Interview The Kanto and Novice teams
Images Metrobank MADE, with Arvin Cantalejo
Someone spotted Arvin Cantalejo, Jr.’s girlfriend’s dog in Echoes Beneath My Skin. It’s barely there, faded into the canvas, rendered almost corporeal; Cantalejo, Jr. says the moment someone noticed it and lit up was one of the best parts of showing the piece.
A patient journey of discovery is built into the painting on purpose. The open faucet stands for Cantalejo, Jr. letting his own emotions run without holding anything back, and elsewhere in the canvas sits a second hidden figure, placed for a viewer willing to look twice. Cantalejo, Jr. worked on instinct, with no fixed plan, painting whatever he felt at the time as it clashed and shifted. It’s smaller than the large-scale works he usually brings to competitions, and he calls the result more chaotic, more expressive, but closest to his emotion.
Under this year’s theme, “Traverse: Creativity in Motion,” Cantalejo, Jr. spoke with Kanto about painting without a plan, the many small things a canvas can keep hidden, and being part of forty-two years of MADE history.
Hi, Arvin! Congratulations on your MADE win! Before we get into the piece itself, most artists point to a moment or a person that first pulled them toward the arts. Who or what was yours?
Arvin Cantalejo, Jr., MADE 2026 Special Citation for Oil and Acrylic on Canvas: My interest in art started when I was young because I really enjoyed drawing. I was inspired by the cartoons I watched on TV, and later, my high school friends encouraged me to continue drawing and become more interested in art.
Every artist carries around more ideas than they can make room for. Something about your work won out over the rest at MADE. What was your big idea for your winning work? Did anything else come close to taking its place?
Arvin Cantalejo, Jr.: I let my intuition and consciousness play with the oil paint and canvas. The feelings I was experiencing and how they clashed with each other. I didn’t overthink it; I let my emotions guide how I painted.
There’s usually a piece of the finished work only the artist knows about, like a material swapped in at the last minute, a detail handled a certain way for reasons known only to you. What’s that detail in this piece?
Arvin Cantalejo, Jr.: Personally, the open faucet symbolizes my emotional identity. It represents me allowing my emotions to flow freely and openly, without holding them back. The flowing water reflects the way I let my feelings come out naturally.
Where or what aspect of your piece would you want someone to slow down, and what would they find at the end of the wait?
Arvin Cantalejo, Jr.: I want the viewer to slow down and look at the piece from different perspectives. There is a hidden entity within the artwork that may not be noticed right away. When the viewer takes more time to look closely, they may discover another form or presence that reveals itself from a different perspective. I want that discovery to feel like finding something that was there all along but was not immediately visible.
Stepping back from this piece and looking at your practice as a whole, where does Echoes sit against everything else you’ve made?
Arvin Cantalejo, Jr.: It’s still the same as my usual art style and process. The main difference is the size, because this piece is smaller than my usual competition entries. However, I would describe this work as more chaotic and expressive because it reflects what is happening in the world today.
What has someone told you about what they saw in the piece that surprised you?
Arvin Cantalejo, Jr.: I was just so happy that people noticed it, especially those who took the time to look closely. I was happy to see them having fun and being amazed by what they discovered. One thing that made me especially happy was when they noticed my girlfriend’s dog, which I painted in a faded and less obvious form. Even though it was not immediately recognizable, they still found it really cute. It was nice to see people looking at the different forms and discovering their own meanings and perspectives in the piece.
Of all the platforms and spaces open to a Filipino artist today, you brought this piece to Metrobank MADE under this year’s theme, “Traverse: Creativity in Motion.” What made the competition the right home for it?
Arvin Cantalejo, Jr.: Ever since, I’ve loved participating in the MADE competition because it prioritizes helping artists like me develop an art style and identity that truly represent who we are. I chose this piece because I felt it could be part of MADE 2026. I also felt that the theme “Traverse: Creativity in Motion” connected well with how I express my emotions and ideas through my art.
Creating Echoes
Metrobank MADE has been part of the Philippine art and design recognition landscape for forty-two years. In your own words, what does the program represent to you as an institution?
Arvin Cantalejo, Jr.: For me, MADE matters because it gives Filipino artists a chance to be recognized and valued for what we do. It gives artists like me a sense that our work has a purpose and a place in the art community. I believe art strongly influences the world, and programs like MADE help Filipino artists show what we can contribute through our creativity and ideas.
This piece is now part of MADE’s history, and by extension, Philippine art’s. What do you hope it contributes to that bigger picture?
Arvin Cantalejo, Jr.: I hope this piece inspires and encourages young Filipino artists to keep creating and expressing themselves. I want them to believe there is a place and a future for all of us as artists if we keep believing, working hard, and praying for it. More than anything, I hope we can also have compassion for one another and use art to share something meaningful with others. •
Our MADE 2026 coverage is in synergy with Novice
