BLOG 5

A Plea for Freedom from Fear

Fermin Gomez

Plaster of Paris

Undated

Feminism

       This sculpture of Fermin Gomez greatly demonstrate the theory of feminism. Looking at the facial expression of the lady, shows a lot of courage and determination and body posture in a diagonal position shows a dynamic and very distinct feelings and actions that shows strength and will. Based from the title, we might say that this doesn't show strength but rather weakness and cowardliness. In my opinion, this is an artwork showing ladies' strength when it comes to this kind of situations. The lady in this sculpture greatly manifests strong energy of determination to survive and concern for the children with her. She gives strength and support to those children to keep going and everything's going to be okay. Strength is not only measured in terms of physical aspects but also measured in one's mental capabilities. Upon looking at  this sculpture, feel like seeing a mother duck leading her ducklings to a pond and supporting them on their swimming. Though the mother duck won't be that strong in protecting her ducklings from predators, Mother ducks plays a great and important role in the ducklings' survival. Mother duck gave them strength to be able to survive on their on and become an adult duck and which i find it similar when it come to the idea with this sculpture. Then again, as one of the main beauty of art, every view and perspective of viewers varies from one another. For some they might find it contradicting to what i said, and there is really no right explanation for an artwork.

Rape and Massacre in Ermita

Diosdado M. Lorenzo

Oil on Canvas

1947

Marxism and Post-Colonialism

       In this painting of Diosdado M. Lorenzo, it is very much obvious that it is under the theory of Marxism and Post-Colonialism. During this time, the Japanese army took over the Philippines to expand their powers. As common thing during war, deaths, abuses, and destruction of cities are everywhere during these times. One specific example was the incident in Malate wherein many civilians and soldiers were killed by the Japanese troops. Many are murdered brutally and most of the women were raped relentlessly and passed over from one soldier to another. As shown from this painting, since we are under the Americans by those times, not only Filipino women were raped but also several Americans. With the colors used in this particular painting, it greatly strengthen the feel of the painting. It added more intensity and helped a lot in visualizing the horror and chaos happened during those times. Just like Picasso's Guernica, this painting really have portrayed the hell and chaos war can bring to us. Paintings like this for me are not just a visual story-telling of our history, but also serves as warning signs and reminder of what hell and chaos war brings us and what suffering and regrets war leaves us. According to a saying, "You might be able to win a war, but in the end everyone is still a loser."   

First Mass in Limasawa

Carlos V. Francisco

Oil on Canvas

1965

Orientalism

      This painting by Carlos V. Francisco shows a particular time where the Spaniards first came to the Philippines and conducted the first mass in Limasawa. Though this painting shows colonialism, what really my attention was the inferiority of the natives towards the Spaniards. I noticed that the natives are in the rear part of the Spaniards. Of course we know the idea that whoever is superior is in the front and the back would be the inferior. With this work, even though the painter came from the east himself, was painted in a western perspective. We can see that majority of the figures are Spaniards wherein fact the natives should have the larger quantity. In addition, it also showed in this painting the submissiveness or the natives towards the Spaniards who seems to be in control of the situation. Also, a servant was also included in this painting. In the eyes of the westerners, easterners are the less powerful ones and believed to be underdeveloped. Western tradition most specially their Religion, according to them is the real one and what the easterners believe are false, wrong and evil. That alone as portrayed in this painting depicts the use of Orientalist theory.