Artist Gabriel Barredo dies at 62

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino artist Gabriel Barredo died on Monday, January 6. His niece, Cara Barredo, made the announcement on Facebook. He was 62 years old.

“We would like to ask for your prayers for the peace of his soul and for strength for the family,” Cara wrote, not indicating the cause of death.

“Our dearest Tito Gabby (Gabriel Barredo) passed away this morning leaving his house exploding with his beautiful art – finished and unfinished. Beautiful. Crazy. Very much like him,” she said.

“He was the silent type and mostly kept to himself. Never even bragged about his art or being an artist. But he was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.”

Local art show Art Fair Philippines paid respects to Barredo, caling him a “steadfast supporter” of the fair.

“We remember, with gratitude, his dedication to delivering the best of himself through his landmark piece, Asphalt, for the first edition of the fair, in 2013,” they wrote on Facebook. 

“Our thoughts are with Gabriel Barredo’s family, including his devoted team of workers whom he considered his family, on his untimely passing,” they added.”

Contemporary art gallery Silverlens Galleries also paid tribute to their “dear friend,” who “leaves behind his daughter, and a lifetime of art making.”

“Gabriel Barredo’s incomparable work has paved the way for kinetic art. His thoughtful approach to his practice took months of building, bricolage, sketching, and painting. Barredo created immersive spaces that encouraged viewers to rethink form, structure, and experience,” Silverlens wrote.

Gabriel Barredo is hailed as the country’s pioneering kinetic artist, known for his mixed-media art. He is known using “a plethora of found objects” in his art.

The award-winning artist studied sculpture at the University of Santo Tomas in 1991. He was one of the first artists to be featured in Art Fair Philippines in 2013, where he showcased a 30-foot long kinetic installation. His famous Art Fair sculpture Asphalt is now stationed at the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) Museum in Berlin, Germany. – Rappler.com