15 August 2011
Catching Up...
I missed the first Serious Sunday! I hope this doesn't happen often, but since Motley Monday is my anything goes day, I hope it's ok if I carry over what was suppose to be yesterday's blog. This topic has been swimming in my head for over a week now, and I don't think I can move on if I don't get it out.
I want to blog about art and artists. I figured that it's a relevant issue, and I cannot put it off until the coming Sunday because by then, it might not be as relevant anymore. And being an artist myself, this is something pretty close to my heart. I constantly think about art and what is becoming of it, how it is being used, how it affects people and how it affects me.
In our times, the definition of art has become so complicated. So complicated and debatable, in fact, that it has no definition anymore. The definition of art has become opinions of what it is, what it should be and what it should not be. People have taken away its boundaries and made whatever they want of it.
And so I won't even try to define art lest I get into an argument. I think, for as long as we live, it's definition will always be challenged, debated, and redefined. But regardless of the definition, art should not be irresponsible and disrespectful.
Yes, there is freedom of expression, but that does not free us from being responsible for what we express and how we express it. So many people (not just artists) abuse this freedom. Art is a powerful form of communication which is why artists need to be careful. Who sees the piece and what messages might come across should at the very least be taken into consideration. Hiding behind relativity and subjectivity is cowardice, immaturity and laziness.
Respect is another thing that some artists seem to be forgetting. I know that artists can have very wild minds, and that is what makes them artists. They continually push boundaries, but sometimes they push way too much and begin to step on people's toes, setting them on the edge. I don't know what it is about the Catholic faith that artists seem to just love to push their buttons, constantly portraying the saints and the image of Jesus in morbid and gross ways. The thing is, we all already know how easily offended and defensive they can get. Distorting the images they worship is obviously not the way to get them to change anything or rethink their ways. Artists should learn to respect Catholics just as they would respect Hindus and Buddhists by respecting the images they worship.
So much of the artworks I see now are irresponsible and disrespectful. And i'm not just talking about "ugly" art. A lot of skillfully made, amazingly beautiful art are actually irresponsible and disrespectful. I hope artists will not just stop at self-expression. Art is so much more than that. Art is a gift, and to be an artist is a privilege. Let's not misuse it.
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I knew you were talking about the CCP exhibit. XD However, we have different views. Honestly, asar na asar na ako sa Catholic church for being too sensitive with almost everything, or I just might be speaking from my bad experiences with Catholicism in general (huhuhu sorry Catholic friends).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, ang sa'kin naman kasi, all of those things were just images at hindi lang naman imahe ni Christ ang nandun. Pati lahat ng popular icons nandun. Poleteismo talks about how people make pop culture their gods and not really God anymore. That's why it's poleteismo. I just really hate the media right now for not completely giving the people a thorough but brief explanation about Mideo Cruz's exhibit. And ironically, it has gone to different places and Ateneo even recognized the exbihit from what I heard.
Hindi ako offended sa exhibit kasi alam ko naman na hindi si God yung minomock at the end of the day kundi ang taumbayan at ang ating idolatrous nature. Masyado lang talagang literal ang Simbahan hay.
This is just me, pero para kasing naging personal yung attack sa mga tao kaya grabe na lang ang reaksyon nila nung cinover ng media. Now, I'm really starting to dislike the media even more. :|
@Ella Mae
ReplyDeletehi ella mae,
i think that it is unfortunate that CCP exhibited that piece of work because as CCP, it was bound to get more mileage even with just the field trips held by schools to this national "monument" of art. i think its officers should have been more discerning about the work they featured.
you also pointed out that the attacks have gotten personal. that is precisely why mideo should have been more responsible in using various symbolic images - symbolisms, specially of the faith, of any faith is personal.
and if the intent was to make people change their polytheistic views, the art has totally failed to achieve that goal. as you can see, the catholics have taken an even more passionate stand.
:) bj
@Ella Maehindi ko nakita yung actual exhibit, pero nakita ko naman sa pictures na it's not just images of Christ. And when i saw pictures of FPJ and other famous icons, naisip ko na na tungkol siya sa kung paanong ginagawang diyos ng mga tao ang mga iniidulo nila. Pero kinailangan ba talaga niyang lagyan ng penis yung mukha ni Jesus? Nagegets ko pa yung condoms eh.
ReplyDeleteHindi rin ako offended sa work niya, pero naiintindihan ko kung bakit ganon na lang ang galit ng Catholic church.
Pero yun nga, hindi lang naman tungkol kay cruz yung blog ko, ayoko siya i-single out dahil sa panahon natin, ginagawa na talagang excuse ng madaming artist (kasama na ang media at industriya) ang freedom of expression para magawa ang gusto nila kahit may mga nababastos at napapahamak na iba.
@Ella Mae pero salamat sa comment :) masaya ako pag may nagko-comment sa blog ko.. at medyo ineexpect ko din na may mag disagree sa akin kasi parang mas madami akong kilala na mas nagsa-side kay cruz. hehe.
ReplyDeletepalagay ko madami ding dapat pag-isipan ang Catholic church.. may dahilan kung bakit sila laging napag-iinitan and i think they should start looking at the mirror and asking themselves kung bakit nga ba talaga.
@joedith 'bj' lego
ReplyDeleteWow! May reply button! I like 8D
Anyway, yun nga yung malungkot dun. Hindi nakuha nung viewers ang gustong iparating ni Cruz tungkol sa Poleteismo. I think mag-a-agree ako sa sinabi ng prof ko, hindi pa handa ang Pilipinas sa Art in general. -_-
Naniniwala naman akong naisip na ni Cruz beforehand ang maaaring effects nito sa tao. Nakalulungkot lang kasi matagal na rin pala siyang nakapaskil sa CCP from what I heard, tapos nung cinover lang ng media, tsaka lang nalaman ng tao na may ganito palang art.
Actually, ang masasabi ko na lang siguro ay to each his own, kung tama nga yung pagkakaintindi ko sa saying na yon. XD At well, normally naman talaga, on a personal level ang atake ng ibang artworks, yun nga lang, sadyang nagulat ang tao sa nakita nila, but that's just me.
And I do agree that faith is very personal. :D
Sana nga lang bago nagreact ang karamihan against the artwork, naisip muna nila sana kung bakit ganon na lang ang naging treatment nung artist towards a particular subject.
I feel bad for the artist. Malamang siguro, mas marami siyang natatanggap na hatred from the public at damaging yun sa kanya. I feel bad for the people. Kasi hindi nila magets na probably, may sinasabi yung artwork sa kanila, since Art is also a means to communicate. :(
Pasensya na rin kung tunog masungit yung reply ko. Tunog masungit ako parati sa internet, pero generally, hindi naman ako masungit (hehehe). Happy ako in real life at hindi ako nabibigyang hustisya ng internet huhuhu. At salamat din pala sa reply kasi may nagrereply sa replies ko. :D
@jodibess
ReplyDeleteMasaya rin ako kapag may nacocomment sa posts ko hahahaha so I know the feeling! XD
Anyway, ayoko na nga manood ng news at makinig ng radio kasi naiinis lang ako sa issue. Pag nakakabasa ako ng anything related sa exhibit, parang ayoko na rin mag-online. Huling hirit na siguro to sa araw na 'to, tapos after nun, sa akin na lang lahat ng inis hahaha! Owwell papel.