Excerpts from the book Romulo Olazo

What is a diaphanous painting? It is a question asked frequently in exhibitions, interviews, or private conversations with my father. I used to think that the question should not be asked at all in the context of my father’s work, but on second thought, it might be a point worth exploring.

Does my father feel the same excitement and recall a childhood past when he is at work —finishing a layer of paint on top of another layer in creating his diaphanous forms?

Excerpts from the book Romulo Olazo

To understand the art of Romulo Olazo is to grasp the vast range of materials and techniques that he has experimented with. Rather than work towards specific masterpieces with conventional art techniques and practices, Olazo’s concern has focused on pushing the limits of different materials and processes.


The range of Olazo’s works is indeed astounding.  Aside from his impressive output in printmaking and the Diaphanous paintings, he has worked on other series in different media. During recent conversations with Olazo and while reviewing images of his early works, the artist would often state in a self-deprecating manner: “malikot ang isip ko noong araw” (My mind was restless during those days).