Stockton artist Jun Jamosmos joins group show in NYC

New York’s Agora Gallery in Chelsea will feature the work of Philippine-born artist Jun Jamosmos in the group exhibit Répartie in Art. The show opens on July 7th and will run until July 28th.

Répartie in Art represents the interpretations and inspirations of 13 artists from across the world. Each piece on display tackles the concept of “space” and how it relates to those who occupy it. Whether taking a step back and appreciating a wide landscape, leaning close and examining a small fragment of a scene, turning the eye toward human or animal figures, or presenting and transforming space in a more abstract sense, each artist promises a unique take on the topic.

“My art is an extension of my life experience,” says painter Jun Jamosmos in a statement.

This outgrowth of his life experience combines spirituality and spontaneity to create a truly compelling body of work. He captures the essence of a wide variety of people, using a color palette that leans toward earth tones (though his images are often punctuated with bright shades and streaks).

In each portrait, Jamosmos shows a strong ability to reproduce facial expressions, physical gestures, and body positions to reflect the character of each subject on canvas. Placed against richly textured fields of color, the people in his paintings form a strong bond with the viewer, their eyes drawing us into their painted world with surprising clarity.

Jamosmos says his portraits often start with chance meetings with people who eventually agree to sit for a photo session with him. Those photo sessions do not only lead to the inevitable painted portrait, but also they often begin long-lasting personal friendships.

“Every subject I paint,” he says, “invokes a call to a journey that doesn’t stop with and in the canvas.”

Jamosmos started to draw when he was 5 years old and painting became a hobby growing up in the Philippines, according to his website. He is a self-taught artist who learned just by looking over art books, visiting museums and galleries. He has studied the techniques of international artists Robert Wade, William Hook and Morgan Weistling.

From Manila, he moved to Stockton, California in 1995 and settled down with his equally talented wife, Adjing, and their two children Asia and Gio.

“He has joined and sold his work in various art shows in the Central Valley. He is a regular at the Elsie May Goodwin Gallery and continues to do art commission work, including large mural projects, while working as an accountant in Stockton. He is willing to give back to the Stockton community what it has given him through various opportunities showcasing his artwork in different community-outreach avenues. He has also painted live on stage, and off-stage to the inspiration of music,” according to his website.

Agora Gallery is a contemporary fine art gallery located in the heart of Chelsea’s fine art district in New York. Established in 1984, Agora Gallery specializes in connecting art dealers and collectors with national and international artists. It has both an online presence and popular online gallery, ARTmine, and a physical gallery space.