Today we’d like to introduce you to Eulalio de Silva. Him and his team share his story with us below.
Please kick things off for us with some background on Eulalio’s story.
Born the 6th of June 1968 in Manila, Philippines, Eulalio Fabie Silva, III was named after his internationally acclaimed Philippine artist father. Growing up within an artistic environment, helped him set himself in the footsteps of his father in the endeavor of the visual arts.
Eulalio, the first of four siblings of the elder artist, emigrated to the United States in 1980 and later continued his quest to become an artist while being educated at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1989.
De Silva has continued exhibiting in various group shows around Chicago while serving as a curator/exhibitor at the North Lakeside Cultural Center of Chicago during the early 90s. He has exhibited to make his own indelible mark in creating his own genres and compositions based on visual observations of land-scapes and figures amidst their emotional or existential life. He taps on the famed Gauguin’s ever questioning stance: D’où Venons Nous / Que Sommes Nous / Où Allons Nous (Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?)… the question of our own identity, our immediate surroundings, and other beings.
De Silva’s main influences are from the plein-air artists and abstract expressionists of the 50s and 60s that favor the formal qualities of a painting process of building then rebuilding, creating then defacing while giving importance on expressing the internal turmoil and triumphs through brushstrokes and color.
Signing his work “Eulalio Fabie de Silva” set himself separate yet descended from his father while having the same name and endeavor on the arts while acknowledges his mother’s maiden name “Fabie” – a tradition inherited from the Spanish culture that occupied his homeland, the Philippines for 350 years. “De Silva” is from the original surname before it was “shortened”. Thus the symbolic gesture corresponds to the “new” name signify a new outlook in life as a person and as an artist.
De Silva is married to Roseanne Rasmussen of Niagara Falls, NY is an aspiring poet of her own who recently published her poem “The Homeless Man” with other poets in the anthology entitled: “ETERNAL HEARTLAND.”
Michael Patrick Silva, their lone offspring is a potential artist/chef/inventor at 13 years old who won the Best of Show, 1st Prize (Kindergarten – High School), Best in Painting and Critics’ Choice award in Bloomingdale Art Museum at the age of four. He is now a sophomore at East-West University taking up Biology.
De Silva is slated for his major solo art exhibition at Benedictine University at Lisle, IL in September of 2011.
Eulalio, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Every day is a struggle artistically or it will not be worth it. My work encompasses expressionistic genres with figurative themes as they represent ourselves in an environment wherein we are a trove of challenges to distract and curtail our visions until it resembles none of the primordial reasons why we ventured for it. Correspondingly the process of painting reflects those challenges that it reflects the formal journey of painting that it shows brushstrokes that shows layers of time running the compendium of moods from the excited to the gloomy and inactive.
The very journey of painting it itself is the artwork while the painting has become its own excuse for being as it presents itself formally as an artwork.
Personally, being an artist itself is a struggle as I venture to be as a family-man now who works currently as a freelance graphic designer/photographer while attempting to be productive in this competitive world. The juxtaposition of professional, personal, emotional as well as physical challenges make up the whole drama as a backdrop in being a participant in this life’s play – to live creatively, expressively and with the purpose of love.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
It is a business while not being a business as well. Personally being an artist is a paradox while making a living and thus the pressures of selling vs creating something that is unforced and compelling is utopia. My current works explore the theme of Waiting to Meditate (series now running into 30s in number).
From my artist statement:
Waiting To Meditate series
Inspired by recent meditations of ourselves as light beings with the physical bodies, the works in this series are expressions as well as explorations of that energy, light, and dilemma.
Subtle humor rests within the title in itself as a double-entendre in which seeing ourselves as hesitant beings not yet becoming towards our realization that we are already light creatures – meaning that we were already “created in the image of God or creator.”
Therefore, “waiting” is an enigmatic and self-created symbolism by us. This self-fabrication is what separates us from those already self-realized such as the sages, the holies and/or the simple beings who professed simplicity in life in knowing that we are one with our surroundings.
With the undertones of Buddhist/Taoists within these pieces, her surroundings show the splendor of nature or the banalities of the urban space or tenements – in one’s bedroom or living room space.
Her hopeful assimilation is another issue wherein she is forever existing physically while her mind and emotion wander to meditate “on herself.” Putting attention and even pressure upon herself to be one within herself and her surroundings.
If anything, these pieces are meant to parody ourselves in the midst of our busy lives whether we are in the ‘rat race’ to upend someone in the professional and corporate ladder or simply busy with our family lives.
Like a detached actor in a play – on her soliloquy.
Waiting for what? Waiting for whom? Or is she really waiting?
Thus, the continuation or the exhaustion rather is paradoxical. It may necessarily terminate and explore different themes altogether which I will not discuss due to the purpose of having the validation of its EXPERIENTIALITY (for the lack of a better term) for me to create, express and explore.
So, this singular theme of Waiting to Mediate has been haunting me for years now. From a “business” standpoint, I would like to say that it is even awkward to say that its staying power lingers as a person while permeating through my works and what sets this apart from others is the personal and real journey that I go through in order to make “marks” on the canvas that constitute a brushstroke – let alone complete an artwork. It never actually ends.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
In 2011, DePaul University erected their new Arts and Letters Building. Architect Stephen Long who is one of the architects of the building approached me from a group show to be included in his curation to populate the building with local Chicago artists. I have seven mostly large pieces and I believe there were seven of us including my father, Bueno Silva.
They are now part of the permanent display throughout the whole building and with a digital voice recording of information can be heard when in front of the painting with a device.
Photos of my works were included here.
The opening and launching here.
Also, DePaul University launched their ASIAN AMERICAN ART ORAL HISTORY PROJECT. Transcript of my interview with them was published in 5-25-2012 (here).
Pricing:
- WAITING TO MEDITATE XXX (30) oil on canvas with Joss Paper – Faux Gold Leaf Collage Quadratych (30″ x 30″) – total 60″ x 60″ – Aug 2016 $ 7,500
- Waiting to Meditate XXIX Quadratych – 36″ x 36″ x 4 (72” x 72”) 2015 oil on canvas $ 9,000
- Waiting to Meditate XIV Quadratych – 48″ x 72″ 2015 oil on canvas $ 7,500
Contact Info:
- Address: 5002 N. Major Avenue, 2nd Floor
- Email: efdesilva@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabiedesilva/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabiedesilva
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/FabieDeSilvaArt
- Other: www.fabiedesilva.com
Image Credit:
My portraits were taken by son, Michael Patrick Silva
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