Jose Cifuentes
CIFUENTES is a thirty-six-year-old mixed media abstract artist from Medellin, Colombia.
CIFUENTES moved his life and practice to Toronto, Canada, to find inspiration for his current chapter of creation.
Artist since early age, CIFUENTES enrolled in art academies since five years old and did poorly in any subject that did not involve creativity. Moved to the U.S as a teen where he attended Weehawken High School and received the Class Artist Award his Senior year, only to be a proud recipient of a full ride scholarship to study Fine Arts at Bergen Community College in New Jersey. Upon graduation and receiving a citation by the State of New Jersey and an artistic award by Panasonic, CIFUENTES begins his professional art career by having his works featured and exhibited numerous times throughout NJ and NYC.
Due to a complex immigration story, CIFUENTES left the States and moved back to Medellin, Colombia, where, due to a poor art scene at the time, he used his art to start a clothing brand called beFREE Clothing and to his misfortune, their award-winning business enterprise caught the wrong attention and
they suffered extortion and were forced to shut down.
Two years later CIFUENTES decided to move to Canada and start a life in a safe place where he didn't have to fear for his life and his art could flourish.
Since December 2016 actions have spoken louder than words. CIFUENTES is here to contribute to the cultural fabric of Toronto and Canada.
In 2019 he was the proud recipient of the Refugee and Newcomer Mentorship Grant by Toronto Arts Council and had valuable opportunities to exhibit his work at various galleries and venues in Toronto while gaining local and international recognition in the form of features in printed, digital and social media, as well as
commissioned work and collaborations.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Let my work be known for manifesting varied visual representations of freedom, these unexpected paintings are a mixture of thick knife strokes with free-hand illustrations on canvas and recycled surfaces. I collect and portray moods that are in vivid, visceral paint strokes, loose lines, deliberate drips and passionate splatters using a combination of media including acrylics, oils, spray paint, markers and things gathered from all around. All this to the novel end of creating an unconventional marriage of fine and urban art.
Drawing from my experience as an immigrant in the U.S.A, and now Canada, my work expresses the authenticity of artistic freedom and the emotional havoc that surrounds it. To be an immigrant is to struggle in life with instability, but this also means embracing the realities of said struggle to grow bold, fearless and free.
-- Funded by Toronto Arts Council. Proud to be a part of CARFAC Ontario and the TMFA Community (The Most Famous Artist) allegedly responsible for the monolith craze in 2020.
CIFUENTES is a thirty-six-year-old mixed media abstract artist from Medellin, Colombia.
CIFUENTES moved his life and practice to Toronto, Canada, to find inspiration for his current chapter of creation.
Artist since early age, CIFUENTES enrolled in art academies since five years old and did poorly in any subject that did not involve creativity. Moved to the U.S as a teen where he attended Weehawken High School and received the Class Artist Award his Senior year, only to be a proud recipient of a full ride scholarship to study Fine Arts at Bergen Community College in New Jersey. Upon graduation and receiving a citation by the State of New Jersey and an artistic award by Panasonic, CIFUENTES begins his professional art career by having his works featured and exhibited numerous times throughout NJ and NYC.
Due to a complex immigration story, CIFUENTES left the States and moved back to Medellin, Colombia, where, due to a poor art scene at the time, he used his art to start a clothing brand called beFREE Clothing and to his misfortune, their award-winning business enterprise caught the wrong attention and
they suffered extortion and were forced to shut down.
Two years later CIFUENTES decided to move to Canada and start a life in a safe place where he didn't have to fear for his life and his art could flourish.
Since December 2016 actions have spoken louder than words. CIFUENTES is here to contribute to the cultural fabric of Toronto and Canada.
In 2019 he was the proud recipient of the Refugee and Newcomer Mentorship Grant by Toronto Arts Council and had valuable opportunities to exhibit his work at various galleries and venues in Toronto while gaining local and international recognition in the form of features in printed, digital and social media, as well as
commissioned work and collaborations.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Let my work be known for manifesting varied visual representations of freedom, these unexpected paintings are a mixture of thick knife strokes with free-hand illustrations on canvas and recycled surfaces. I collect and portray moods that are in vivid, visceral paint strokes, loose lines, deliberate drips and passionate splatters using a combination of media including acrylics, oils, spray paint, markers and things gathered from all around. All this to the novel end of creating an unconventional marriage of fine and urban art.
Drawing from my experience as an immigrant in the U.S.A, and now Canada, my work expresses the authenticity of artistic freedom and the emotional havoc that surrounds it. To be an immigrant is to struggle in life with instability, but this also means embracing the realities of said struggle to grow bold, fearless and free.
-- Funded by Toronto Arts Council. Proud to be a part of CARFAC Ontario and the TMFA Community (The Most Famous Artist) allegedly responsible for the monolith craze in 2020.
$3,000.00 CAD
Mixed Media on Canvas Fabric
30x26"
First pieces of 2021
Stretching and framing available upon request.
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
The joy of every painter is to be able to express freely through colours and strokes. This piece is titled "happiness", and like everything in life not all is rainbows and blue skies, even happiness. There is a turmoil deep inside each of us and happiness plays a big role in maintaining balance.
My mentor Jesse Purcell and I collaborated on this piece using the funds from the Mentorship and Grant received from Toronto Arts Council.
$3,000.00 CAD
Mixed Media on Canvas Fabric
28.50x26"
First pieces of 2021
Stretching and framing available upon request.
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
Immerse in the deep blue, surround yourself with colourful characters, scream when you have to, express when necessary. These are the things I was processing in my head when creating this collab piece.
My mentor Jesse Purcell and I collaborated on this piece using the funds from the Mentorship and Grant received from Toronto Arts Council.
$1,000.00 CAD
Mixed Media on Recycled Canvas
12x12"
Last pieces of 2020
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
Washing off the bad vibes and letting them drift into the void. Reflecting once the water settles.
$1,000.00 CAD
Mixed Media on Recycled Canvas
12x12"
Last pieces of 2020
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
Don't let your inner love rust and decay. Face your fears.
$1,000.00 CAD
Mixed Media on Recycled Canvas
12x12"
Last pieces of 2020
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
Letting go of last year's energy. Staring into the void and painting what I saw.
$1,000.00 CAD
Mixed Media on Recycled Canvas
12x12"
Last pieces of 2020
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
Ending the year with some deep colours and good vibrations.
$4,000.00 CAD
Mixed Media on Canvas
30x40"
Last pieces of 2020
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
Last year started with many expectations and countless ideas flying inside my head, then Covid19 happened and things got messy. This painting depicts the end of the year. Full of nonsense, uncertainty and a little trippy.
$4,000.00 CAD
Mixed Media on Canvas
30x40"
Last pieces of 2020
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
This year started with many expectations and countless ideas flying inside my head, then Covid19 happened and things got messy.
$4,000.00 CAD
Acrylic on Recycled Canvas
30x40"
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
Part of the MIRA Project.
MIRA is survival, adaptation, evolution. To construct, sometimes we must destroy. We are in need of new mindful traditions that do not enslave us but instead liberates and empowers us. We need to get untangled, sorry Will Smith 😉.
$4,000.00 CAD
Acrylic on Canvas
30x40"
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
Part of the MIRA Project.
MIRA is to live in the real and virtual world. Here and there. Letting a small piece of our real self seep through and shine. This work is dedicated to all the people suffering from mental health issues during this crazy times. I am with you, I support you, I fucks with you.
$10,000.00 CAD
Mixed Media on Recycled Canvas
48x66"
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
Part of the MIRA Project.
MIRA stares directly into the eye of adversity, studying its direct relation with self-growth and evolution. Only to understand it and say, oh dear. There's no way around it, if there's no struggle, there is no evolution.
$4,000.00 CAD
Mixed Media on Recycled Canvas
34.50x34.50"
Created in my studio in Toronto, Canada. Located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood.
Part of the MIRA Project.
MIRA is uncertainty, isolation, hope, and new beginnings. This piece is an ode to life and what comes next, whatever that is.