When twenty-one-year old Fine Arts student John Ken Gomez crafted “Perlas ng Silanganan,” he made sure that his masterpiece would not only be known for its exquisite colors and aesthetic. For the young artist, exploring the Filipino culture is not limited to merely reading textbooks and pamphlets. Delving deeper into our rich history can also be done by consuming art in whatever medium it comes in. 

This is apparent in his reimagined version of one of Sandro Boticelli’s most influential work: the “Birth of Venus.” Through the years, this piece has been recreated and reimagined by different artists. In Gomez’s version, “Perlas ng Silanganan”, however, Filipino patriotism is evident.

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— gomez (@johnkenoys) March 1, 2021

“What I did is incorporate elements that resemble the rich culture of our country,” he shares in an interview with The Feed. 

In his painting, “Venus” is seen wearing an Ifugao cloth from Luzon; her tattoos and symbols are inspired by the “Pintados” or the tattooed indegenous peoples from Visayas, while her head piece is inspired by the “Sewat” of the T’boli ethnic group in Mindanao. 

With technology present, the painter said that his styles and technique were sharpened by the influences he was able to gather from the internet:

“Artists like me are very exposed to different styles and techniques shared in different social media platforms. Personally, I think that could help us determine our own approach to art.”

“But remember that you have to build your own identity. It is okay to venture on different mediums to be able to know your strength and what you need to develop.”

For Gomez, his paintings are more than designs you could hang to improve the appearance of a place: “One of my resolutions this year is to create more pieces of art that I can share with everyone. They are not just visuals. I want people, especially my co-artists, to believe in themselves and to not be afraid to explore and discover their own style as creative individuals.” 

The exploration and discovery he so passionately talks about was also present in his younger years, as Gomez knew from a young age that he would have a place in the sun through his art. The artist described that at five-years-old, his notebooks would be filled with sketches. “My love for creating and expressing myself through my pieces is a result of my long practice and exploration.” 

“My recent artwork is a manifestation of my will to present something new to the public. I wanted to use a subject reference that everyone can recognize to capture the interest of many while showcasing our country’s culture.” 

Gomez also expressed that he’s keen to produce more “reimagined” art and themed pieces. “I have so many ideas in mind that I want to create but I guess for now I want to continue creating reimagined and themed pieces so I could turn it into a series.”

He firmly believes that it is an artist’s job to make sure that his or her craft is not only determined by how beautiful or pleasing it is in the eyes. Art should continue to inspire, teach, and touch people:

“Now I could inspire so many young artists to continue and to never doubt themselves because like them, I was once a kid who aspired to get better and be appreciated.”