The Pillar of His Soul by Geraldine Zialcita
Filipino Indian artist Richard Buxani was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. As a child, Richard had several childhood dreams, an athlete, an actor, or an archaeologist. Little did he know that the universe had other plans for him. “Just like any kid, I kept dreaming of becoming something new during the phases of my childhood. Books and movies can easily influence a child with a wild imagination.” He smiles.
Richard graduated with a BS in Architecture degree from the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas. After spending several years in the architecture field, Richard stumbled upon his true calling through a serendipitous moment that paved the way to his destiny. “I never dreamt of becoming an artist. I emerged late in the art scene, at age thirty-nine after being introduced to sculptures by a close friend. He used to create metal sculptures for my architectural projects and eventually taught and guided me through the ropes. I call it happenstance. It was interesting to see the works coming to life, and how fire tempers the material and makes it surrender to the will of the artist. Magic. In one of those instances, the artist decided to teach me art welding. It was hard, back-breaking work but I wanted to do more and more. The transition was inevitable, swift, and quick, and from that moment on, I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” he relays.
Richard shares a deep fascination with warriors, with an avid curiosity to explore the myths, legends, and the complexity of war, loss, and victory. “I am most likely still nurturing my interests as a child and doing what feels right at the moment. My very first sculpture was a Samurai Warrior in 2009. I have kept that piece as a reminder that we each have a place under the sun, regardless of our age, gender, race, religion, or discipline in life,” he states.
When Richard first immersed himself in the art scene he found it difficult to discover the subjects he wished to depict, yet experience and continuous practice have unleashed the process. Richard draws inspiration ranging from simple and ordinary to exceptional moments or ideas. His sculptures exude eye-catching aesthetics integrated with rich symmetry to narrate a spellbinding story. “It is just a matter of sculpting the visions in your head. No matter how mundane or complicated, if people accept the idea, then the work has served its purpose. If my work does not stir emotions or appeal to the senses of the audience, this creates room for improvement. We need to be sensitive to the actions and reactions of the audience, to use as a learning curve in the presentation of future ideas,” he defines.
During his first exhibit, Richard was on top of the world, receiving amazing feedback and positive reviews. This experience propelled him to spearhead his own metal studio in 2016 to fully concentrate on creating sculptures. In 2018, Richard launched his first solo exhibit for Eskinita Art Gallery at the 1st Ortigas Art Festival. During the same year, his sculpture Re-imagination of St. George was named a finalist in the GSIS nationwide sculpture competition. To date, Richard has participated in multiple groups and solo exhibitions around the world. “I would not consider anything to be a great achievement, but sort of a bucket list if you will. Exhibiting with a certain artist, in a certain event or biennale, in a specific country or city, and showing works and my sense of aesthetics to an audience. I have exhibited in the Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, USA, Egypt, Hong Kong, and in cities like New York, Venice, Udine, Busan, and Taipei. I am slowly ticking off boxes from my list and hoping to conquer more places and events. It’s been twelve years since I’ve started sculpting, which might be the last hat I will ever wear,” he informs.
Transitioning from architecture to being an artist exposes similarities and differences for Richard. “The delineation in my practice between architecture and sculpture is heavily blurred and the integration of both for me is seamless. Architecture is still, at the very core, sculpting space with ergonometric, form, and function in mind. The reasoning and purpose are the same, but with style and flair. Sometimes, I think sculptures are mini architectural creations. I sculpt metal, in the same manner, I sculpt space, but with a different intention. Metal sculpting is similar so much in the process of building structures because the technique involves addition or build-up. A building starts at ground zero with no foundation and is completed over time as the work progresses, which is similar to metal welding. A wood or stone carver differs so much in practice because he starts with a block that he needs to chisel bit by bit until the final form appears. The analogy is evident when you are working on the materials,” he shares.
Richard has been in awe since the moment laid eyes on the glass sculptures of artist Dale Chihuly who has served to be instrumental in his career. Richard describes his style as the bend and weld method. “I use gas torch welding primarily for this, heating the components that start out as sheets, bending them to the desired shape, and tucking weld. I intentionally leave raw welds on the pieces because I never liked a too-polished look. My desire to leave traces depicts how the art piece has evolved, which includes the process as part of the narrative. This demonstrates the journey before reaching the final destination,” he characterizes.
Possessing a strong passion for each sculpture he has created, Richard acknowledges that not every work is a masterpiece with a mixture of good and bad days. Relatively, Richard can complete an artwork in three to six weeks. “It is never the same, and for a moment of excitement, a sculpture can be completed in a week or two. In an extreme case, an artwork can also take years before it is actually done. Some works require a certain maturity and time. I believe the universe will cooperate from start to finish to converge on almost perfection,” he briefs.
Since expressing one’s creativity elicits powerful emotions, Richard navigates through anticipation and excitement, without feeling pressured since he possesses the freedom to choose his own subjects and projects he wishes to participate in. “I can maximize my expertise and step out of my comfort zone. There is no struggle to create, but it also has to work. The emotions I feel during that moment can either make or break my day, but I have learned to zone in and out while working. When I am in the process of creation, my body and mind remain focused on the task at hand until I am happy with the outcome. Yet, this still involves a process of forming and reforming. The next day entails viewing the work from a fresh perspective and decisions need to be made on how the work should proceed,” he imparts.
Richard provides a glimpse into the creative process and habits he maintains while working. “I used to draw the warriors before starting my work, but I no longer do that. I jump-start to shaping the framework of my design directly to the material. My process requires a two-man job and to reduce the amount involved in the anatomy stage, I bend the pieces to my desire, sometimes, with pre-formed basic shapes, while a spotter welds it in place. The metal needs to be tempered and heated for manipulation. We have already developed synchronicity in the process that we hardly speak to each other. Simple taps, twists, and hand gestures are enough to be able to communicate with each other. It is a very interesting process to watch, how figures are formed with few words exchanged.” He smiles.
What Richard loves about sculpting is his ability to produce form and substance from his ideas, feelings, and dreams. “This is where my drawing originates and where I illustrate concepts on paper in that moment of inspiration. It is normal to have pencils and sketchbooks lying around our home. These drawings provide me with content that I can return to, especially when I want to experiment with new ideas. At times, when I grasp inspiration from daily life, I draw on table napkins, placemats, receipts, labels, or whatever paper is available to document the idea. Art manifests life into reality during that exact moment of conceptualization is recorded,” he conveys.
After all these years of being an artist, Richard has learned valuable lessons and embraced wonderful experiences. “I always thought that creating art and living a life are two separate things, but in truth, they are both intertwined. Life and our experiences are the sources of art. Distilling one’s experience becomes the essence of the artwork. I used to be challenged conceptualizing ideas, but they now unfold naturally. The ideas flow and the narratives are never forced. The stories sometimes speak for themselves and even if they don’t, the intention of the artist does. It leaves the viewers in awe or surprise. I guess that’s what makes this job amazing.” He beams.
Like every artist wishing to succeed in their field, Richard has encountered some challenges. “Since I’ve done a lot of jobs before I became an artist, the biggest challenge I faced was that of acceptance. The art world can be brutal and fickle, and no artist or talent is guaranteed success. You can become the greatest artist of all time, but that may or may not come in your lifetime. I just wanted to be able to be my own storyteller,” he reveals.
The life of an artist is similar to a doctor who is always on call. One is to treat patients, while the other is to heal the soul. “It might sound pretentious to say that everything in my life runs like a piece of well-oiled machinery, but it almost is. Art is a lifestyle, and it is a mindset that you live twenty-four hours a day, awake, or even asleep. There is no on or off button in creativity. Every moment and activity is an opportunity to be artistic. When you tie your shoelaces, you think, can I tie it any better to look better? When you build a house, make a fence, lay out bricks, wrap your things, dress up, eat, and sleep–the same question runs through my mind–how can I make it look and feel better? What ideas can I implement to deliver a statement?” He expresses.
Richard plans to fulfill more exhibits abroad, attend the best art exhibits, and engage in large-scale artworks. “As of the moment, I am creating an art space perched in an eleven thousand square feet property in Imus, City in Cavite which is intended to become an art hub for an artist to congregate, interact, collaborate, and inspire. We hope to be able to provide residencies as well as a public space filled with contemporary art. Art is not only about receiving, but also in giving,” he affirms.
Richard is the loving husband of Thristle, a lawyer who has been supportive of his career all throughout. He is also the doting father of three wonderful children. “My wife and I never butt heads since our discipline is miles apart in the job spectrums,” he quips. “Ever since the pandemic started, my wife quit her job and is focusing on consultancy work. I prefer that since I get to spend more time with her. Isis, my eldest is a licensed pharmacist who is currently handling our cafe in the art space. My second child, Seth is pursuing a degree in tourism, and my youngest, Kira is still in high school,” says.
As we conclude this story, Richard shares some advice for aspiring artists out there. “There is no expiry date for dreams if one will commit to them. One step at a time, day by day, just do what you like. There is no certain formula for success, you just need to find one that works for you. A hybrid practice that is unique to you.”
With the power of his hands, Richard integrates the essence of life to create, define, and express magic through his sculptures. Art has served as the pillar of Richard Buxani’s soul, depicting its true existence.