Since setting up her design firm, MB Architecture Studio, in 2007, Ar. Micaela Benedicto has built a diverse portfolio of architectural projects. Her works, whether residential or commercial, showcase a distinct spatial quality, “I like to create things that can go from something static to something that is alive and reactive,” Benedicto states. “In creating […]
ABAY Tribute Exhibit Showcases the Artist’s Role in Resistance
Recommended Video
Tap to Unmute
Unmute
0:00
0:00
Kasalukuya’t Kasaysayan ng Artista ng Bayan (ABAY), 1985-1994, is an important historical exhibit in today’s stormy political times. Containing twenty-one artists and former members of Martial Law-era group ABAY, it displays the important work of cultural workers in mass movements in changing the world today.
Lisa Ito curated the works of the exhibit. In a write-up describing the history of the group, Ito describes them as a part of a long line of cultural workers that emerged during Martial Law to protest the first Marcos regime’s oppression. This same lineage birthed institutions like the Concerned Artists of the Philippines.
“ABAY was founded to organize young art students to provide design services for non-government institutions and to complement the cultural work of the mass movement,” Ito wrote.
Advertisement
Speaking for the Downtrodden
ABAY’s tribute exhibit contains a unique showcase of protest art and how it resists easy formulation and categorization. The portrayal of angry protestors, of the downtrodden, of Uncle Sam and Christian imagery, mutates and meshes into works that deepen our own understanding of how these images affect us.
For example, Jocelyn Bartolome’s two contributions to the exhibit utilize dry rice in its composition of traditional Filipino images of protest and motherhood. It properly links these images to the long-standing agrarian reform movement—finding solidarity in the common cause of human rights.
One untitled artwork by Joy Mallari and Mark Justiani portrays migrants fighting for better working conditions in a Californian Walmart. Two paintings by Patricia Sanchez-Bautista and Judith Alluso represent the innocence of childhood, and how it can shape our own perspectives in the art we create.
Advertisement
A variety of sculptures by Lito Mondejar depict Filipinos in different situations, looking defiant or defeated at times as they traverse through different contexts. These include a larger-than-life depiction of Jose Rizal, and smaller statues portraying peasant workers and child soldiers.
These artworks move away from the tradition of deifying the poor and their plight. Instead, it characterizes their reality and shows them ripping through the shackles to demand their rights and humanity be upheld. One can feel a certain sense of inspiration seeing the masses fight against these oppressive systems.
Art in Service of the People
A whole section memorializes the passing of five artists who were members of ABAY. The artists are Will Dulay, Manny Gutierrez, Claire Tumabli-Zapata, Federico Sievert, and Edgar Talusan Fernandez. These paintings show the fighting spirit of the Filipino people, putting protestors in near-mythical poses and situations that exemplify their contribution to the human rights movement.
Advertisement
Altogether, the exhibit really harps on the need of cultural work to help concretize a movement’s causes. It gives people looking from the outside an entry point to empathize with these experiences. From that point of empathy, people can work together to form mass movements that forces the government to listen to their causes and needs.
These great artworks illustrate the success of the mass movements in ending Martial Law, and its current necessity today. The experiences of the masses haven’t really changed since then, even with the advent of technologies supposed to help our lives. The politics remain dirty, many farmers still don’t own their own land, and the poor’s lack of opportunity prevails.
“At a period when forgetting, censorship, disappearances, underdevelopment, and poverty are again on the rise, ABAY’s gathering is a homecoming long deserved, a postscript with lessons learned, and an affirmation of art serving the people,” Ito wrote.
Advertisement
Kasalukuya’t Kasaysayan ng Artista ng Bayan (ABAY), 1985-1994 is open until October 23.
Photos by Elle Yap.
Related reading: ‘Ilog Hanggang Laot’ Demands Empathy and Action for War-Weary Palestinians
Advertisement
Located in Pasig City, Kapitolyo is a small village that is known for its food and beverage scene. From karinderyas to local bistros, the area is a popular hub for young professionals and families. The cafés in the neighborhood reflect the dynamic community they serve, offering more than just a cup of coffee. What Makes […]
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
On May 9, 2026, DXT opened its new Kohler Showroom on the 7th floor of its Quezon City Office. Alongside the launch is the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers’ (PIID) General Membership Meeting (GMM). The theme, Designing for Possibility, underscores this significant milestone. Three speakers were invited for the featured talk: PIID’s National President, IDr. […]
Advertisement
Pasulong by Anton V. Quisumbing explores loss, longing, and repair. Two years in the making, Quisumbing pieced together the remains of bronze propellers from boats damaged in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette in 2021. Curated by Miguel Rosales and designed by Caramel Creative Consultancy, the exhibition consists of twenty-nine compositions. The works suggest that moving […]
SoFA Design Institute has established itself as one of the Philippines’ leading centers for creative education. It is dedicated to equipping students with the skills, perspective, and confidence needed to succeed in design both locally and internationally. Last March 11, this vision was brought into sharper focus through the launch of SoFA’s academic partnership with […]
Download this month's BLUPRINT magazine digital copy from:
Subscribe via [email protected]