The Happiness Mantra

Philippine culture, with all its triumphs and idiosyncrasies, provides the foundation for Jovan Benito’s examination, critique, documentation, and celebration of life. Her works for “The Happiness Mantra” are driven by optimism for what we can be, juxtaposed with the ideas and events that shape Filipinos’ lives.

Through her art, Benito connects personal experiences to the underlying beliefs and values driving the Filipino culture. She looks at the emotional significance, as well as defining concepts, then translate them into a visual commentary through material, media, and methods. Benito is interested in metaphorically representing human emotions and present-day issues— both literally and conceptually.

For the artist, placing familiar images in her works has been a way of cataloging her own experiences and making jubilant artwork that is deeply personal. Elements in her paintings dance around each other in compositions that mimic the wistful and melancholic character of recollection. She uses color to surprise, engage, excite, and calm. Shapes, opacity, and transparency build the artist’s compositions in unexpected ways with elements that overlap and weave in and out of view.

“The Happiness Mantra” profiles the evolving makeup of a community through geographical, cultural, and personal celebrations. Ultimately, Benito’s works for the exhibit bring memories together to create a beautiful cataloguing of various festivities that affect every Filipino’s psyche. The celebrations depicted serve as an invitation to trust in the hope of rebirth and the re-flourishing of life, a rebirth in which Benito hopes her art will play a major role.

Visual artist Jovan Benito (b. 1982) paints signature flat renderings of everyday scenes. Using a bright palette, her works display Fiesta panoramas and classical scenes that demonstrate her astounding technique. Dominated by that same idyllic glow that exemplifies an Amorsolo, but adapted to suit a contemporary aesthetic style, Benito shows that she has mastered a classical Philippine art tradition. Taking a cue from her own life growing up on in the rural community of Pakil in Laguna, Benito’s canvases are examples of folk life simplified. Always in abundance in her joyful works of art are happy and idyllic figures that Benito paints in a colorful, attractive, and cheerful way.

“The Happiness Mantra” by Jovan Benito will be on view from March 5 – 14, 2021 with the Artist Reception slated for Wednesday, March 9. Galerie Raphael U.P. Town Center is located at 2/F Phase 2 U.P. Town Center, Katipunan Ave., Diliman, Quezon City. For inquiries, contact +63 (2) 8247-1109 or email info@galerieraphael.com.ph.