(On the National Press Club- Neo-Angono Artists Collective Mural)
Painting over and revising an original art work of an artist by another is mortal sin. That is an artistic ethic that the National Press Club (NPC) failed to understand, much less respect, with regards to the mural they have commissioned the Neo-Angono Artists Collective to do.
The painting was revised so crudely, vandalized would be the more appropriate term. For example, the slosh of paint that lengthened the hair and created a beard on the figure representing Mr. Randy David defaced his personality? It is like dabbing a Hitler-moustache on a Gloria M. Arroyo portrait, only this revision could be accepted as a more accurate representation.
Censorship reeks in the revision of the alibata K tattoo on Andres Bonifacio’s left arm. NPC journalists would certainly know the meaning of the alibata K script. But the military could very likely read the script as subversive, considering its history of origin from American occupation troops which suppressed anything symbolizing Filipino nationhood.
Unfortunately, officials of the NPC succumbed and replaced the nationalistic symbol K (for Katipunan, the national liberation movement organization) with an arrow-pierced red heart (for love-struck) , an inane and insulting symbol to place at the arm of the figure representing our revolutionary hero, Andres Bonifacio. The alteration of the headline of the newspaper Jose Rizal is holding from "Press Freedom Fighter’s Son Abducted" to "Press Freedom Fight Is On" erases the historical context of the mural. A "Press Freedom Fight Is On" headline could date back to the propaganda movement of Rizal, Lopez Jaena, del Pilar and other writers who were exiled, imprisoned, and/or executed by the Spanish conquistadores. While Press Freedom in the headline "Press Freedom Fighter’s Son Abducted" is a segueway to show the current trend of
abduction of freedom fighters.
Equally questionable is the revision of the newspaper held by the central figure, which had on it a statement about the effects on press freedom of the Human Security Act (HSA), or the antiterror law. This was painted over with a bird in a cage, a symbolism used by our ancestors to represent colonial oppression. Symbolisms had to be used then
because any expression tending towards independence was unlawful. On the other hand, the HSA is a newly enacted law concocted by the ruling elite upon the inspiration of imperialist America, which is meant to suppress people struggling to break free from the bondage of neocolonialism.
Art is form and content, with stress on...and changing the form changes the content, as exemplified by the above. More than this elementary artistic consideration, art cannot be apolitical, like what NPC wants the mural to be. NPC should have realized that the theme they themselves have prescribed press freedom and/or threats to the press is extremely political. While the theme and Pres. Gloria Arroyo who unveiled the mural is a political contradiction.
Just like art, media cannot be apolitical nor not take sides. During this time of crisis and repression, freedom is asserted. It dies with fear and thrives on the courage of people taking the side of truth and justice. CAP11/06/07###
Painting over and revising an original art work of an artist by another is mortal sin. That is an artistic ethic that the National Press Club (NPC) failed to understand, much less respect, with regards to the mural they have commissioned the Neo-Angono Artists Collective to do.
The painting was revised so crudely, vandalized would be the more appropriate term. For example, the slosh of paint that lengthened the hair and created a beard on the figure representing Mr. Randy David defaced his personality? It is like dabbing a Hitler-moustache on a Gloria M. Arroyo portrait, only this revision could be accepted as a more accurate representation.
Censorship reeks in the revision of the alibata K tattoo on Andres Bonifacio’s left arm. NPC journalists would certainly know the meaning of the alibata K script. But the military could very likely read the script as subversive, considering its history of origin from American occupation troops which suppressed anything symbolizing Filipino nationhood.
Unfortunately, officials of the NPC succumbed and replaced the nationalistic symbol K (for Katipunan, the national liberation movement organization) with an arrow-pierced red heart (for love-struck) , an inane and insulting symbol to place at the arm of the figure representing our revolutionary hero, Andres Bonifacio. The alteration of the headline of the newspaper Jose Rizal is holding from "Press Freedom Fighter’s Son Abducted" to "Press Freedom Fight Is On" erases the historical context of the mural. A "Press Freedom Fight Is On" headline could date back to the propaganda movement of Rizal, Lopez Jaena, del Pilar and other writers who were exiled, imprisoned, and/or executed by the Spanish conquistadores. While Press Freedom in the headline "Press Freedom Fighter’s Son Abducted" is a segueway to show the current trend of
abduction of freedom fighters.
Equally questionable is the revision of the newspaper held by the central figure, which had on it a statement about the effects on press freedom of the Human Security Act (HSA), or the antiterror law. This was painted over with a bird in a cage, a symbolism used by our ancestors to represent colonial oppression. Symbolisms had to be used then
because any expression tending towards independence was unlawful. On the other hand, the HSA is a newly enacted law concocted by the ruling elite upon the inspiration of imperialist America, which is meant to suppress people struggling to break free from the bondage of neocolonialism.
Art is form and content, with stress on...and changing the form changes the content, as exemplified by the above. More than this elementary artistic consideration, art cannot be apolitical, like what NPC wants the mural to be. NPC should have realized that the theme they themselves have prescribed press freedom and/or threats to the press is extremely political. While the theme and Pres. Gloria Arroyo who unveiled the mural is a political contradiction.
Just like art, media cannot be apolitical nor not take sides. During this time of crisis and repression, freedom is asserted. It dies with fear and thrives on the courage of people taking the side of truth and justice. CAP11/06/07###
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