Winner Jumalon, Winner II (self-portrait), 2006

Oil on canvas
64 x 51 cm
Condition: Very good

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Title of painting “Winner II” (self-portrait).

When we met Winner at the exhibition, he was a youthful 22 years old but was already an accomplished artist who had won finalist positions in several competitions in the Philippines, including the Philip Morris ASEAN art competition.

He has since gone on to win other artist awards and has been represented by the major auction houses, 

I remember Winner describing to us the techniques and approach he took to produce his portraits. 

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Winner Jumalon (Filipino, b. 1983) is a transformative artist known for his contemporary reinterpretation of traditional themes across various media. A graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts, he has made significant contributions to Southeast Asian art through his introspective exploration of personal, cultural, and artistic identities. His figurative style is both raw and evocative, using textured, rugged portraiture to challenge conventional notions of self and identity.

Jumalon draws inspiration from specific faces and spaces, weaving together personal narratives with broader cultural histories. His works reflect a continuous investigation into identity, where Filipino history and mythology intersect with personal memory and lived experience. Layered with figures both real and mythical, his compositions blur the boundaries between past and present, individual and collective consciousness.

By merging history, folklore, and autobiography, Jumalon constructs a deeply personal yet universally resonant visual language. His work serves as both a reflection and a reinterpretation of the Philippines’ cultural legacy, examining how shared histories shape individual and national identity.

Acquired at Utterly Art’s exhibition, “Relook - the face of contemporary Philippines art”, June 2006.

(Photographed in March 2025)