World’s Best Contemporary Self-Portraits: LABARCA, KIM, SLAGTER, FEI, LARISON, LEE, LEONOVIC, YUAN, CHUN, HUI, AHMAD, ZENG/ 2022 AMERICAN ART AWARDS Winners
20 of USA’s Best Galleries & Museums vote in the AMERICAN ART AWARDS, arguably the most prestigious online art competition. In 2022, painters, sketchers, digital artists, photographers and sculptors from 69 countries submitted JPEGs for the 50 categories — to win gallery affiliation, career launch, high scores, great press and/or $5,000 in prizes.
Here are the winners in CATEGORY 39, SELF-PORTRAIT
1st Place Bio: Gerardo Labarca
Born in Venezuela and now residing in Canada, the self-taught portrait artist has an unusual background. Director of his own high-cuisine restaurant in Montreal, he decided overnight to leave the restaurant industry after 20 years of service, and launched himself as a full time painter with the objective of living off his art.
Art has always been the driving force behind his actions, always going the extra mile to perfect his techniques, exploring new ways to express his uniqueness and creativity.
Labarca captures the soul and essence of the characters he chooses to bring to life on larger than life canvases. Attention to detail and perfection are present while looking light and carefree. He enjoys illustrating the intensity of feelings that characterize his subjects, breaking down the barriers of methodology and letting spontaneity speak.
Acrylics, oils, spray paint, metal sheets, etc. are intermingled in relief in large formats with shimmering reflections. And each time, the eyes are the centre of everything, like luminous windows to the souls. To feel the colour, to vibrate with emotion are his guiding principles. https://www.gerardolabarca.com/
CONTACTS — — — — — CATEGORY 39. SELF-PORTRAIT
1ST PLACE GERARDO LABARCA CANADA https://www.gerardolabarca.com/ “1971 (Self Portrait)” 36x60” Acrylic on canvas.
2ND PLACE — TIE EMILY KIM USA artistbonkoo@gmail.com “Beyond Ego” 18x24” Acrylic on canvas.
2ND PLACE — TIE PHILIP SLAGTER USA one-eyedprophet.com “Taking A Selfie With Suamiku Lele” 57x26” Acrylic on canvas.
3RD PLACE — TIE GAO FEI CHINA 243273634@qq.com “Self Portrait With Gold Helmet” 40x50cm Oil on linen.
3RD PLACE — TIE KIM LARISON USA krlarison@gmail.com “Self Portrait” 12×18″ Oil on canvas.
3RD PLACE — TIE JENNA LEE USA artistbonkoo@gmail.com “Puzzles: Memories Of The Family” 18x24” Acrylic on canvas.
3RD PLACE — TIE ZBIGNEV LEONOVIC LITHUANIA https://www.instagram.com/gnev0904/ “Shaman” 28x35cm Graphite on paper.
4TH PLACE — TIE JOCELYN YUAN USA artistbonkoo@gmail.com “Self-Portrait In Pandemic Era” 16x20” Acrylic on canvas.
4TH PLACE — TIE DOYUN KIM USA mlee7576@gmail.com “I Hope I Wake Up Prettier” 13x17” Acrylic on board.
5TH PLACE — TIE GRACE LEE USA artistbonkoo@gmail.com “Fishbowl Head” 16x20” Acrylic on canvas.
5TH PLACE — TIE HYERI CHUN Republic of Korea artistbonkoo@gmail.com “Ophelia” 24x18x12” Gypsum plaster, acrylic on gessobord.
6TH PLACE — TIE LIANA HUI Canada artistbonkoo@gmail.com “Save Us” 24x18” Acrylic and bullets on canvas.
6TH PLACE — TIE SAMIM AHMAD AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN sameemahd@yahoo.com “Self Portrait” 8.5x11” Graphite.
6TH PLACE — TIE JUNHAO ZENG CHINA https://www.instagram.com/_andy__zeng_/ “Trapped-Self-Portrait” 24x32” Oil on canvas.
100 ARTICLES on the 50 CATEGORIES of the 2022 AMERICAN ART AWARDS WINNING ARTISTS will be here: https://www.americanartawards.com/2022-press-on-artists/
COLLECTORS wanting to acquire these pieces or contact the artists can get direct links here: https://www.americanartawards.com/2022-winning-artists/
This is the 14th anniversary for the American Art Awards organization which selects the 20 Best Galleries and Museums each May, who decide the world’s best artists in Autumn.
American Art Awards 20 Best Galleries & Museums for 2022, in alphabetical order of state, who were asked to vote on art submissions:
BEST IN ARIZONA — Exposures International Gallery Of Fine Art
BEST IN ARKANSAS — Fort Smith Regional Art Museum
BEST IN CALIFORNIA — Exclusive Collections Galleries
BEST IN COLORADO — Mirada Fine Art
BEST IN DELAWARE — The Delaware Contemporary
BEST IN FLORIDA — MAC Art Galleries
BEST IN GEORGIA — Westobou Gallery
BEST IN HAWAII — Sunshine Arts
BEST IN INDIANA — Lubeznik Center for the Arts
BEST IN LOUISIANA — Arthur Roger Gallery
BEST IN MICHIGAN — LaFontsee Galleries
BEST IN MISSOURI — Hilliard Gallery
BEST IN NEBRASKA — Kiechel Fine Art
BEST IN NEW HAMPSHIRE — Rochester Museum of Fine Arts
BEST IN NEW MEXICO — Blue Rain Gallery
BEST IN NEW YORK — Center for Exploratory & Perceptual Arts
BEST IN OREGON — Bronze Coast Gallery
BEST IN SOUTH CAROLINA — Mary Martin Galleries Of Fine Art
BEST IN SOUTH DAKOTA — South Dakota Art Museum
BEST IN WEST VIRGINIA — West Virginia State Museum
Among other criteria, gallery & museum selections are based on years established, industry reputation, online interest, location, size, socially relevant exhibits, motivational and educational programs, represented artists as well as artist, client and visitor references.
Enter here: https://www.americanartawards.com/register-to-enter-3/
or get a gallery to rate and price your work: https://www.americanartawards.com/gallery-ratings/
