Artist Website
Social Media
- Artist Instagram
- Personal Instagram
Creative Disciplines and Mediums
- Sculpture
- Art installation
- Painting
- Writing
- Ceramics
- Wood
- Found objects
Bio
Victor Ancheta is a gay immigrant artist and writer. He spent his childhood in the Philippines, and then migrated to the United States. He is a graduate of the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and studied Studio Art and Creative Writing at University of Houston-Downtown.
Victor is a conceptual artist and works in installations, sculptures and, paintings. His pieces deal with his identity and his relationship with religion, colonial and post-colonial history, and deconstructing traditions.
Artist Statement
Angels and demons, virgins and sinners, all participate in a slow procession, and eyeless saints have a sacra conversazione with the audience: this is the world as I see it.
I grew up in the Philippines. Four centuries of Spanish colonization created a nation deeply immersed in catholic traditions like the art of the santero. Santos or religious statues are created by santeros who follow strict iconography set by the church. I create santos out of clay and wood and, in an act of irreverence, appropriate divine catholic imagery to create works that explore the human body, mortality, and sexuality. As a gay artist, I find the duplicitous history of the church a well of inspiration and visual stimulation.
My family’s history is a significant part of my art process. Stories my mother told me of my ancestors, and especially of my father, become part of my artistic course. My figures are eyeless because my great-grandmother Valentina often used to say, “The eyes are the mirrors to the soul.” I feel soulless; I believe that a soul is something that a person gains, little by little through experience, actions, wisdom, and emotions. My artworks reflect my feeling of incompleteness. Therefore, they exhibit a sense of confinement with their eyeless gazes. I find comfort in the stories of my family and I weave their lives and their words into the tapestry of my personal narrative.
History is perhaps the most important ingredient of my artwork. As an immigrant in the United States, the weight of the my colonial and post-colonial past is one that I struggle with everyday. I create works that tell my story as a DACA recipient as well as my fellow immigrants to humanize our experience and make concrete our history.
I mix all of these inspirations and create installations and sculptures. Creating art helps me remain connected to my roots and my culture. There’s a saying in Filipino that I keep close to my heart: “Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalinan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.” “Those who don’t know how to look at their origin will not reach their destination.”
Curriculum Vitae
PROFILE
Experienced artist with strong managerial skills and demonstrated history of working in the writing and editing industry. Strong arts and design professional with a Bachelor of Science (BS) focused in Interdisciplinary Studies from University of Houston-Downtown.
SKILLS
Visual Arts: Figurative Sculpture, Figure Drawing, Ceramics, Painting, Photography, Design Creative Writing: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Literary Translation
Language: English, Tagalog
EXPERIENCE
Artist January 2004 – Present
▪ Create conceptual artworks in installations, sculptures and, paintings that deal with identity, religion, colonial and post-colonial history, and deconstructing traditions
Assistant Manager
Surroundings Houston, TX September 2014 – Present
▪ Lead a staff of 5, schedule and delegate work
▪ Purchase and merchandise products, track inventory, gage products’ success and reorder
▪ Schedule and produce email advertisements, create social media posts, and plan events to bring customers to the store
▪ Build rapport with customers and advise on purchases by maintaining an expertise on store products that include home furnishings, antiques, gifts and jewelries
▪ Seek new vendors and products to continuously engage customers’ attention
General Editor
The Bayou Review Houston, TX October 2013 – September 2014
▪ Conceptualized two issues of literary and visual arts journal and designed their layouts in Indesign
▪ Organized, documented and selected 84 submissions for publication
▪ Completed unfinished project left by previous general editor
▪ Lead a staff of 4, delegated works to editors and outlined deadlines
▪ Collaborated with over 30 contributors and sought out select artists, poets and writers to publish
▪ Critiqued prints and closely worked with printing company to achieve desired printed journals
▪ Managed annual budget of $10,500 and saved $1739.59 at the end of fiscal year which allowed the journal to publish its largest issue yet
▪ Connected with students and readers by heading promotional events such as public readings, fundraising, book fairs and maintaining an online presence through social media including Facebook and Twitter
Production and Shipping Manager
Barbara Biel, Houston, TX October 2006 – June 2014
▪ Developed products with artist and increased production thereby retaining and attracting new clients
▪ Created products and ensured quality of artist’s gift line that featured over 50 styles
▪ Fulfilled orders, created invoices, met deadlines and shipped to over 120 retail stores
OTHER EXPERIENCE
Production Associate
Calypso Editions
January 2014 – August 2014 Photographer
Dateline Downtown Houston, TX
January – May 2014
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies
University of Houston – Downtown December 2013
Minors in Studio Art and Creative Writing
Magna Cum Laude; worked part-time while attending school
Associate in Arts in Nursing
Houston Community College
August 2010
Worked part-time while attending school
High School Diploma
High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
May 2006
AWARDS
▪ University of Houston-Downtown: Fabian Worsham Award in Creative Writing, 2014
▪ University of Houston-Downtown: Magna Cum Laude, 2013
▪ Emerging Artists Bayou Arts Festival: 3rd place, 2006
▪ Emerging Artists Bayou Arts Festival: 1st place (collaboration), 2005
▪ Phlen Scholarship Fund: Beneficiary, 2005
▪ WonderWorks: Scholarship for Printmaking Classes, 2005
▪ Wachovia and Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA): Full Scholarship for Summer Program, 2005
▪ Glassell School of Art, Museum of Fine Arts Houston: Summer Scholarship for Ceramics, 2004
▪ National Junior Honor Society, 2002
▪ Houston Chronicle Editorial Cartoon Contest: Honorable Mention, 2001
▪ Houston Livestock show and Rodeo Art Contest: Blue Ribbon Award, 2001
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
▪ Bering Memorial Church, Refugiados: A Nativity Scene in Support of Latin American Refugees, 2019
▪ Stardust Antiques, No Room at the Inn: An Exhibition of Nativity Scenes from Around the World in Support of Syrian Refugees, 2016
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
▪ Pilipino American Unity for Progress (UniPro), Lumikha Arts Showcase – We Have Begun, 2020
▪ Multicultural Education & Counseling through the Arts (MECA), Imagenes de la Madre, 2019 Avenue 50 Studio, Araw ng mga Patay Filipinx-American Artists Celebrate Day of the Dead, 2019
▪ Morbid Anatomy, Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory Exhibit: Visions of the Afterlife in the Catholic Tradition, 2019
▪ Houston Community College Gallery, Systems of Belief: Atheist and Religious Art at HCC, 2008
▪ Bayou Arts Festival, Emerging Artists, juried, 2006
▪ Contemporary Arts Museum (CAM,) Relief Art: An Auction to help Katrina Victims, juried 2005,
▪ PAFA, Summer Academy for High School Students, group, 2005
▪ Jung Center, Jung Expressions: Young Artists from HSPVA, juried, 2005
▪ Lawndale Gallery, Placement and Spectacles, juried, 2005
▪ CAM, Hit Me, juried, 2005
▪ Bayou Arts Festival, Emerging Artists (collaboration) juried, 2005
EDITORIAL WORK
▪ The Bayou Review: Volume 27.1 Love Issue, 2014
▪ The Bayou Review: Volume 27.2 Identity Issue, 2014
TRANSLATION WORK
Emilio Mar. Antonio, 2012
▪ Has translated the works of Filipino poet, Emilio Mar. Antonio and has received the poet’s son’s permission and blessing to publish a book
PUBLICATIONS
▪ Slate.com: “Your Stuff vs My Stuff” 2018
▪ Country Home: “Bohemian Spirit” 2018
▪ The Bayou Review: Volume 27.1 Love Issue, “The Game” 2014
▪ The Bayou Review: Volume 27.2 Identity Issue, artworks, 2014
▪ Holy Angel University: Aro Katimyas Da!: A Memory Album of Titled Kapampangan Beauties, 1908-2012, Book cover, 2013
▪ Likas-philippines.org: Likha Creations of Filipino Artists and Writers, “Victor Ancheta” 2007
▪ Personalwilli.blogspot.com: Secret Gospels, Sacred Sites, “Lagalag: Los Ojos Son Espejos del Alma” 2007
▪ PinoyCentric.com: All Things Brown and Beautiful,” Lagalag Update: Los Ojos Son Espejos del Alma” 2007
▪ IvanHenares.com: Traveling the Philippines with a purpose, Ivan About Town, ”Semana Santa Filipinas: Preserving Religious Traditions on the Web and Beyond” 2007
▪ Philippine Daily Inquirer: “Santo Enthusiasts Bond in Cyberspace” 2007
▪ Sun Star Pampanga: “On the Trail of Santo Enthusiasts” 2007
▪ Veron-Dulay-Cloma Family, Give Art on Christmas Day Greeting Cards, “Ang Regalo” 2006
▪ Houston Independent School District: Mi Mundo en Palabras A Celebration of Student Writers Libro Ocho, “The Tree of Life” 2006
▪ Contemporary Arts Museum: Hit Me Catalogue, “I’m a Big Mass of Contradiction” 2005
▪ Houston Chronicle: “Emerging Artist Program Expands” 2005
▪ Houston Independent School Dictrict: Mi Mundo En Palabras, “LUNA” 2005
▪ HSPVA Art Guild: Greeting Cards, “Anima” 2003
▪ Houston Chronicle: Editorial Cartoon, “Knockout” 2001
GROUPS
Filipinx Artists of Houston Houston, TX – A collective of Filipinx Visual, Performing, Literary, Culinary and Multidisciplinary Artists in Houston, Texas