Filipino-American artist Jefre Figueras Manuel, who goes by the mononym Jefrë, is nothing if not confident. He dons his signature wide-brimmed felt hat adorned with a peacock feather, oversized reflective sunglasses, and an intensity in his voice that points towards the artist’s relentless ambition.
“When’s the last time someone built an Eiffel Tower or a Statue of Liberty?” When Jefrë speaks, his words come with a conviction that leaves no room for hesitation or self-doubt. “We haven’t done that in a long time. I decided it was my time to start creating.”
The artist is celebrated locally and internationally for his monumental installations, which compel viewers to stop and gawk at their sheer scale and impact. In Manila, Jefrë has left an indelible mark on the city with The Victor, a glimmering statue of a man with his fist raised towards the sky. Heralded as the tallest multimedia sculpture in the Philippines at 55 meters (plus five more meters for its pedestal), The Victor commands attention as it watches over the Marikina River parallel to Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. Avenue.
“[The Victor] was this idea of me coming full circle because my parents [moved] to the United States to find the American dream,” he said. The artist himself was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. “This sculpture is a symbol of the idea that if you can find that dream and be a part of that world, don’t forget where you come from. [The Victor] is a beacon for you to come home to.”
Jefrë has left a lasting imprint in the United States, too. The 73-foot stainless steel heart sculpture “Heart in the Park” stands in Port St. Lucie, Florida. His Jax sculpture acts as the giant focal point for waterfront park One Park Jax in Jacksonville, Florida. In Kissimmee, Florida, his rainbow-arched outdoor sculpture, “49 Angels,” honors the lives lost in the tragic Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando in 2016.
“I want [to] create things that will become the icons of the world,” the artist said. “I think that’s the beauty of it.”
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