Painting with precision and peace

FOR Arnold Lalongisip, his first visit to Madrid earlier this year was a huge opportunity to do something new as a painter.

Known for his poetic distillation of nature in monochrome, he now focused his brush on the symphony of lines, roads, structures, calm waters, and birds in flight that caught his attention in Spain’s capital. At Art Underground, 12 of Mr. Lalongisip’s works have been put together in an exhibit titled The Madrid Collection for guests to peruse and purchase.

In the last exhibit for 2024 at Art Underground, the paintings on display offer glimpses of Madrid’s historic architecture and serene landscapes in black and white.

The trip, which took place in May, culminated in an album of hundreds of photos — but Mr. Lalongisip did not take the photos as any regular tourist would. Choosing certain images that he thought would be interesting to paint, he sets out to combine their elements, be it a bird on the ground at a park or the cobblestone location of a historic site.

“I don’t use just one reference photo,” he told BusinessWorld in an interview. “For example, the birds. I can have five to 10 photos of the same bird from different angles in my tablet. Para maaralan ko kung paano atakihin ang light at shadows niya (So that I can study how to paint its light and shadows),” he explained.

“Even the boats. I study the different kinds of boats there and choose which one to use. The one I ended up using is made of an acrylic material.”

Mr. Lalongisip removes the people in the photos, his paintings instead depicting the various places as calm venues for reflection, populated only by the occasional bird.

Precision is key for this artist, whose distinctive viewpoint shines even without color. He experiments with form and texture through every stroke and gradient, exploring the interplay of shadow and light to highlight the grandeur of landmarks like Plaza Mayor and the spires of Madrid’s cathedrals.

His Plaza de Toros, for example, seems straightforward until one leans in and sees every line forming the meticulous details on the walls, windows, and gates, the eyes also drawn to the three birds in flight up in the sky. His Monumento Alfonso paintings bring out different aspects of the structure, the one with a boat on calm water reflecting the trees around proving to be the most serene of the grandiose series.

“I’m very simple, very practical. I like it when you can just stare at a painting and focus on the different elements in it,” said Mr. Lalongisip. “Parang ganoon pakiramdam ko noong ginagawa ko (That’s how I feel while making them).”

“I like to think that’s also how people feel when they see my works.”

The Madrid Collection is on view at Art Underground, 180 Mabini St., San Juan City, until Dec. 23. — Brontë H. Lacsamana