Although known as the founding member of the legendary OPM band, Hotdog who wrote many of its classic songs like “Pers Lab”, “Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko”, “Manila”, “Annie Batungbakal”, “Bongga Ka Day” and “Beh Buti Nga,” Dennis Garcia is also known as a reputable advertising executive.
In recent years, the man fondly referred to as Mr. D has been dabbling in painting and have successfully mounted exhibits that referenced Hotdog’s well-loved hits including a very successful one last year at the LRI Design Plaza in Makati City.
Garcia also has been championing an art genre called Outsider Art which he describes as “naive, self-taught art from simple inspired people, aimed at your heart, not your wallet.”
“There are no rules here, my art unchains myself. I am not who will be confined in a box. I have also invited fellow outsider artists to motivate them into working on their own exhibit,” he declared.
This year, Mr. D is again mounting an art exhibit but this time with two of his friends and fellow “outsider artists,” accomplished photographer Quincy Castillo and sought-after director of television commercials Nelson Cruz, who worked with Garcia in his 2013 exhibit, “Pers Lab.”
The exhibit called “Tres Pares” will highlight the works of the three visual artists from March 8 to 17 at the LRI Art++ Pavilion at Nicanor Garcia Street in Makati City. Dubbed as “three maverick visual artists in one unforgettable show,” the exhibit feature works that Mr. D each has an intriguing description for his two fellow artists.
“Quincy Castillo fuses the power of his photographs with acrylic paint [while] Nelson Cruz shows us the power of unli creativity,” he wrote in separate posts.
As for himself, Garcia remains proud of his “unschooled” background in art. “I paint nagging questions in my head…sometimes, I think my paintings unconsciously mirror my wicked, hidden fantasies,” he declared in describing his paintings.
Several of Mr. D’s celebrity friends including comedian and fellow art aficionado Joey de Leon are expected to grace the exhibit. He insists that all paintings on exhibit are “affordable” and even lamented that his own work is “grossly underpriced” after visiting several art galleries and seeing how much the paintings are priced.
In any case, Garcia, Cruz and Castillo see a lot of value in their work and urges everyone to invest in them.
“The painting you bring home from ‘Tres Pares’ may buy you a mansion someday…may [even] pay for your apo’s tuition in Harvard someday,” he quipped in more posts on his Facebook page.