The Filipino in Me - Insights into Living Heritage
Entry by Jimuel Belarmino. Weyburn, Saskatchewan
Pause
2018
4 ft x 2.5 ft
Oil on Canvas
Artist's Statement
"Pause" is a self-portrait that captures a moment of contemplation and reconsideration of our chosen paths, particularly those pursuing an art career. The dark atmosphere implies the overwhelming pressure cast upon one's self to define, or be the definition of, "success". The figure's slightly tilted head looking down with suspicion challenges the lurking stereotypes lodged in many artists' brains topped with the fear of poverty and starvation. An ongoing battle faced emotionally and mentally without closure.
About the Artist
Belarmino is a Filipino-born Canadian artist based in Saskatchewan. His paintings are inspired by his Filipino upbringing juxtaposed with his immigrant life in Canada. In 2011, he moved to Canada from the Philippines at the age of 14 with his family. In 2019, he successfully earned his BFA degree at the University of Regina and worked as an intern at the Art Gallery of Swift Current. After finishing university, he participated in several exhibitions both provincial and national. Storytelling, culture and identity are common themes manifested in his subjects. He was awarded the 2019 BMO 1st Art! at the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Toronto, ON, Art Placement Award for Accomplishments in the Medium of Oil Paint at the Mann Art Gallery in Prince Albert, SK and an Independent Artist Program for Emerging Artists grant award funded by SK Arts. It was a huge boost in his career. Currently, he is working on a new body of work for a solo exhibition in 2023.
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