Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most influential painters in the history of Western art. He is known for creating the iconic The Starry Night. Unfortunately, he was considered a failure during his lifetime— he was seen more of a madman rather than a talented artist. But after he died of suicide, his talent was recognized— becoming the quintessential misunderstood genius, the artist “where discourses on madness and creativity converge.”
Van Gogh has since become an inspiration to many artists and one of them is Laoag-based self-taught painter Khervin Gallandez.
Gallandez was born and raised in Laoag. He told When In Manila the story of how he got into painting— creating spectacular Van Gogh-inspired pieces.
“My interest in art started in childhood when I used to draw and sketch on scratch papers and empty notes until I started to do portraits and hone my skill in drawing,” he started. “I only finished high school and unfortunately, my parents couldn’t afford to send me to art school. So after I graduated, I started to work for a living and to sustain my needs for art supplies also.
My struggles with being an artist didn’t stop me from my love for art, instead, I used it as a motivation to create more artworks.”
He proceeded, “Determined to pursue my career as an artist, I eventually started painting. But because of unexpected circumstances and depression, it came to a point when I almost lost my desire to continue painting. Then one day, I came over to these paintings of an artist named, Vincent van Gogh. I knew about him as an artist but I never paid attention to his work before until I read about his biography. I became so interested in his letters and in his work that it inspired me to pay homage to one of the most beloved artists of all time. He was the inspiration behind my first series of paintings in 2016 that became one of the foundations of my paintings today.”
“My paintings were both inspired by the post-impressionist, and impressionist era. I am using more on oil-based mediums but I switch on watercolor sometimes. I paint landscapes, most of which are bucolic scenes here in our province, I give attention to the ordinary subjects, still life, and vintage portraits. My paintings have been exhibited here in our province and on various group art exhibitions in Manila.”
When asked why Van Gogh became an inspiration, he detailed, “Van Gogh’s determination to paint despite his illness inspired me to create Van Gogh-inspired paintings. When I read about his life, I felt his struggles and how painful the life he lived as a painter. As one of the millions who were inspired by his work, it was my idea to pay homage to the man who desired nothing but to let the people see and appreciate his work.”
If you want to get one of Gallandez’s paintings, you can visit his Facebook Page (Khervin Gallandez Art). Keep an eye out on his page to know about his exhibitions. Then, you can also contact the gallery to purchase his paintings.
Gallandez is joining an upcoming group exhibition this coming August 24 at Art Anton Gallery.
He is also open to commissions and projects. Those interested can just message me through my page or DM me on Instagram (@khervingallandez).
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