Jerson Samson was lucky to be situated in Antipolo, specifically at the Juan Sumulong Elementary and High school. Here, children were early exposed to art, thanks to art instructors like Solano Cruz, whom became a mentor. When he grew up, Jerson was so good at this medium that he was invited to assist other talented young artists slightly older than he was, such as Ferdinand Montemayor and Gemo Tapales of the Antipolo art group Salingpusa (meaning understudy) whenever they had large commissions to do. Jerson would become one of the pillars of the junior group that Salingpusa birthed , Kuting ( meaning kitten), Jerson went on to finish a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at University of the Philippines, graduating there as a painting major in 1998.
Jerson specializes in detailed renditions of people at community activities such as moving house. He also paints crowds fleeing from a neighborhood fire, or families inside crowded tenements-making public the private lives that go on behind the closed doors that the prefab cement walls.
Favoring warm shades of yellow and orange; by 1997 his figures acquired alizarin-red outlines for emphasis.
From the time he was nine up to the age of fourteen, Jerson has kept winning all of seven first prizes in art, mostly at on-the-spot competitions in Manila . He has 33 other awards to his name.
At 20, Jerson's works were already getting into the finals of major national contests such as the Shell competition and the Metrobank Foundation National competition. His works were selected as Jurors Choice at the Art Association of the Philippines Annual of 1997.
With the money he got as one of five Philippine winners at the Asian Art Awards of 1999, Jerson finished building the family's four-door apartment.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: | |
TERTIARY | University of the Philippines. Diliman, Q.C., 1994-1998 Course: Fine Arts (Major in Painting) |
SECONDARY | Sumulong Memorial High School. Antipolo, Rizal 1989-199 |
ELEMENTARY | Juan Sumulong Elementary School. Antipolo, Rizal 1983-1989 |
SOLO EXHIBITIONS: | |
2008 | |
“Diskarte”, Mondejar Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland “Tayo", Kaida Gallery, Manila, Philippine | |
2006 | |
“December Show” Blank Art Gallery Makati City, Philippine | |
2005 | |
"RUEDA", Pinto Art Gallery, Antipolo City, Philippines | |
2004 | |
"RECENT WORKS 2004", Hong Kong Fine Art, Hong Kong "BACKGROUND", Boston Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines | |
2002 | |
"TAHANAN", Boston Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines | |
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS: | |
2008 | |
“Metro Manila Fine Art”, Mondejar Gallery, SBB Güterbahnof, Zürich, Switzerland “Inauguration Show”, Britania Art Projects, Manila, Philippines “Anniversary Show”, Art Informal San Juan, Manila, Philippines | |
2007 | |
“Coffee with Artist”, Art Space Glorietta Makati City, Philippines | |
2006 | |
“Dos por dos by Tutok” at Boston Gallery, Philippines | |
2005 | |
"Fourth Antipolo Maytime Festival", Pinto Art Gallery, Antipolo City, Philippines "Onib Olmedo: A Tribute", Galerie Joaquin, Manila, Philippines "Figuras", Art Center, SM MEGA Mall, Philippines | |
2004 | |
"Alay 8", Pinto Gallery/ Boston Gallery, Philippines "November Rhapsody", Art Center SM Megamall, Philippines "Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards", Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Philippines | |
2003 | |
"Libog", Boston Gallery, Philippines "Pagtatagpo", RCBC Plaza, Makati City, Phiippines "Alay 7", Boston Gallery, Philippines | |
2002 | |
"Alay 6", Boston Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines "Recent Works 4", Kulay Diwa Art Galleries, Sucat Paranaque, Philippines "One", Cubicle Gallery, Pasig City, Philippines "Faith + The City", Travelling Exhibition, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand & Philippine | |
2001 | |
"Alay 5", Boston Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines "White On White", Odd Manila, UP Diliman, Philippines | |
2000 | |
"Alay 4", Boston Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines "SUNGDU-AN", Cultural Center of the Philippines, "LOVESCAPES”, Boston Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines | |
1999 | |
"Alay 3", Boston Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines " Philip Morris ASEAN Art Awards", National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia " Philip Morris ASEAN Art Awards", Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Philippines | |
1998 | |
"Alay 2 ", Boston Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines | |
WINNING ENTRIES. Shell National Students Art Competition, Robinson's Galleria, Philippine | |
WINNING ENTRIES, PLDT-DPC, Ayala Museum, Philippines | |
WINNING ENTRIES, MetroBank Foundation Young Painters Annual, Makati City, Philippine | |
Department of Education Culture & Sports (DECS) Invitational Centennial Exhibition of Prints, Ayala Museum, Makati City. Philippines | |
AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS: | |
2003 | |
FINALIST, Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards | |
2001 | |
FINALIST, Metrobank Foundation Young Painters Annual | |
2000 | |
FINALIST, Metrobank Foundation Young Painters Annual | |
1999 | |
WINNER, (TOP 5) Philip Morris Philippine Art Award | |
1998 | |
3rd HONORABLE MENTION, 12th PLDT-DPC Telephone Directory Cover Visual Art National Competition | |
HONORABLE MENTION, Metrobank Foundation Young Painters Annual | |
3rd HONORABLE MENTION, 31st SHELL National Students Art Competition | |
1997 | |
JUROR'S CHOICE, Representational Category AAP Annual Art Competition FINALIST, 30th Shell National Students Art Competition 4th PLACE, 11th PLDT-DPC Telephone Directory Cover Visual National Art Painting Competition HONORABLE MENTION, MetroBank Foundation Young Painters Annual | |
1996 | |
FINALIST, 29th Shell National Students art Competitio | |
1995 | |
FINALIST, 28th Shell National Students Art Competition | |
1994 | |
FINALIST, 27th Shell National Students Art Competitio | |
BIBLIOGRAPHY: | |
* SONNTAGSZEITUNG. Neuheiten by Ewa Hess (Kunst), Kulturtipps p. 55 | |
* TAGES-ANZEIGER. Actuell by Ralph Hofbauer (Der interessanteste Schüttelbecher Asiens), Archive 4573, 14.01.2008 | |
* THE ANTIPOLO POST. Special Features by Elizabeth E. Castillo (Jerson Samson captures violence in his art). Vol. 1 No.22, p.11 | |
* THE ANTIPOLO POST. Special Features by Cynthia V. Vidal (Young Painters bring honor to family). Vol. 1 No.11, p.11 | |
* ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PHILIPPINE ART. Volume 1, 2004. Marlene Aguilar. P. 297 | |
* THE ART COLLECTOR'S GUIDEBOOK by Manuel Duldulao. Ch. 3 Learning to See, p. 97 & Ch. 10 Art as an Investment, p.249. 2005 | |
* ASIAN ART NEWS. 2003 Sept-Oct, Vol.13 No. 5, Exhibition Review: "PRISMS THROUGH ASIA" by Ian Findley | |
* FOLK INFLUENCE ON MODERN PHILIPPINE ART. 2002. Peso Book Foundation, Jane Stangle ApostolAlbero/Horror Vacui. P. 94 | |
* ART MANILA NEWSPAPER. Vol. 3 Series No. 8. 2002, The Collector. P. 71 | |
* EROS PINOY, An anthology of Contemporary Erotica in Philippine Art and Poetry. 2001. Anvil Publishing, Yuson, Cabrera, Aviado. P. 65 | |
* PANANAW 4. 2001 Philippine Journal of Visual Arts/Luzon/Central Station/Everyday Life by Patrick D. Flores. P. 15 | |
* VALENTINE WILLIE 2000. Faith + the City. A survey of contemporary Filipino Art/FAITH AND THE PINOY by Emmanuel Torres, MANILA LANDSCAPES AND LIVES IN CONTEMPORARY ART by Anna Labrado | |
* SUNG-DUAN. National Visual Arts Catalogue, NCCA 2000/Sambayan, LUSONG by Patrick Flores. P. 3 | |
* ASIAN ART NEWS. 2000 May-June, Vol. 10 No. 3, AT THE CROSSROADS by Patrick D. Flores. | |
* THE PHILIPPINE POST. Lifestyle, Monday, 17 April 2000 "Virtuoso Handling of Space and Perspective" cited by critic Alice Guillermo | |
* PHILIP MORRIS PHILIPPINE ART AWARDS Catalogue of Winners. 1999 | |
* ASEAN ART AWARDS Catalogue of Winners, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 1999/ PHILIPPINES: Parity and Diversity in Identity and Spirituality by Ramon E.S. Lerm | |
* PLDT Catalogue of Past & Present Winners. 1999 | |
* THE PHILIPPINE STAR. Monday October 11 1999. Art and Culture, A Way of Seeing by Emmanuel Torre | |
* THE PHILIPPINE POST. Lifestyle Monday November 15 1999 "A Spate of Dry Spells for the Pinoy Artist" by Rod Paras-Perez |