“Mother’s Revenge”
by Jose Rizal
Rizal’s
terra cotta sculpture of a mother dog on top of a crocodile, biting its stone-hard
scaly back, to revenge her puppy is one of the pieces that screams Feminism to
me. But at the same time, it shows Marxism. Well, as for me.
Finally,
the oppressed has been able to fight back to its oppressor. Her uttermost power—her
strength and courage, dominates in this sculpture. Although the oppressor, the
crocodile, still had the puppy in its mouth, I view it as a weakling as
suggested by its position.
As
a mother, one would do anything, everything for her children. Not fearing for
her own life, she risks it to revenge her puppy, her poor, bitten and probably
dead puppy.
“Parisian Life”
by Juan Luna
When
I saw this painting of Juan Luna, I feel like it communicated to me as a take
on Feminism. Not only because its subject is of a French woman, but also
because of how it is composed.
The
woman sits carelessly on the couch with her arms positioned away from her,
something that could be perceived as unladylike of her. And this fact may have
not mattered, because by looking at her face, it is still all calm. In front of
her, a half-empty (or half-full, if you are to see it that way) glass sits on
the table, suggesting that she may have already been drinking. Inches from her,
(maybe even a foot or two), a gentleman’s hat rests on a cloth or maybe an
inside-out coat (I can’t tell). From afar, three gentlemen sit, probably having
a conversation about her, admiring her beauty or insecure of her dominating
presence.
With
today’s society, I’m not sure how people view women of today. Are we still that
conservative? Or are we now more carefree? But I do know that women nowadays
strive to be more independent, to have their own identity and to prove to the
world that we are equally as strong, determined and dexterous, as men are.
“The Basi Revolt Series XIII” (The four
insurgent leaders are hanged.)
by: Esteban Villanueva
E.
Villanueva’s series of oil paintings depicting the Basi Revolt during 1807
takes its audience to a different period of time. I have come to consider that
this series says of Post-Colonialism as well as Marxism.
From
what I’ve learned about these paintings (well, I only posted one for this
entry), the artist painted this 14 years after the said revolt. The rebellion started in Ilocos because the
Spanish colonizers started to ban their traditional wine which is the Basi. However, the colonial forces won
and this is one of the many brutal ways they punished their Filipino captives.
The leaders were hanged, some scourged to death, some decapitated.
With
all honesty, the artist naif style in painting doesn’t really impress me. His rendering
of colors, well, it’s okay. But what’s really astonishing is how he was able to
capture and express the historical event with so much attention to details and
elements on each scene taking into consideration that he was only 10 years old
when the revolt happened.
After
being colonized, Filipinos have really developed and strengthen their
nationalism. However, it is undeniable that we have been influenced by our
colonizers in some ways. Even on the artist’s portrayal of the cloudy sky in
some of the paintings, it shows the influence from Chinese Art.
As
per Marxism, this painting shows the defeat of the “insurgents” or the rebels
and once again, the oppressor had taken control of the land. What’s new
society? Tell me. Today, we are shushed by so many governing bodies. Take RA
10175—when do we get to talk again? And if we fight for our rights, what will
we get in return? 5 to 10 years of imprisonment; in line with murderers and
rapists? Should I have done the same thing then?
PS:
must I apologize for the delay of my entry.
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