Illustration is often the most literal of the arts. Along with political cartoons, it’s rare that visual art comments so directly on contemporary issues. Cebuano artist Bastinuod makes good on that tradition, covering some hard-hitting local circumstances like election violence and land rights struggles. He expands on those topics to include the likes of domestic violence and traditional folklore. And he’s not preoccupied with negativity either, often broaching the area of future tribalism.
He finds his style through mixed media, often combining painting on canvas with printmaking techniques and digital art. It’s a blend of freehand characters and comic book color tones. And it’s an effective one too, one that’s both familiar and challenging. Folded paper marks bring to mind childhood comics while also creating tension and distress. Inkblots tether anger to nostalgia.
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