Artwork Collection

But Where Are You Really From?

“But Where Are You Really From?” explores the illustrator’s mixed Bangladeshi/Filipino heritage through a series of illustrations showcasing ten artists from both sides portraying their lives before they became well known inspired by their works as a point of reference.

Bangladesh Philippines artists

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Fernando Amorsolo
Fernando Amorsolo

Illustration

Fernando Amorsolo

Amorsolo is well known in the Philippines for his paintings depicting rural provincial life of which he has made 177. As a child he would sell water color postcards near a book store to passersby to help make ends meet for his family.

Zainul Abedin
Zainul Abedin

Illustration

Zainul Abedin

Being one of Bangladesh’s most prominent painters, some of his most famous works is a series of charcoal sketches depicting the living situations of people during the Great Famine of Bengal in the 40s depicting a grim period. This piece portrays... More

Virginia Ty-Navarro
Virginia Ty-Navarro

Illustration

Virginia Ty-Navarro

When she was younger, Ty-Navarro studied at a Catholic school, this is a reimagining hypothetical look at her as a child inspired by the Virgin Mary who takes the form of a statue. This statue known as the “Statue of Our Lady Queen of Peace”, is a... More

Ferdousi Priyabhashini
Ferdousi Priyabhashini

Illustration

Ferdousi Priyabhashini

Known for her abstract wooden sculptures, Priyabhashini had a job as a phone operator at a jute mill to help out her family when she was young. She had gone through a lot of hardship as a woman who went through Bangladesh’s Liberation War but... More

Maningning Miclat
Maningning Miclat

Illustration

Maningning Miclat

While she is mostly a poet first, Miclat has done Zen bamboo ink paintings of which this piece is inspired by showing a vision of her looking at her family crossing the bridge from China to the Philippines. Before she was born her parents emigrated... More

SM Sultan
SM Sultan

Illustration

SM Sultan

Growing up in a poor family, Sultan was not able to finish school and he as a child would go with his father to work as a mason. However, despite his circumstances his drive to create art is strong and during times when not working would draw using... More

Paulina Constancia
Paulina Constancia

Illustration

Paulina Constancia

Known for her colorful works Constancia considers her work to be “naïve art” which is art done by an artist who has none or lacks the education or training to create art which is akin to folk art. She is a Filipino artist based in Vancouver,... More

Hashem Khan
Hashem Khan

Illustration

Hashem Khan

Known for his paintings on Bangladesh’s rural life, he was a young boy when he the witnessed WW2 RAF planes fly in the sky around when World War 2 ended. This is my take on what his perspective as a child would hypothetically be seeing these planes... More

CJ de Silva
CJ de Silva

Illustration

CJ de Silva

In her childhood years, de Silva was considered an art prodigy at 10 and She was part of a children’s milk commercial for the Promil brand in the 90s showcasing her as a “golden child”. Now she works mostly as an art director in her adult years but... More

Nobo Kumar Bhadra
Nobo Kumar Bhadra

Illustration

Nobo Kumar Bhadra

While he never had the opportunity to finish school as a child, Bhadra used to paint banners for a movie with his father which he used his talents as a painter to paint designs on rickshaws. He had a niche of painting movie poster style type... More

Work by

Jehan Salim

Illustration

““But Where Are You Really From?” explores the illustrator’s mixed Bangladeshi/Filipino heritage through a series of illustrations showcasing ten artists from both sides portraying their lives before...” [More]