Cover Robert Alejandro in a shirt he designed himself

You may remember him as the engaging Kuya Robert from the morning art show you watched as a kid, or the illustrator behind the Papemelroti products you bought as a teen, but Robert Alejandro is more than that. In an interview with Tatler, he bares his humble beginnings and why his passion for arts and crafts is something he cannot let go of

Robert Alejandro was raised in a household nurtured by art. At a tender age, he witnessed how his parents' shop of stationery, crafts, gifts, and home decor grew from a humble gift shop along Tomas Morato into a cult-favourite stationery store scattered in the country's biggest malls. For more than 50 years, the shop which the family called "Papemelroti" (the portmanteau of Alejandro siblings Patsy, Peggy, Meldy, Robert, and Tina) has offered a distinctive art style that appeals to clients with whimsical and eco-conscious tastes.

"Isn't that funny?" Alejandro laughs as the idea entered his mind. "That almost every young person, particularly teens in high school, enter a so-called 'Papemelroti phase'?" The artist of the homegrown brand shares that he feels honoured that a 50-year-old company remains relevant to such young audiences. Having been the artist and designer of Papemelroti for most of his life, Alejandro finds the said family business as an integral part of his development as an artist. "I had the greatest honour to have Papemelroti as an incredible avenue for my creativity," he says. Alejandro knows for a fact that not all artists have the machinery to put their works in mass production and for this, he feels humbled.

Read more: 5 Local Shops Where You Can Frame Your Art

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Above One of the newest works Alejandro has for his new solo exhibition

Alejandro shares that during his mother's time as the principal artist of the brand, most of the products would be floral and feminine, and religious articles for Catholic patrons. When he became more active in the business while studying Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines, he wanted to change a lot of things and introduce new ideas but it would always be a struggle with his mum and sisters. Thus, he associates Papemelroti's shift to more modern designs when his niece, Elyse Alejandro Pilapil (Peggy's daughter), joined the business as the current creative director.

 

"With her also having Fine Arts background in college, she understood everything that I have wanted to do," Alejandro says. "I enjoy working with her a lot because we understand each other when it comes to branding, style, products, etc. And I admire her professionalism because although she is younger than me, she would give me directions and suggestions."

Today, Papemelroti still stays true to its rustic charm but it has become more contemporary and fresh.

The joy of creating art gives me so much happiness

- Robert Alejandro -

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Above Robert Alejandro

Alejandro couldn't honestly remember who taught him to draw or any crafts for that matter. He remembers that even before he was able to write the alphabet, he would already have obra maestra on their walls, papers—everything. But perhaps his major influences would be the illustrated books for children that he would consume when he was young. "Even until now, I am fascinated by them," Alejandro says. In fact, he is one of the co-founders of the first and only organisation of illustrators committed to doing children's books in the country.

Read more: Brent Sabas of Ang INK Talks About His Distinctive Art Style Where Animals Take The Spotlight

Called Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK), this artist collective is composed of over 100 artists that advocates the creation and appreciation of illustrations for children, with themes touching on various social issues relevant to each generation.

'Art is my safe space'

"I was a loner, an introvert," Alejandro admits. "But I would always be surrounded by books, particularly art books." When asked what fuels his creativity at this point in his life, Alejandro shared that being immersed in it for so long made him like a creative machine that churns out artworks easily. After being diagnosed with colon cancer seven years ago, Alejandro treated art as a 'safe space' that helped him veer away from all sorts of negative thoughts and physical conditions that sicken him day by day. "I feel normal when I do art. Even though I was struggling with my condition, I am preparing for my next exhibition. The joy of creating art gives me so much happiness." Later he jokingly says that with too much creativity in his head, he would say to himself "Tama na! Go to sleep na!" ("Enough already! Go to sleep!")

Read more: Why Health and Wellness Matter More Than Ever and How Employers Can Fight Mass Burnout

Above Robert Alejandro during the pilot episode of Probe Productions Inc's "Art Is Kool", a morning art-making show of GMA 7, and later ABC 5.

And yet Alejandro admits that he is not made of steel. "I also experience burnout," he says. He shares that to alleviate this, he would literally stop for a while, and destress by watching Netflix, or playing with his dog, and finding other things to do that could make his mind off of it in the meantime. Before he was diagnosed with cancer, he would walk in the streets and draw wherever. This made him earn the moniker, 'The Sketching Backpacker'.

"I don't feel panic when I do not know what to do next with art. Maybe it has already become muscle memory to me. It's important to stop so that when you start again, new creative juices would come flowing easily."

Now, Alejandro is on for his third solo exhibition, which he just started doing at the height of the pandemic despite being a visual artist and advertiser most of his life. "Papemelroti was a full-time job for me and it has always been at the top of my priorities when it comes to work," Alejandro explains. "Aside from that, I have my own design and art business with huge clients like malls, theme parks, etc. And again, I enjoy doing those and going into the nitty-gritty details of work. However, the pandemic stopped everything to my horror!" he exclaims. The turn of events propelled Alejandro to finally focus on making his dream of exhibiting his own art a reality.

For the benefit of the Museo Pambata, Alejandro was tapped by Fundacion Sanso to create works for two online exhibitions in 2021. His third online exhibition is for Papemelroti's 55th anniversary art auction which runs until March 19 and focuses on botanicals endemic in the Philippines.

Read more: Museo Pambata Enjoys a Rebirth, Set to Reopen in 2022

'gallery right' 'gallery right'
'gallery right' 'gallery right'
Photo 1 of 3 One of the newest works Alejandro has for his new solo exhibition
Photo 2 of 3 One of the newest works Alejandro has for his new solo exhibition
Photo 3 of 3 One of the newest works Alejandro has for his new solo exhibition

The other sides of Kuya Robert

Another side of Alejandro's artistic journey was his stint in the advertising company McCann Erickson. From this, he learnt the value of working as a team and the importance of having your work checked and approved by a ladder of supervisors above you. These lessons have equipped Alejandro when he started doing his own business. Meanwhile, his 15 years as a broadcaster of Probe Productions Inc for shows focusing on sports, travel, and art, has made Alejandro push himself outside his comfort zone.

"That was really difficult for me, as an introvert," Alejandro admits. "I ended up there as TV host because Five and Up, a show by Probe, did a whole story on me and my work as a designer. And so I got to know them and I admired them for being really good at their job. They were young, idealistic, definitely good journalism. In a week or so after, I got a call again from them and they asked me to be a guest reporter for Gameplan which is a sports show. They asked me to go to Mayoyao, Ifugao to do a story on Ifugao games," Alejandro recalls. Feeling less pressured with the work because he's doing it pro bono, Alejandro enjoyed the incredible experience of mixing travel and sports. Being so into the Ifugao game because he really does love sports, he was challenged by the mayor's wife to wear the traditional clothing bahag while playing. His confidence and passion for the story, not to mention his enjoyment that made him sometimes unaware that a camera is rolling in front of him, made him perfect for the job and thus later offered to become Probe's newest addition to its pool of talents. He was initially reluctant and even asked to be replaced, he clarifies. But after much discernment, he accepted the offer and ended up being a recognisable TV personality for 15 years. What kept him on the job, Alejandro shares, is the wonderful and hardworking team he has worked with.

Arguably, Alejandro's most popular show would be Art Is Kool where he would be giving simple art tips and tricks to kids and inviting other celebrities and personalities also on the show to do artworks. In some episodes of the show, he would also be out in the streets and sketching with street children. This fuelled his advocacy of educating young children about art. Alejandro mentions that even before the show, he was already giving these art workshops. "I will always be surprised by how brilliant as artists these young children are," he recalls. "It is so nice to be an instrument for the kids to realise that."

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Above Robert Alejandro

In doing that art program and several private workshops in the past, Alejandro was able to touch the lives of many kids and teach them not only about art but also life, and the challenges they would be facing in their adulthood. "But in a fun and artistic way!" Alejandro adds.

He himself also learnt many things in the process. And as a striving artist in his younger years, he later realised that he shouldn't stress too much on making art for money. "You can just enjoy and be happy," Alejandro advises young artists today. "I understand that it's just natural as a young person. . .being competitive and all. But you don't have to torture yourself, and I realised that only when I got older," he says.

Alejandro reveals that perhaps one of the reasons why he used to not stop in making art is because, in his idleness, negative thoughts come into his head that makes him anxious, upset, and somewhat depressed. After being diagnosed with cancer, he decided to completely turn away from these depressive thoughts and embrace himself, including his flaws and brokenness, truthfully and lovingly. Since then, he has been out with his sexuality and lives each day with much fervour—seizing the moment that could be his last.

Seven years after, he feels no more pain and he is at his happiest—as if the cancer is gone but it isn't. 

It may have been a miracle. Or perhaps something to do with what his partner, Jetro Rafael, concocted for him while he was suffering last 2021 at the hospital; perhaps not. But whatever it was, Alejandro is more determined to affirm himself more and continue making art for the benefit of others, especially young kids. 

"I don't know how long I have," Alejandro says. "I still have cancer. The doctors have lost hope in me already but I'm still here. Maybe for some more months but we'll never know. They have no answer to why I'm pain-free."

Today, Alejandro is very vocal in promoting mental health awareness and art education, and honestly being blown away by the number of creative people over TikTok. On social media, he is also one of the visual artists actively doing digital artworks to help in Leni Robredo's presidential campaign—for free and passionately. When his time on earth is up, Alejandro says: "I don't even want to be remembered at all. What's important for me is now. And whatever I've done, I've done. Whoever lives I've touched, I've touched. I am taking it slow nowadays and just want to live 'in the now' and I advise young artists to do that, too."

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