air to them. The mastery in each of his pieces is undoubtedly, and his skill may fool even the most keen-eyed into thinking they were photographs. Yet the poetry of his compositions is unmistakably crafted by a painter’s eyes. The immense level of detail in these works belies the meditative and reflective nature of the artist himself.

The road to the arts was one paved with obstacles for Lalongisip. He was always interested in art, yet being from the province, had no easy access or resources to nurture his practice. Still, as an electrical engineering student, he relied on art as his “bread and butter.” The move to Manila to study at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines was the catalyst that would eventually jumpstart his work as an artist. It was at the university where he connected with artist peers, including the student group Guhit Sudlungan, known for their realistic 3D wall art. All these experiences were instrumental in allowing Lalongisip to further hone his craft as well as the discipline he would need to be noticed by a field dominated at the time by several masterful artists.

Lalongisip found a valuable growing opportunity through student art competitions. Tireless in both his diligence and desire to grow, he would join as many competitions as he could. In 2011, he won his first national art competition at the Cocolife Colors of Life Student Art Competition. In the same year, he was also a grand prize winner of the Vision Petron National Student Art Competition. The following year, he was a finalist at the prestigious Metrobank Art and Design Excellence Competition. He also won the Vision Petron Award in 2013.

During these productive years, Lalongisip’s works varied with each competition, from large watercolor pieces, to oil, to acrylic, reflecting an eager student’s mentality trying to refine his skills. His subject matter at the time explored themes of social realism. The artist’s achievements not only helped him financially, but earned him the attention of his peers, which, for better or worse, taught him valuable lessons about his future life as an artist. He recalls once meeting the professor of a fellow competitor, who congratulated him then told him he would have to change his last name, which was too Filipino and not “appealing enough.” None of this deterred Lalongisip, who continued to push forward.

The artist found further opportunities for growth through mentorship. In 2014, at Art in the Park, he was scouted by Michael Villagante who then referred him to the Ventura brothers, Ronald and Olan, both of whom, at the time, were looking for an apprentice. Much of the techniques Lalongisip uses today, from airbrushing to painting in black and white, he learned from the Venturas. Whatever challenge they would bring his way, he would take on. The brothers affectionately called him tirador because of the many skills he deftly adopted. It was Lalongisip’s time with the Venturas that eventually prompted him to leave engineering behind and formally pursue his true passion, painting.

Lalongisip’s works are displays of technical mastery, evoking the hyperrealist tradition of seemingly being indistinguishable from a photograph. A photographic scene has its roots in reality. And yet, the artist’s works have been described as bordering on surreality. There is a quiet in his works, a quiet we might even call loud in its distinction, that we seldom find in the reality around us. We are hardly used to seeing water so calm; natural vignettes so isolated and preserved. Lalongisip literally paints us a picture of what such a mysterious scene could be in stark, vivid detail. Or perhaps he brings these pocket worlds to life himself, elevating mimesis into a new kind of creation. Such is the power of the hyperrealist.

Lalongisip has garnered much success in the local art scene. Under Art Underground Manila, he has shown his work in several solo exhibitions. In 2016, he held his first solo show at Art Underground called Steel Life, featuring paintings of steel structures, fusing the geometric precision of his engineering background with his natural artistic eye. The show further explored subject matter the artist explored in his student competition days. His pieces sold out before the show officially opened. His second solo exhibit, Simply Grey, held at Leon Gallery showcased his mastery with large-scale pieces depicting images of nature by bodies of water. His works highlighted his ability to capture realism on different levels: seemingly through our own eyes and through the distorted yet intricate window of water reflections. Sweet Dreams (2018) is one of the artist’s more unique shows, displaying a rare use of full color for the artist. Cheerful sugary donuts were his subject of choice.

Lalongisip’s paintings were also part of prominent group shows, including Artipelago under DF Art Agency for Maison & Objet 2024. In 2022, he exhibited works alongside 10 other Southeast Asian artists for Neo-Animism: 11 Artists of Southeast Asia at √K Contemporary in Tokyo. This year, his works were brought to Kate Contemporary in Madrid for the group exhibit Boundless Terrain. He was also part of Peering In, organized by Art Underground for this year’s Art Fair Asia Fukuoka.

When asked about his works, Lalongisip admits there’s no clear narrative. Herein lies the duality of hyperrealism. In such a faithful mimesis of real life, we interpret what our eyes see. A simple image of a tree on a lake may recall poignant memories for some. In Lalongisip’s case, these visuals of nature symbolize his love of the environment. A love which often has him reflecting upon the way the world evolves around us and the ultimate ephemerality of time.

Depth of knowledge and skill runs through his work. As detailed as his final products are, there is just as much detail behind the work that creates them. The sharpness of Lalongisip’s compositions also comes from his skills as a photographer. Photography is one of the many skills he learned that helped him grow as an artist. He often combines several images, editing them into one final reference photo. Then follows the arduous painting process, which the artist admits he accomplishes through being both a workaholic and a night owl. Many of Lalongisip’s technical decisions come from necessity. He uses acrylic instead of the more conventionally used oil for realism to avoid the high-maintenance matters that come with the medium. The most striking element of his works, the lack of color, stems from a notably practical consideration: color means extra materials and cost.

At the same time, the artist looks at this as an invitation of sorts. He sees any absence in his work as a challenge to meet this absence and further improve in his practice. A landscape of black and white may one day give rise to panoramas bursting with hues. This is an alteration he is indeed looking forward to taking on in the future.

Where once realism was a central cornerstone of art-making, now it lies at the center of an intriguing debate—one that Lalongisip is poised to contemplate. In the realm of contemporary depiction, where likeness is captured in the immediacy of a single click, where does that leave hyperrealism? Is hyperrealism in all its iterations just technical skill? Does representation or mimesis still define the beautiful or the good?

For artists like Lalongisip, who work with both technology and the traditional arts, precise, painstaking realism is enough to enrapture even the most cynical of art viewers. And yet, Lalongisip says the most valuable thing about art is not any objective efficiency. “Yung pinakamahalang resource na mabibigay mo ay yung oras mo.” Techniques and art forms have evolved, but so have our own notions of what representation truly means.

What do we see in a sunken boat floating out toward a vast, empty sea? Some may see just this poignant image. Others, hours, years past, and years to come of work and dedication. For Lalongisip, such is the reality captured in his works. A reality that continues to evolve and grow with the artist that shapes it.