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mimirpipart · 11 months

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Finals: Three Questions on the Resurfacing of Juan Luna's Long Lost Painting, "Hymen oh, Hyménée"

Enlightening myself about the history of Juan Luna's sentimental painting, "Hymen oh Hyménée," has been tumultuous learning, from its production during the artist's honeymoon, winning bronze in the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle, to the killing of his wife and mother-in-law due to a fit of jealousy, towards the rediscovery of another masterpiece that reminded Filipinos that we are and should be treated as equal in front of the world, especially in front of the western world, and how this piece tackles yet another or rather many questions about the equality of the whole not just being Filipino but acknowledging questions about oligarchy and its hands on the production and distribution of the arts.

As joyous as the nation about the artwork's reveal, I have felt disconnected- disconnected because knowing its early discovery and now with the super-rich, being lent to the Ayala Museum as a loan. I cannot stretch the fact that this new blog feels like the continuation of my previous blog, an issue that the media almost blatantly ignore the schemes of the super-rich.

Therefore, I ask these questions to help us ponder. And to think critically with context on ethics of the art patronages of the wealthy and art patronizing in general.

Why wasn't the piece shown in 2014, when discovered?

According to Kasilag (2023), the piece was already discovered by Ponce in 2014, so why not then? What was the wait for a few more years before releasing it?

Was it testing the waters to see if this, if released on a specific date, such as on the date of our independence day from our Spanish colonizers, would garner more attention, thus improving the already thirsty market to skyrocket the original price Jaime Ponce de Leon paid for it?

No doubt it's an ingenious strategy because of the state of the painting, and its painter, who is a historical figure and prominent in the propagandist movement. Media and the social world would be roused, such as us talking about it and writing it on blogs. We already see news articles poured out in the coming weeks of its reveal! And because of its historical background big named galleries would want a taste of the wedding.

Why didn't Jaime Ponce de Leon donate it to the National Museum of the Philippines?

The question might be a personal one for the owner. But for a piece of Filipino history, one must ask. It feels as though this celebration of rediscovering history is a mockery, a facade for more marketing. Why was it loaned to Ayala Museum?

Was it because the painting acquired from a foreign unnamed aristocratic family was just too much money? Thus it was loaned to the gallery acting as collateral. Or so that this lending scheme was to fund another chance to secure another art exhibition, so collectors and partnered private galleries would keep piling valuable works of art into their vaults or freeports? Letting the super-rich exceed their titles.

Many more factors come into play that can rouse the critical mind into guessing, such as forms of tax avoidance, wherein art has been used to deduce taxable incomes.

As much as we want to celebrate Filipino art and its history, its distribution to the world, and its prideful production, a Filipino once painted this painting amongst the land of their colonizers. I cannot stress the darker side of our arts, the institutional, the neoliberal mongering, and the inequality this brings to the people. Art that was supposed to mean everything to another was gatekept by the richest.

The modern art world is a smokescreen for capitalist agendas and money-making schemes of the elite one percent. Now I cannot stop but attribute the boda romana to the commemoration of the partnership of Jaime Ponce de Leon with the Ayalas.

What art is relevant today?

This a dreading question for a creative who wishes to create their innermost thoughts but is drowned in a culture of finance and hegemony.

I ask this question not because of sheer curiosity about what's in trend, but to ponder why is this silent discourse not being put into the limelight. As I've thought of this question with the previous questions in mind, I couldn't help but be nauseated because relevancy is a firm driving factor for the mega-rich to decide which piece is next to be showcased. And it leaves me thinking of how much more hidden art is stored just because it wasn't the "right time."

I cannot help but think of how many artists and creatives will ask questions such as: which great artist is so prevalent that we should feature in Vogue? What content would get us a lot of clicks? Should we adapt this dominating nuance to be considered relevant? Is this indigenous cultural art selling? Oh, it's the disappointing truth that these are hypothetical questions probable in the current status of the art world.

Yes, art is a commercial product, but doesn't it also deserve recognition as part of our culture and identity?

Retrieved from: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/06/11/2273024/juan-lunas-long-lost-masterpiece-unveiled-ayala-museum-multimedia-show. Headline by Lisa Guerrero Nakpil. Juan Luna’s long-lost masterpiece, ‘Hymen, oh Hyménée! (Roman Wedding)’

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Indeed it's a celebration of history. Also, it's a wedding for the rich.

To conclude, these questions reveal the sad truth that art is increasingly becoming merely for financial capital rather than social or cultural. May these questions be reflected on the status of our local artworks and their future. As a personal question for fellow scholars, critics, and creatives, who are you in this circulation of arts- are you the commodity or the Bayani?

Reference:

Kasilag, G. P. (2023, June 12). Finding Luna: Hymen, oh Hyménée comes home. Business World. https://www.bworldonline.com/arts-and-leisure/2023/06/12/528032/finding-luna-hymen-oh-hymenee-comes-home/

#art #blog #Juan Luna

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mimirpipart · 11 months

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BLOG #4: Profiling Art Patrons of A Certain Class

The Power of Art

The arts served the nation numerous times, such as in the pre-colonial era when these were present in many ritualistic-cultural daily practices. And during the colonialists' take-over, prominent members of the Katipunan, like Macario Sakay, Aurelio Tolentino, and Andres Bonifacio, appeared in plays performed at Teatro Porvenir as a component of propaganda against the colonizers, Jose Rizal with his novels, and many more.

Today, the arts are still a means for igniting a revolution against oppression and corruption. But with great power comes great responsibility, and as the arts flourish thanks to the construction of museums and galleries, so does the force of those who desire to use its illusory powers as if adding another definition to the arts as a capitalistic venture. One of the many galleries that have amassed a reaction is the AAG or Ateneo Art Gallery, notable for housing a variety of donated artworks, including some pieces bought by tycoons, an article "176 Gifts/ 176 Dispossessions" written by Angelo Suarez and Donna Miranda discusses in depth the fickle freedom of our nation balancing itself on the backs of the comprador Burgis.

We're aware that presents aren't self-serving tools used to flaunt and raise the position and fortune of the donor. It is a readiness to contribute without expecting anything in return. But in the case of Fernando Zobel, a Filipino businessman of Spanish descent, a mestizo who benefitted from the colonial landgrabs as mentioned within the article, and also a billionaire tycoon who has the power and influence to shift the country's economy, is it not self-serving to donate art and have their names deodorized and become more attractive to other capitalists and businesses, almost advertising to the world of how much credit they have? They own a bank (BPI) and the Ayala Corporation’s subsidiary Manila Water!

Retrieved from: 176 Gifts/176 Dispossessions by Angelo V. Suárez + Donna Miranda

Artsy Oligarchy

Nowadays, oligarchs that express themselves as art patrons and lovers in the media say they are doing this to contribute to the community to give back. But how do art-washing and gentrification benefit the natives, the marginalized, and the impoverished?

No doubt this family (Zobel de Ayalas) has mastered the power of art-washing. Are we sure that what they are doing, despite Fernando Zobel de Ayala and many members' artistic backgrounds, is that they are ethically patrons of the arts?

Isn't it odd that whenever a new land and metro area is in the process of development, like Nuvali, in Canlubang, hailed as Ayala Land's southern urban fulcrum, cultural and artistic festivities are seemingly prevalent, hosting that we, the people, made this possible, as Filipinos with great talent and an eye for the arts we should celebrate (Ramirez, 2008)!? The family's patriarch, Don Jaime, was inaugurating "Bravo Filipino," an event showcasing Philippine music, art, and fashion located at Greenbelt 5. The mall (Greenbelt) was perhaps the only one in the nation managed by a museum (Ayala Museum), at that time (Ramirez, 2008). Don Jaime expressed his dismay at the notion that Filipinos must be successful abroad to receive high honors at home (Ramirez, 2008). What he mentioned had some merit because we Filipinos recognize talent when it is displayed in other countries, particularly the West, as voiced by Don Jaime. The issue is that practically all of the artists in Bravo Filipino, whom Don Jaime expressed as a chance to discover local artists, are already well-known in the eyes of the global art world and the Filipino people, such as Ryan Cayabyab and Louie Ocampo, even though it intended to emphasize the discovery of our local artists, seemingly another art-washing strategy to capitalize on their businesses and products. And the Ayala Museum itself houses precious artifacts such as the Golden Bowl found in Siargao del Sur by a Filipino worker by the name of Berto Morales, that also found other golden artifacts, whose family was kidnapped but sold back for ransom due to his discovery which is now serving unsavory middlemen (Fish, 2015). The Ayala Museum now has control of the Golden Bowl. I never saw full disclosure of the discovery of these historical artifacts or recognition of their discoverers, who may have been regular people just trying to make ends meet but felt vindicated when artifacts from their history turned into a double-edged sword because of the greed of the ruling class that did more harm than good. And artworks by renowned artists, such as the rediscovered "Hymen, oh Hyménée! (Roman Wedding)," by Juan Luna, as if the Philippines were a warehouse nation to store their riches through collections of art and galleries that further decorate their name, masking as a messiah that our history is accessible for 650 and/or 350 (discounted) pesos admission that would circulate within the economy of one family who can sustain numerous cities and even islands (Ayala Museum, n.d).

Retrieved from: asiasociety.org /blog by Eric Fish/.Bowl. Surigao Treasure, Surigao del Sur province. Ayala Museum, 81.5179. Photography by Neal Oshima; Image courtesy of Ayala Museum. An object uncovered by Berto Morales in 1981.

Therefore, don't we feel as if we're being baited, through art-washing, much like the manipulation methods of our former Spanish colonists, but instead of artistic and cultural ventures, using the power of religion to enable control among the islands and changing their culture? The glorification of being saved through Christianity under foreign rule. I cannot stop metaphorizing this family with our colonizers, having known their family comprador initiatives in the past. Reading and observing the family dynasty seems to be a form of postmodern colonization, much like the messianic guise of our Spanish colonizers. If we focus on the museums of the modern day, like the Ayala Museum, aren't they like the cathedrals of Spanish friars? Do we see ourselves represented in a museum that felt like our culture was another exotic attraction, our culture, and arts to be profited by the ruling class? As if figuratively, we've returned to the depictions of Spanish priests subtlety calling us indios, but now within the confines of a museum whose name constantly reminds us of our past.

What is a Gift?

I can't seem to disagree with the essays on "176 gifts/176 dispossessions," indeed, the arts have become so entrenched in neoliberal ideals that skew the essence of museums and the artists in the art and the art itself -a despairing truth. Much like NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), may they like it or not, these aren't for aesthetics or any other meaning of art but for their economic capital and hold on to the global trade, despite their owners' descriptions of it as "unique and inimitable."

Dare I say these cultural art festivities and donated pieces by the Ayalas aren't truly philanthropic, nor do they serve as gifts for the masses to be enlightened but to heighten their influence and hide the gentrification and displacement If they'd want to contribute to the Filipino people's art ventures and cultures they would've given gifts that serve local artists, starving artists, and communities unable to spend extra to travel to the urban metropolitan areas. To build and donate galleries situated without the subtlety of advertising their billionaire clan name. Gifts do not glorify the giver but acknowledge and support the receiver.

The article has really cemented the issue of modern-day corruption and even postmodern colonialism, which goes beyond just the gifts of these tycoons to AAG, much like the issues of the Ayalas and the irony of their museum and buildings being in every center of gentrified-marketable urban cities. Are we sure that these are still gifts? What good is a mall to a local farmer and our urban poor who used to live within these lands but now live within the slums of such "gifts?"

Alcantara. PFC

Reference:

Ayala Museum. (n.d.). Visitor Information. Retrieved June 11, 2023, from https://www.ayalamuseum.org/visit/

Fish, E. (2015, September 11). A Golden Discovery in the Philippines. Asia Society. https://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/golden-discovery-philippines

Ramirez, J.R.M. (2008, February 14). Philippine Star Global. Don Jaime and Fernando Zobel de Ayala: The empire gives back. https://www.philstar.com/other-sections/newsmakers/2008/02/14/44358/don-jaime-and-fernando-zobel-de-ayala-empire-gives-back

#art #Blog4

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mimirpipart · 11 months

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BLOG #3: Mapping the Cycle of Capital

We can compare the pursuit of the cultural capital of art-making through the local Sampaguita. Here we see the seeds held by a hand, labeled as Family, which we know as the building blocks of society. As Bourdieu emphasized, the lineage transmits cultural capital that determines who we are and our status through embodied, objectified, and institutionalized states. For example, the Sampaguita, a common flower used in many scenarios, holy courtesy, and celebratory art that is very profitable in our culture, but when we look at such artwork from different classes in society with unequal cultural capital, most probably the person with the most privileged would be awed by the masses despite both being made the same, as seen in the illustration of the hand which labeled as the upper class has a sampaguita garland on it. On the faces and statues of saints and holy figures, at graduations, weddings, and many more festivities, the cultural capital of the flower seemingly increases in value as the people who hold them and acquire them possess a significant cultural capital. But when we see them in the hands of the hawkers, many of us turn a blind eye, but most probably because some have no need for them at the moment or is it the fact that the one selling it isn't as influential as let's say a person within the ministry or a celebrity who is popular at that moment? It's pressuring, having a person of status selling you those garlands, the opportunities, the judgments of society, the repercussions of saying "no." Because of having more cultural capital/ status, influence will rise, and the masses would try to imitate this and label the person with the most influence as the progenitor, much like the Sampaguitas, as the masses, or "masa," we almost ignore that these Sampaguitas came from the masses' grounds and Sampaguita shrubs. Many of us do not associate the fame of something with someone who has less influence than us. However, the prevalence of the arts came from the masses- The communities and tribes overridden by the economy, colonialism, and other cultural influences. The celebrities' families are an example of cultural capital maintained through high cultural capital in a biased way, nepotism. But they were made famous because of our massive inclination toward them- towards their influential progenitors who have passed on their capital, such as the Barrettos and, in the West, Lily Rose-Depp.

Most of the time influence of the upper classes and ruling institutions comes with a new culture, a capital roused from the embodied state, and rebellion of the masses (like the varying looks of the Sampaguita flowers on the plant), a transformation, and the birth of a new cultural capital, such as Balagtasan in the past, now to some academics the modern Flip top (Angeles, 2014). Balagtasan is a traditional form of debate and a way to address nationalistic ideas, socio-political views, and anti-colonialism through the Filipino vernacular, poetry named after a famous poet, Francisco "Balagtas" Baltazar, his nature of justice, truth, and humanity's dedication to social and political equity, persistently questioned through his works and poetry (Paciente, 2022). And Flip Top, which is one of the popular forms of modern literary debate in the nation, is mainly popular with the youth expressing their scholarly prowess by hurling witty insults embedded with pop culture, which some may find counterproductive. The Flip Top is a counterculture art form despised by conservative Filipinos who regard it as low-ranking poetry or barbaric, but still, a birth of a new cultural capital by aspiring youths inspired by the rap battles in the West that addresses societal ills if people would be patient with it, much like Balagtasan to Duplo, which is a Spanish influence. Even Shakespeare made literary history by fusing the formal language of the nobility with the everyday vernacular of ordinary people within the constraints of poetry; one could argue a similar assertion for flip Top rap fights (Yap, 2012).

In the art of dance, we can see this in Voguing, a dance craze named after a particular fashion publication because it mimicked the models' poses, that began in Harlem, New York, in the 1970s and 1980s among the city's predominantly black gay population wherein an epidemic of queer children of color being expelled from their homes or shunned by their families occurred at that time (Jeffs, 2016). Voguing was their escape from a restrictive culture- a capital harming them; it was a place where they could be themselves and challenge gender roles that had previously served to oppress them. Celebrating one's sexual orientation evolved into an identity performance. It was a maintained cultural capital, for it celebrated their identity, often shunned by the limelight. It is an entirely new separate culture influenced by high fashion and pop culture at that time. The conversion and exchange of capital (social, cultural, and economic) by the appropriation of white female artist Madonna have made the art mainstream, celebrated by the LGBTQ+ community rather than looked down upon as cultural appropriation (Jeffs, 2016). In this scenario, we see how two contrasting cultures, one that is "high culture" during that time and one culture looked down upon for its perseverance and indiscriminate love that does not abide by the standards of society, combined to make Voguing a legitimate form of dance, a celebrated one. This exchange of capital has improved the outlook of the masses towards Voguing, giving its people social relevance and economic opportunities, allowing them to make a profit. Some by teaching the people to vogue and be recognized in a society that has once ignored them.

Art-making and cultural capital are intertwined. One cannot make art without their embodied state and their status as an individual. We use this to navigate our identity and society, especially discovering our roots in our cultural arts. All forms of it are valid, but the harsh reality is that institutions in society do not treat them equally. Therefore we must acknowledge such capitals that are not "elite" because every one of us has types of culture that may be seen as derogative but are part of our daily lives to survive our realities. Like even the simplest art of slang, we use inside schools within our social circles to strengthen our bonds and find solace in a hegemonic system.

References:

Angeles, M. (2014, March 1). Is FlipTop the modern-day Balagtasan. GMA News. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/artandculture/350760/is-fliptop-the-modern-day-balagtasan/story/

Jeffs, L. (2016, October 4). What is Voguing. Elle. https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/articles/a32145/what-is-vogueing-the-dance-that-solange-knowles-uses-in/

Paciente, D.R. (2022, November 18). Balagtasan: The Art of Debating Through Poetry. Owlcation. https://owlcation.com/humanities/Balagtasan-The-Art-of-Debating-Through-Poetry

Yap, K.I.M. (2021, October 12). Fliptop: the modern ‘balagtasan’. Inquirer. https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/70820/fliptop-the-modern-balagtasan/

#art

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mimirpipart · 1 year

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BLOG #2: Contributing to the Current Conversations on Philippine Contemporary Arts

Art is beauty for the other, function for another; nevertheless, it is freedom altogether.

Philippine contemporary art encompasses diverse cultures and art forms ranging from a mix of traditional, alternative, and dominant (Tabuena, 2021). The art of the Filipino today still serves both aesthetics and functionality. It shows diversity from creativity in vivid colors and themes of injustices, such as the artworks of Federico Boyd Sulapas Dominguez, where we see his art focuses on the marginalized and socio-ecological issues of today, and the communal perspective of the Filipino culture present in the art of Larry Alcala as a cartoonist and in the art of Filipino cuisine, wherein we find in Halo-halo with all of its colorful sahog as of yesterday's traditional (indigenous) arts, as emphasized by Alice Guillermo.

Contemporary Philippine art can't exist without addressing social realism as a response to the authoritative political milieu under Marcos (Flores & Quijon, n.d.).

Reflecting on it, it's sustainability is weak in terms of human development. We still see the dominance of social realism, consumerism, fascism, and exploitation of the indigenous. From the presentation on the workshop of the Lumad Bakwit School, wherein even the definitions of the colors of the beads were analogous to the many exploitations they've endured, the prominence of injustice is present as they describe the colors in such a way that we, the listeners, understand and hear their struggles against military abuses, as yellow for hope in times when they felt hopeless and red for cooperative resistance against the exploiters. The anti-terror bill in the Philippines made local artists more prone to authoritative abuses, especially those with their beliefs ingrained in art with themes of politics and activism. In mainstream media, especially at the height of the pandemic, we see how Philippine contemporary art portrayed the struggles of our people through representations and activisms in Jadie Regala Pasaylo's "Alay na Ginhawa sa Gitna ng Pandemya" and Neil Doloricon's art prints during the pandemic, such as Pila (2020).

Jadie Regala Pasaylo's "Alay na Ginhawa sa Gitna ng Pandemya"

Neil Doloricon's "Pila" (2020)

Our modern arts shouldn't have to suffer so much. It is better if those in authority implement strategies that curators are doing by themselves inside communities excluded from prominent art capitals, such as Manila, and sharing different knowledge and collective experiences in exhibitions such as the Load na Dito project, instead were given the anti-terror bill and exploitation. Thus, accessibility and full public reception is still limited.

However, despite the superficiality of safety in Philippine contemporary art, Filipinos remain in solidarity, especially amid the pandemic and exclusivity of the art scene prominent in the capital. The mobile art and research project Load na Dito was started in 2016 by artist Mark Salvatus and curator Mayumi Hirano. They note the "joint efforts of arts and cultural workers to form a loose structure," describing the art environment in the Philippines as "physically distant but socially intimate, fragmented but connected (Flamingo, 2022)."

References:

Flamingo, J. (2022, April 18). The art scene in the Philippines by Manila-based initiative Load na Dito. Art Curator Grid. https://blog.artcuratorgrid.com/load-na-dito-interview/

Flores, P.D. & Quijon, C. (n.d.). Philippine Art: Contexts of the Contemporary. Aura Asia Art Project. Retrieved May 02, 2023, from https://aura-asia-art-project.com/en/news/philippine-art-contexts-of-the-contemporary/

Tabuena, A. C. (2021). A synthesis overview of the contemporary art forms and performance practices in the Philippines. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Studies, 7(1), 103-109.

#Art #Alcantara and Hizon #Dirk and Penny

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mimirpipart · 1 year

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WEEK 3 ART - Beaded bracelet

#art

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mimirpipart · 1 year

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WEEK 3 - ARTS - BEAD BRACELET

#art

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mimirpipart · 1 year

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BLOG #1: Thinking and Rethinking the Arts

Discussing and imagining scholars about the definition of art and my peers' inquiries and perspectives a query made me think and hang on the edge of my seat if such a thing as original art exists.

I have my view on the matter, so to kick off this idea, I think art is always original but not purely original, like the definition of art by Plato as mimesis- though I'm referring to inspiration, not mimicry. To clarify, artists of today and the past were all inspired, much by tounges of fire or Newton's concept of gravity; originality doesn't exist, but genuineness does. Always, there was a source for the art being made reason being, how can a human make art without their senses, without inspiration? Art is never alone, for society always influences it and the artist; Therefore, art is impossible to be purely original, but we can say that some artworks are original by their creator.

"Artworks" can be original, it could imply using a method for the first time (unique), or it usually indicates that the artist in question produced the piece (except for AI art, but this is still my opinion). Despite the existence of reference and its inspiration, art is by the artist's mind. How do we not call their art original if the thought of it came from their own? Unless it was an attempt to copy or reproduce artworks. As Jeanette Winterson puts it, "the reality of art is the reality of imagination." we fathom using art- we fathom reality through art. We find definitions and uniqueness in the things that we perceive with the compliment of imagination. Pure original art is as difficult to prove, but I'm not saying it is impossible. Who knows? However, original art is inspired, individualized, and perceived by the artist.

Art should not be misunderstood, as art is for the sake of being original. Art is a way of peering into reality, a form of communication, and a medium for many, a defining crisis for the art erudite, it is too shallow for art to be merely original.

#artwork #blogger #Dirk Hizon and Pennyfloyd Alcantara

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