Have you ever looked at an artwork and wondered what was going on in the mind of its artist? Well, that's the thing about art; It makes us rediscover the mystery brought upon us by the artist: the peculiarity and cynic way of capturing both the mind and the heart through visionary figures. And that is what this Pinoy artist tends to do with his art.
Meet Ricardo Narciso Jr., a conceptual photographer who also turns his photos into a dreamy eccentric piece of mind-boggling adventure for the eyes and mind. "I like to describe my art as weird, whimsical, light, sometimes dark, and questionable," Ricardo shared.
"I've been doing photography since I got my first phone, and every day I used to take photos of insects near our apartment, and it developed into portrait photography, and then it turned into photo manipulation," he shared.
Given his wide imagination, Ricardo takes his photos to the next level as he adds additional elements to create a puzzling illusion that will make his audience wonder what he is trying to imply.
The will to produce something out of the ordinary
For this young artist, capturing something is not enough. He described himself as a great manipulator, "Well, only in photos for the very least," he said. For him, he believes that as an artist, you should be in control of what his artwork will end up looking like. That's why he intends to edit or alter his photos as bizarre as he can. After all, isn't art about looking at something and thinking, "What can I do to make it better?"
Creativity meets liberation
Being both the muse and artist, Ricardo is not afraid to pose and capture himself, sometimes naked, other times covered with blood. His desire to create something unconventional and whimsical will never hinder him from being experimental. His works will make you feel uneasy at first, then make you wish you were as unique as they are.
When jokes go too far
According to our great "manipulator," the inspiration behind his works started between him and a friend. "It's funny because it started as a joke when I saw my friend share an amazing photo of a cat staring at a glowing moth. The artwork was made by Asabinart, and I commented saying "Hold my Yakult" and I tried to recreate it by using Photoshop. and boom, I really liked it and then I made more and more," he declared.
It's easy to look for an artwork that falls into the category of beautiful and pleasing, but it's not always that you can find a painting that is daring enough to be weird in this world of aesthetics.
Since the original publication of this article in 2022, Ricardo has come a long way with his art, editing photos for international and local premium drag queens we love, such as Marina Summers, Eva Le Queen, M1ss Jade So, and many more.
His unique style and keen eye for detail have earned him a spot in high-profile collaborations, making waves in the art and drag communities. Ricardo’s work has been featured in renowned drag magazines and social media platforms, showcasing his ability to transform ordinary images into extraordinary pieces of art.
