Provenance: Private Collection, Makati City

ABOUT THE WORK

His eternally rustic hometown of Paete, its people, their day-to-day activities, and their celebrations have been the consistent subjects of his art. Baldemor was exposed to art and trained in the workshops of wood-carvers and santeros (makers of religious images) of Paete to carve in wood. He is however best known for his paintings in various media that depict scenes in simplified geometric forms with a folk art character. For Baldemor, the village stands at the center of his art and within it he makes work that is frequently naïve yet dreamlike and mysterious. Baldemor has also painted international genre and landscape scenes. His art is well-known internationally as his works are frequently used for UNICEF cards. In October 2007, a particular work of Baldemor was instrumental in capturing a Unesco seat for the Philippines during the 34th General Conference in Paris.