Social Realism

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Social Realism

Capanzana, Gatchalian, Gozum, Isomura Santiago, Vargas

+“True art is a product of its society. It reflects the human condition of its time and aids in the awakening of social consciousness.”- Rachel Mayo The Essence of things (2012)

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Realism begets Social Realism

• SOCIAL REALISM• Social realists chose:

• Everyday happenings

• Current events

• Social relaionships

• Interaction and disparity of social classes

• AIMED to effect social change through Sociopolitical pieces

• Works that portrayed the truths of society

• REALISM• How the upper-class and

aristocracy perceived the world

• Very intellectual (Scientific, empirical, and democratic)

• Western oriented

Lumbay, by Pablo Baen Santos

+BackgroundSocial Realism in the 70s and 80s

+Struggle for Radical Change• Rizal and the Illustrados

• Nationalist struggle began in the 19th CE

• Source of inspiration• The artist as the nationalist

• Martial law from 1972-1986• Brought about different kinds

of art like:• People’s Art/Art for the

Masses

• Protest Art/ Commited Art

+KaisahanA Group of Young Artists

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Kaisahan“Kaisahan Social Realist Group”Formed in 1976This group coined “Social Realism” for their movement13 Members:

Papo de Asis

Orlando Castillo

Jose Cuaresma

Antipas Delovato

Edgar TalusanFernandez

Neil Doloricon

Charles Funk

Renato Habulan

Albert Himenez

Al Manrique

Jose Tence Ruiz

Pablo Baen Santos

Vin Toledo

Eventually became more political and held workshops, lectures, and group discussions on political art

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Kaisahan PriciplesNATIONALIST ART

National art was a quest for identity, where the artist was the nationalistAn opposition to Western-oriented culture

Art for?For the people, the massaCollective experience that a great number could relate to

Alternative or Oppositional Art

Art as a revitalizing force to restore meaning to the people’s livesGoing against elitist and commercialized artAlternative art

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Kaisahan PriciplesReflection Theory

•Shows the true conditions and problems in our society •“what is to be”- utopian aspect of social realism

•Form and Content•Strong in content•Yet not compromising medium and method

•Artistic Style•No limitation to a certain style•Experimentation and vision, but not forgoing communication

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Kaisahan PriciplesExposure and Dissemination

Alternative space to reach a wider audienceTraveling exhibits or art caravans, workshops for members, nonmembers and young artistsDevelopment of popular media such as murals, posters, cartoons, and comics

Art and LifeArt has a nonverbal impact on social change

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+First Generation of Social Realists

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Pablo Baen Santos•Born in1943

•Fine Arts Graduate from the University of the Philippines

•Recipient of the 13 Artists award given by the Cultural Center of The Philippines in 1990

•Considered as one of the provocateurs of social realism

Krista (Female Christ)

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Babaing Walang KiboAng Bagong Kristo

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Pagnanais ni Ina

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Edgar Fernandez•Born in 1954• Finished Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Philippine Women’s University•Husband to Nena Fernandez, mother of his two children Malaya and Diwa•“Nuon ang batayan ng paglilikha ay makabayan, makatotohanan and makabuluhan.”

Clockwise:Mapayapang Pamamalakaya (Peaceful Fishing)

Unfinished work

Martsa ng Bayan para sa Kalayaan, katarungan, at Kapayapaan

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Noon, Ngayon, at Pangarap

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Antipas Delovato•Born in Iloilo city•Studied at the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City and majored in Fine Arts at the Philippine Women’s University College of Fine Arts and Music in Manila•Recognized with the conferment of the Cultural Center of the Philippines 13 Artists Award•Selected to paint the official portrait of then Philippine President Corazon Aquino.

Itak sa Puso ni Mang Juan

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Pag-ahon

Liwanag at Dilim

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Haguipit

Timura

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Orlando Castillo•Began as an abstract painter.•He painted peasant portraits and peasants in struggle based on a sojourn in the countryside •Was imprisoned for his public art.•Was a founding member of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines•Was a Benavides awardee of the UST twice

Clockwise:15 foot tall mural for Labor day in Mindiola

Justice Under Martial Law

Different Forms of Torture: Tribute to The Polotical Prisoner

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Al Manrique• Born: 1949; Died: 2006•Graduated with a degree in architecture from the University of Santo Tomas in 1970•His works are metaphors of the struggle of the workers and the urban poor

Clockwise:Iyon Isa Pang Kamay, Dali!

Sketch of workers, Untitled

“Untitled”

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Buong Balikat

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Renato Habulan• Paintings depicted (likedialectics) truths between the rich and the poor, the master and slave, and classes of disparity.•One of the most interesting story-tellers among the social realists who came into the art scene in the ‘70s •13 Artists Award from the CCP in 1990

Clockwise:Untitled

Impit

Kaayusan sa Aguilang Pananaw

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Kubakob

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Liwanag 1 Liwanag 2

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Jose Tence Ruiz•Born 1958 in Sta. Mesa, Manila•Graduated cum laude with a Fine Arts degree from the University of Sto. Tomas in 1979•Well-known for his wry and compelling political Cartoons•Received the CCP 13 Artists Award

Clockwise:Inhuman Wrongs

BungeeFixion According to Sam Raimi

Boxing with the PCO: Macoy vs. The CCP

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Miting de Atrazo

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Neil Doloricon

•Explores the potential of traditional Philippine myths to convey social and historical issues• Social Realist painter, printmaker and editorial cartoonist•Won several prizes in various art festivals, designs and caricature competitions•artist-in-residence of the UP in 1989•Thirteen Artists awardee of the CCP in 1990 Clockwise:Inagng Kalikasan

Doloricon-Self

Welga

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Tutubing Bakal Kalabaw at Ang Tagak

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Papo de Asis•Bron on Dec 16, 1949; died of a stroke in 2005•Immigrated to the US in 1990, but continued in the arts and activist community

Clockwise:Christedom

Neo-Kolonyal

Insurrection

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In Memory Of Lupa, Kabuhayan, Katarungan

+Themes

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Themes•Social injustices•Struggles for independence•Agrarian problems•Foreign economic domination•Export labor•Exploitation of women and children•Ecological damage•3 basic evils of society: feudalism, bureaucrat capitalism, and imperialism•Militarization and human rights violations• growth of the mass movement•Vision of a new order

• SOCIOPOLITICAL, HITORICAL & FOLK-IMAGERY

•“Folk”: relating to the beliefs and opinions of ordinary people.

+Aims of The Social Realists

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What were they painting for?

•To express their aspirations of genuine freedom•Visual expression of their opinions and views regarding the present social milieus•Prompting viewers to engage in society , mediated by the artist’s work.

•Among them were•Activists

•Communists

•Feminists

+FormsPaintingsPrintsComicsEditorial CartoonsIllustrationsPostersPortable Murals for ralliesOne of the more popular forms was the wall newspaper, consisting of slogans with visuals done on bands of masking tape, which could be posted on walls and concrete road islands.

Junyee, “Mate In Four”

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3 Modes of Socail Realist Art

The declarative – reflection of society

The interrogative – elicited deconstructive questions, exposing myths of traditional privilege and heirarchy

And the imperative modes- art as a major influence or agent of change

According to Arnold Hauser, artists express themselves…through ideologies…in reaction to ideologies… in conformity to/rebellion against ideologies

+Sources http://jonathanbeller.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/aquiring_eyes_lay

out.pd

fhttp://www.angelfire.com/bc2/Egai/social.html

http://www.slideshare.net/nadya_eos/social-realism-in-the-philippines

http://journalism103.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/cultural-review-compelling-visual-journey-to-the-martial-law-period/

http://rachelmayo.blogspot.com/2012_09_01_archive.html

http://www.manilaartblogger.com/2012/08/01/at-the-ccp-looking-back-at-martial-law/

http://www.boysenknoxoutproject.com/ artworks_jose.do 

Reference: CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, Vol 4. Manila: Cultural Center of the Philippines, 1994. 

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/356062/renato-habulan-refined-fire#.UKj5aOPZ-Jl 

http://skpinas.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SO2GqQoKCpIAAC8bF5g1