The Filipino in Me - Insights into Living Heritage
Entry by Jimuel Belarmino. Weyburn, Saskatchewan
Dugo't Pawis (Blood and Sweat) - Diptych
2020
24 in. diameter each
Oil on Round Panel
Artist's Statement
Dugo't Pawis are portrait paintings representation of my family's early livelihood in the Philippines; fishing, farming, and vending. Along with other factors, our underprivileged situation led to displacement in a foreign land (Canada) to break out of the poverty cycle. The painting is also a tribute to the many hardworking OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) around the world who continues to show courage in the face of adversity in search of "greener pasture". The subjects emerging from the dark background expresses the resilience and grit of OFWs to uphold their family-oriented principle over self-interest.
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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