Post truth politics definition
Jose Tence Ruiz, a social realist who was part of the Kaisahan Social Realist group formed in 1976, uses customized electric chairs to illustrate the disparity of social classes in the country, ranging from the very poor to the elite classes. In this ambivalent period in our political scene, the art fair is an interesting venue to look at how social criticism may be infused through art works to start ideas and get the conversation going. These exhibitions provide commentary on social issues, hopefully as a way to spark discourse among viewers.
This year, Art Fair Philippines commissioned social realists to be part of the "Projects" section, which featured exhibitions that invite dialogue and interaction. Garapata uses the image of a tick that he likens to the resilient spirit of the Filipino people. This is also felt in the art landscape encouraging young artists to explore themes, such as identity, which Dexter Fernandez’s Garapata project explores. In a post-EDSA period, changes in leadership have affected the order of significance of political issues. The reach of political art is also diverse, in that it has also encouraged artists to tackle policies involving labor, such as Neil Doloricon's "Welga" (1985) that captures the sentiments of labor groups during the Marcos regime. Antipas Delotavo's “Itak sa Puso ni Mang Juan” (1978) paints a picture of a slouched man walking past a Coca-cola advertisement, its iconic letter “C” curled in a manner that looks like a bolo about to pierce through the man’s heart - a piece that points out the negative effects of commercialization in a third world country. The common denominator of these political art movements was rooted in the people’s dissatisfaction with the government and their struggle to achieve radical change.Īrt collectives have also raised awareness toward the individual works of its members at that time. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, artist collectives were established because artists felt a sense of responsibility to create art that mobilized people into action. The sentiment of art continued to evolve after political unrest broke during the Marcos regime, resulting in the birth of the social realists.
From that point in history, the sentiment of political art expanded from subservient to nationalistic as seen in the works of Juan Luna’s “Spoliarium” during the propaganda movement - a time when Filipinos called for equal opportunities among the Spanish.
#POST TRUTH POLITICS DEFINITION SERIES#
Manila (CNN Philippines Life) - Political art in the Philippines dates back to 1821 when Esteban Pichay Villanueva was commissioned by the Spanish government to create “The Basi Revolt,” a series of propaganda art made to discourage people to rebel.