Artist Nixxio Castrillo discusses the inspirations and process behind the charming bear trophies that Lifestyle Asia presented to its Philanthropic Excellence Awardees during its 2023 gala.
The Lifestyle Asia Gala 2023 was an evening that celebrated purposeful endeavors and the significance of social responsibility. During its Philanthropic Excellence Awards ceremony, the publication recognized 10 organizations for their commitment to leaving a meaningful, lasting impact on a national and global scale. Lifestyle Asia awarded each group for their respective social welfare programs and fundraising initiatives, which have all helped the country’s environment, education system, children, health sector, and food sector.
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As they stepped onto the gala’s stage, every awardee received a shining, sculptural trophy of a bear. Most of the charmingly rotund and geometric figures held objects that represented each category of the philanthropic awards: a book for education, a stethoscope for health, a potted plant for the environment, and a plate with spoon and fork for food. The children’s category trophy stood out, however, depicting the simplicity of childhood with a bear dancing freely and happily.
The creator of these fine, geometric trophies is none other than accomplished Filipino sculptor, Nixxio Castrillo. During the gala night, Lifestyle Asia had a chat with the artist himself, diving deeper into the process and concepts behind the shining works.
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The Story of a Father and Son
Nixxio Castrillo’s eye-catching sculptures are masterclasses in form. This has a lot to do with the artist’s background in architecture. He was also the studio manager of his father, the renowned jewelry designer and sculptor Eduardo Castrillo, who created the recognizable People Power Monument along EDSA. “Being the son of a famous sculptor […], I was exposed to many different art forms,” he told Lifestyle Asia.
One can say that talent runs in the family, but that’s only half the story. Nixxio has made a name for himself, emerging as a creative that incorporates both the lessons his father taught him and his personal expertise into his works.
How Nixxio Castrillo Combines Disciplines
Nixxio began his career as an artist a little later in life; the declining health and eventual passing of his father in 2016 was certainly a turning point for him, as he began to think of how he could continue Eduardo’s legacy while creating his own.
“Little by little I was getting more involved in helping [my] dad out in terms of his art,” Nixxio shared. For years, the artist focused more on helping Eduardo in the management side of things: given the very personal nature of art, Nixxio didn’t want to impose his personal perspectives onto his father’s work. “But as he [Eduardo] got sick, that’s when I started helping out in terms of design. And from then on, I guess that’s where I took off.”
Nixxio’s background in architecture has informed his art in many ways, allowing the artist to fuse two crafts. “What’s nice about architecture is its sense of discipline in applying science to art. I’m really into geometric shapes, and I really admire my dad’s work during the 70s, which showcased more of the hard edge form. And that in itself has also guided me in creating my own thesis and finding my own niche, my own style.”
The Sincerity of Bears
Those who see the trophies might wonder why Nixxio chose the bear as his main subject. This idea came from Candy Dizon, Lifestyle Asia’s editor-in-chief, who paid a visit to the artist’s workshop during the gala’s planning process.
According to Nixxio, Dizon proposed using teddy bears as the main visual motif due to their childlike nature and innocence. “When I was given that opportunity, I had to dig deep inside me, going back to my inner child,” the artist explained. “I was also thinking about what these professions really are, what impact they gave to the community; these are the things that inspired me to design.”
The childlike innocence of the bear also represents the genuine, unclouded gaze of the youth; a perspective that helps them see all the beauty in this world. In some sense, the awardees of the Philanthropic Excellence Awards embody this mindset—though the world isn’t as perfect as one would hope, they recognize its great potential, and their efforts have made it all the more beautiful.
Like most exquisite works of art, a lot of effort and time went into crafting the Philanthropic Excellence Award trophies. “The process of making the artworks is like making fine jewelry, which was pioneered by my dad,” Nixxio explained. “They’re made out of metal and are hollow inside, even if people may think they’re solid on account of the way they look.”
Works of Pure Craftsmanship
Nixxio started the sculpting process with conceptual sketches, though it’s not as simple as drawing an idea on paper. “There’s a big difference between making a good drawing, which is two-dimensional in form, and then making it into an actual sculpture. I was taught by my dad that if you’re going to make a drawing, you should know how to create a three-dimensional form,” Nixxio elaborated.
Then of course, there’s the processes of shaping, welding, polishing, and cleaning the sculptural forms. “Working with stainless steel is quite difficult, on account that it’s not as malleable as brass. So you have to heat it first, and metal buckles a lot—you have to be very careful when you start welding these parts together,” the artist explained. “You’re using brass to weld stainless steel parts together, which are two different metals.”
Nixxio worked tirelessly on the pieces, but chose to withhold revealing the final products until much later on. “I wanted to show something that would be an inspiration, as well as something of beauty,” he stated. “I only showed the trophies at the last moment, and thank god, they were very much appreciated.”
Indeed, Castrillo’s talent and hardwork shined through—literally and figuratively. The trophies are not only tokens of recognition for deserving organizations, but also new additions to his milestones as an artist. “What I like most is the way people react when they see them [the trophies],” Nixxio shared. “That feeling itself, being appreciated; to me, that’s the most important thing.”
Photos by Kim Santos, Excel Panlaque, and Ed Simon of Kliq, Inc.
Banner photos via Instagram @draivee and Tim Dueñas.