This basketball star may be known for his moves and scores on the hardcourt but his deep-rooted passion for the visual arts led him back to his brushes.
He earned the nickname “The Rocket” for his high-flying abilities during the Slam Dunk contest of the Philippine Basketball League in 2003. But just like how he soared high with every chance he took, Intal is also now trying to make his way through the artistic court. Born in Manila, Intal discovered his interest in the arts early in life; but God has a different plan for him, and brought him to the sport of basketball. In February 2020, he opened his first solo exhibition titled, Rookie Mistake, at J Studio in Makati City. It was a homecoming for him to his first passion.
“In this series of works, a new window has opened for me to see another perspective of life … It has been a journey for me to expand and digest every simple moment of creating these paintings. Mistakes and satisfaction are both important ingredients of every single form to layer sensations,” he says.
How did your passion for the arts come about?
I started painting, drawing, and sketching when I was in grade school. I really loved art even before I started playing basketball. When I joined the varsity team in Grade 4 until I graduated from college, I stopped doing art and shifted my full focus on sports. But in between those years I would always go to museums and, from time to time, sketch and paint.
Almost three years ago I met my motorcycle buddy, Jigger Cruz, who is a well-known artist today. He would invite me to his studio, and I would watch mesmerised as he painted. This was when I got the inspiration to try painting again.