{"status":true,"msg":{"data":{"id":55590,"auction_id":107,"set_id":141,"lot_number":"81","artist":"Alfredo Esquillo (b. 1972)","title":"Travellers (Portrait of John Santos and family","starting_price":600000,"signed_dated":"signed and dated 2005 (lower left)","medium":"oil on canvas","size":"48\" x 48\" (122 cm x 122 cm)","property":null,"coa":null,"provenance":"PROVENANCE\nAcquired from art collectors & patrons Rico & Melanie Hizon","exhibited":"EXHIBITED\nArt Sentral Asia (Rico & Melanie Hizon), Singapore, 2005","literature":null,"write_up":"

Alfred Esquillo’s Travelers feels like a departure from his usual works—while he often tackles grand social themes, this piece is more intimate, more personal. Instead of depicting anonymous figures in scenes of history or culture, he turns his attention to fellow artists: José John Santos III, Pam Yan Santos, and their child. It’s a quiet, almost whimsical portrait of a family on the move, yet it carries the same layers of meaning and subtle critique that define Esquillo’s work.

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Esquillo and Santos share a long history in the Philippine art scene. Both emerged in the 1990s as major figures, navigating the same artistic circles and pushing their craft in ways that often intersected. There’s a deep sense of respect and camaraderie between them, and Travelers almost feels like a tribute to that connection. It’s a depiction of movement—not just literal travel, but the shared journey of being artists, partners, and parents.

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At first glance, the piece has a surreal, dreamlike quality. The family sits on wooden chairs with tiny, winged wheels, as if they are gliding forward on a path only they can see. The umbrellas they wear almost feel like protective shields, hinting at the resilience needed to move through life’s uncertainties. There’s humor in the way they ride their makeshift vehicle, but there’s also warmth—a sense of togetherness that makes the scene feel deeply human.

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Esquillo’s work has always been rich in symbolism, and Travelers is no different. It’s about movement, partnership, and the way identity shifts as we take on new roles. By choosing to paint the Santos family, Esquillo isn’t just documenting friends—he’s reflecting on the shared experience of artists, the unpredictability of life, and the quiet, unspoken strength it takes to keep moving forward.

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