Nasser Enriquez Zulueta a.k.a “NZ,” is a man who lived a thousand lives. A noble spirit with a fighting power to weather the obstacles that life has thrown him, he has proven that pure raw talent and determination can shine through whatever circumstance. Yet, he is an artist at the very core, whether his circumstance allows him to be so or not. His art does not define him, and his art is him.
From a simple beginning, his eyes were opened to the possibilities of aesthetics. He was taken at a young age with his father’s landscape paintings, and magazine covers as references became his training ground. As a teenager, circumstances compelled him to become independent and self- supporting. A twist of fate challenged him further because an accident that could have ended in a tragedy rendered his right hand almost unable to be used. Nevertheless, his resilience turned his situation around, and he taught himself to paint with his left hand, still supporting himself during his recovery and still doing portraits. Finally, after some snags in his recovery that further tested his resolve, he survived: Bruised, battered, but breathing with a paintbrush in hand.
Although he has recovered from his accident, his right hand still experiences some limitations. Yet, these are things that he does not mind. He attributes his improvement to the drive to improve despite his physical boundaries by not considering them. True enough, with whatever physical freedom he has or does not have, he can still paint better than most people who could fully use every limb in their body.
From many tribulations now comes a wealth of possibilities. Nasser recently finished his Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and currently pursuing his Master’s program at the University of the Philippines, Diliman.
His art reveals some turning points in his life that ushered his growth as an artist. Traversing the world alone at an early age and meeting many strangers along the way has influenced his technique and style – varied, spontaneous, and bold. He has lived many lives, and using a single medium is never enough to tell his story. Look closely and discover order in chaos, light in the darkness, and beauty in hideousness. His realism has taken on a new meaning as his reality is as colorful as any work of art.
Exhibits
