Roxlee is probably your favorite Filipino artist’s favorite artist. He’s a legend among Filipino cartoonists, visual artists, and filmmakers, his pioneering work in multiple fields serving as inspiration for generations of young creatives. You might know him as co-creator of the comic strip Cesar Asar. Or perhaps, you’re more familiar with his work as the godfather of Philippine animation, his do-it-yourself, pen-and-ink cartoons revealing to people what was possible, even with limited resources. Prior to the pandemic, Roxlee was holding animation workshops for children, showing them how to make cartoons with the simplest of materials.
Since the pandemic, Roxlee has become active on Instagram. And the wealth of material that he’s been sharing is pretty astounding. He might just share his latest painting. Or, he might go on camera to sing a song, usually with a political bent. He also has videos showing off some of his process. He produced some animation for the Yamagata Documentary Film Festival, and he shares some of his studies. Or, he might show you something stranger, like his series of short videos featuring Gamgam the Birdman.
Roxlee’s exploration of performance art on social media is paying dividends to an audience looking for something more interesting on the Internet. After decades of inspiring young artists, Rox remains one of the most creative forces of the country, continuing to evolve his art, and sharing it with anybody willing to give it a shot.
FOLLOW: Roxlee on Instagram