Points of Artistic Power
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Rodolfo “Dolpee” E. Alcantara Jr.’s small, tiny dots in his stylized pointillist pieces blur into high-powered images (Photo courtesy of Rodolfo “Dolpee” E. Alcantara Jr.)
Bred in Angono, Rizal, the “Art Capital of the Philippines,” Alcantara is grateful that he had all the opportunities to succeed, especially in the art world. Even when he was a child, he demonstrated curiosity and daring. In his kindergarten classroom, he covered his ears and screamed. He then asked his classmates if they heard his scream. His teacher asked him why he screamed. “I screamed with my ears covered to see if I could hear my scream,” he replied.
The pioneer visual artist in his family, Alcantara’s interest in art was piqued early on. A grade-schooler, he attended a workshop facilitated by Nemi Miranda, an established Angono visual artist. “I realized in the workshop that I could draw,” he reveals. “From thereon, I never looked back.” Afterward, he joined the Angono Junior Ateliers, attended more workshops, and participated in various art competitions.
Alcantara studied architecture at the Technological Institute of the Philippines in Quezon City. He was an in-house artist of the National Power Corporation. Upon the advice of Miranda, he quit his job and concentrated on polishing his art. Another art giant from Angono, Manuel Unidad, an impressionist master, advised him to develop his style.
He developed his stylized pointillism by studying the works of prominent visual artists, especially those of National Artist Hernando Ocampo. His paintings show the life of common people and the countryside, using dots, cubes, and lines with bright and pastel colors.
It did not take long for Alcantara to focus on stylized pointillism. This is epitomized in his Mother and Child Series (2023), which is unique because the subjects are faceless. The mother-and-child duo is universal, symbolizing love, nurture, and duty. In a way, Alcantara invites the viewer to put faces in the painting, making it meaningful and memorable.
Mother and Child Series
2023
Acrylic on canvas
24” x 18”
(Photo courtesy of Rodolfo “Dolpee” E. Alcantara Jr.)
His brilliance in making a cynosure of attraction can be gleaned from Pearl (2024). Waves and layers draw attention to the pearl with shells in the foreground and the background. The viewer’s eyes cannot go anywhere but focus on the pearl in the center.
Pearl
2024
Acrylic on canvas
24” x 24”
(Photo courtesy of Rodolfo “Dolpee” E. Alcantara Jr.)
In Tres Marites (2022), Alcantara shows his playful side. “Marites” in Filipino slang means gossipmonger. As such, three gossipmongers are featured in the painting. Gossips are transmitted by word of mouth, so Alcantara magnified the gossipmongers’ mouths. Their eyes are also exaggerated because eye contact is essential in spreading gossip. It took Alcantara’s facetious genius to take notice of trivial subjects, the gossipmongers, and satirize them on canvas.
Tres Marites
2022
Acrylic on canvas
24” x 36”
(Photo courtesy of Rodolfo “Dolpee” E. Alcantara Jr.)
Using dots and lines, he creates masterpieces to convey his message. But how does he make the endless dots in his artwork? “Good question,” he answers. “I spray the paint directly onto the canvas with a syringe, creating vivid and glowing colors.”
Alcantara has undergone many trials in his more than 30 years of painting. Sometimes he could not paint because of the lack of materials. However, he persevered until he attained the success and prestige he enjoys today.
It did not take long for Alcantara to focus on stylized pointillism. This is epitomized in his Mother and Child Series (2023), which is unique because the subjects are faceless.
His advice to aspiring visual artists is to persevere, be disciplined, and have an inspiration. According to him, his inspiration is the environment. What he sees daily, the typical people and the surroundings, makes him happy and energized.
To help aspiring visual artists, his group, the Angono Ateliers Association, conducts workshops, especially during vacations. He explained that by doing this, visual artists are continually developed and Angono maintains its distinction as the “Art Capital of the Philippines.”
Rodolfo “Dolpee” E. Alcantara Jr. is at the forefront of Philippine visual arts. His stylized-pointillism artwork is always exciting because he gives color, personality, and emotion by bending and extending rules. An itty-bitty dot expands to a wider world, crushing references, unsettling expectations, and grabbing control.
Rodolfo “Dolpee” E. Alcantara Jr. can be reached at artson43@gmail.com. The author wishes to thank Dexjordi Lyle Sison for his assistance in the photos.
Leodivico Padua Masuli writes from Quezon City, where he is a security officer. His imagination and creativity were nurtured while growing up on a farm in Libertad, Abulug, Cagayan. He loves nature and enjoys watching documentaries.
