Born in the Philippines in 1985, Jaypee Samson graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts, majoring in painting. A winner of several prestigious awards in the Philippines, he was one of the recipients of CCP Thirteen Artists, a major award in the country in 2009. Samson is a member of the artists collective, Sangviaje, and has been exhibiting frequently; his first solo exhibition was held in 2006. Samson’s art often revolves around three interlinked themes: Filipinos leaving their country because of economic exigencies, the impact on their families left behind, and paying tribute to the unsung heroes of the present generation. Exhibited as part of the CCP Thirteen Artists Award exhibition, ‘Kapitbahay’, which means neighbours, is executed in Samson’s characteristic realistic yet distorted ‘fish-eye lens’ style. It depicts a nurse who has received an overseas posting, and is now able pay for her family’s housing, receiving congratulations from the villagers.
