Jun Impas opens sixth solo exhibit at White Cube Gallery

MANILA, Philippines - Cebu-based painter Florentino “Jun” Impas recently opened his sixth solo exhibit dubbed Cycle of Life showcasing 10 original depictions of significant phases in life.

On exhibit until June 14 at the White Cube Gallery of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, the Cycle of Life paintings are joined by half a dozen portraits of celebrities and ordinary Filipinos earlier commissioned of Jun who initially honed his craft at portraitures.

Some of the subjects of the portraits like Mel Tiangco, Bishop Luis Antonio “Chito” Tagle, director Louie Ignacio, Ambassador Henrietta de Villa and former broadcast executive Bob del Rosario graced the exhibit opening.

Just to be a portrait subject of Jun seems to be a new status symbol and object of envy by those attending the event.

Jun is president of the Portrait Artists Society of the Philippines.

Some of Cebu’s prominent artists belonging to the Bagong Hinan-aw Group and several Catholic clergy from Cebu also joined the opening to give support to Jun.

Each painting vividly depicts typical Visayan life scenes — birth, breastfeeding, baptism, first walk, first teacher, graduation, first communion, courtship, wedding and old age.

The theme may not be the first time used by an artist but Jun’s paintings are uniquely Filipino in character — Cebuano to be exact — giving Jun mastery of contemporary Filipino realism.

Jun still wants to improve his craft even if his new collection has already raised the standard in contemporary realism in the Philippine art scene.