By Monsi A. Serrano
Art prices often spark debate, but for Popoy Cusi, value is never arbitrary.
“No one can simply put a price on an artwork,” he said. “Value is shaped by many factors—uniqueness, artistic depth, medium, reputation, and rarity.”
Having begun painting at 14 and now at 78, Cusi has produced thousands of works collected around the world. As his output naturally slows, each new painting becomes rarer—not merely in quantity, but in essence.
“For an artist like me, the later works are more valuable because they carry the remaining strength and creative input of a lifetime,” he said. “Each brushstroke is a piece of my life that will never be seen again once I am gone. That makes them precious—not just financially, but as a record of who I am.”
He is openly critical of speculative buying, where artworks are treated as tradable commodities rather than cultural expressions.
“Flippers may distort prices in the short term,” he noted, “but in the long run, quality and authenticity always prevail.”
This philosophy was quietly on display during Embassy Night at Hotel Okura Manila last April, where his work Labuyo—an abstract depiction of a red fowl inspired by childhood memories in the forest—was exhibited. The piece drew admiration from ambassadors and even the Papal Nuncio. When one guest offered ₱2 million, Cusi declined.
“It was not just a painting of a chicken,” he said. “It had cultural significance. That makes it different.”
“I paint as a reflection of my life,” he added. “Not for resale, not for trends. Every painting has a story.”
For Cusi, painting has always been a way of life. He often reflects on his talent as a gift—one that sustained his family and enabled his children to study in exclusive schools in the Philippines and abroad.
“These are the stories of my life,” he said. “That is why my paintings have depth.”
Collectors understand this, even when others question his prices.
“Some ask why my paintings are expensive,” Cusi recalled with a smile. “My collectors do not complain. They know what they are investing in.”
With quiet pride, Popoy Cusi leaves a final reminder—one rooted not in ego, but in conviction, “Magagaling ang mga Filipino artists.”