‘Littlespaceboi’ first came to be online in 2014. JC Peñaflorida had been experimenting with combining two words, landing at ‘Spaceboi’ but eventually prefixing it with the diminutive in an ironic nod to his 6-feet stature. What had been a random and unlikely combination of words grew on the artist who found it even more amusing when it gained ground offline as well as online and, more and more, he heard it said out loud. It was not long before this new identity began to take shape in his art. “The thing is, it wasn’t supposed to be the ‘official’ username but then the more characters I made, the more ‘Littlespaceboi’ actually makes sense,” he remarks. “I mean the whole idea of being ‘Littlespaceboi’ is to take on the journey and visit different planets and universes, and I can’t wait to introduce new characters and species of humanoid beings when the time is right.”
Although he comes from a family of artists, Peñaflorida, the youngest, is self-taught in his practice. Before Littlespaceboi, the artist worked primarily with graphite and ink on paper with a “more serious” sensibility towards form and subject matter. Looking back, Peñaflorida recalls a turning point that led him to the artistic identity many know him for today: “I used to tell myself then that I shouldn’t restrict myself from what I can learn and produce as an artist and so I started studying and learning about the different mediums… and introduced myself to colors.” Experimenting with acrylic and oil paints, Littlespaceboi became embodied by a host of glamorous, otherworldly original characters with their distinctive fluorescence and starry eyes.
Nevertheless, the world of Littlespaceboi itself is influenced by his brother and mother, whom he would watch and admire inventing all sorts of creatures, as a young boy. Growing up, this fascination with worldbuilding and character design, deepened as he was drawn to video games. “Stories of people I know and care about became my fuel too,” he says, reflecting on his how his artistic inspirations have evolved. “It’s interesting to have the knowledge about different perspectives of the people I meet. The whole journey of life, the ups and downs.”
For Serious Play, his pieces ‘Red Light’ and ‘Pink Sky’ manifestly demonstrate Littlespaceboi’s personal and artistic progressions. Each one intimates stories from his own life, unpacking a feeling of nostalgia through all five senses. ‘Red Light’ takes viewers back to the early 2000s, transported there with paraphernalia from the time, among them a pair of Tamagotchi headphones whose 8-bit tone may still ring familiar to some. But more specifically, it takes viewers to a signal tower near the artist’s home, back when he had imagined that it had housed a sort of keeper, and waited hours each day to see it move the light around.
‘Pink Sky’ similarly recalls a very particular experience from Peñaflorida’s past. “[It] is about the time when I used to put my hands up in the air almost all of the time for no reason while laying in a hammock in our forest backyard,” he explains, “just gazing through my fingers while focusing at the leaves of the trees surrounding me.” For the artist, these small moments have become core memories—and not just things to look back on, but rare opportunities to actually be more present in and outside the realms of his imagination. “I'm still taking my time as an artist since I don't want to rush things. If I have to learn something I will give it time even if it takes me a long while, because I really want to be ‘present’ during those moments.”
Littlespaceboi joins BITTO, Cholo Cardenas, Rachel Anne Lacaba, Naburok, Angelica So, and Karyl Nerona in the group show Serious Play, which runs from November 7 to December 7.
About the artist
Jonah Caesar Peñaflorida (b. 1995), better known as JC or his artist name Littlespaceboi, is from Cavite, Philippines. He is the youngest in his family of artists. At the Lyceum of the Philippines in Cavite, he earned a bachelor's degree in Multimedia Arts. He is known for using many techniques and colors in contrast in his artwork. To elevate his artwork, he enjoys experimenting with various textures and color combinations. He began doing paintings with graphite and ink. He then began creating art using acrylic and oil paints because he enjoys experimenting with new ideas and methods to bring contrast to serious subjects while using colorful tones. His primary themes are typically larger-eyed women or youngsters in which fashion, video games, and anime all had an influence. His paintings have deeper meanings hidden under their many tones, which he uses to pique viewers' interest. He has joined various group art exhibitions locally and had his First solo show in 2018. He was then recognized by a Japanese Gallery and was offered to be a part of a group exhibition. He is making his way to the international and local art scene through his love for art which radiates through his works.