Jozimar Matimano…

is a fine art painter. He was born in the East of Democratic Republic of Congo, Butembo, where he grew up and moved to Uganda at ten years old. Since he was a boy he has been interested in drawing and illustration.

October 5, 2016, Matimano moved from Uganda to Manchester New Hampshire as a refugee through a program called International Insitute of New England. In 2018 he began painting in his free time as a way to express himself but it wasn’t until a year later that Matimano realized he had a voice that he could use to tell stories through his paintings.

After this realization that he wanted to pursue art as his career, he began pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art (BFA) at the Institute of Art at New England College in 2019.

He currently works with oil painting because he considers it the noblest technique. Over the years, he began by painting landscapes and nature scapes until discovering portraiture at the end of 2018. He used portraiture to express his view of what was happening in society. These commentaries set him apart from other emerging artists and lead to his acceptance at New England College.

In the future, he hopes to share his artwork with more people and see the impact that his art can have on other people and society.

Artist Statement

“I see art as a powerful tool that could spark something in one’s lifetime which could change the course of history.

I use my art as a way of expressing the reality, beauty, struggle, and strength of humanity by painting and drawing. I feel like it’s a message that somebody out there can learn from or be inspired by.”

I have a voice. I am a vessel for storytelling. When people look at my art I want them to feel a deep connection with the struggle and the experiences this generation went through. The symbolism in my paintings allows me to make statements about humanity and the global condition, as well as my feelings and opinions on politics, wealth, and social justice that I cannot express through words.

I chose portraiture as the medium for my stories because I believe there is an instant connection between an artist and a viewer when they can feel the emotions painted on my subject’s face.