The talented Michael Bacol in his studio, Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao.
It was interesting to visit Michael’s studio and see the neighborhood kids practically invite themselves in to play with his art supplies. His paintings are populated with children (and doorways), and after visiting his workspace, it felt like seeing a layer of his work in motion.
Another theme in Michael’s earlier paintings is the motorela, a trike-jeepney hybrid common in Cagayan de Oro. Siete Pesos is the motorela fare, and also the name of a collective art group Michael exhibited with at the Singapore Biennial. The other artists of Siete Pesos are Oscar Floirendo, Nicholas Aca, Jr., Errol Balcos, Michelle Hollanes Lua, Jericho Valjusto Vamenta, and Rosalie Zerrudo.
