From Francisco to today: Emergence of Realism in CALABARZON art

The aesthetic of realism in Philippine contemporary art guises in many

forms, the most publicized of which is the social, or socio-realistic. In its
extreme form, it is known as protest art, which, in the hands of a scantily
gifted artist, collapses into propaganda, or at best a rehash of the European
mannerist style.
Such an art, however, when delegated in the hands of an extremely gifted
individual surpasses its thematic constraints, its material, as in the murals
of Southern Tagalog artist Carlos ‘Botong’ Francisco. Of course, we took
pride in the bravura of his artworks whose strokes and themes reflect his
humble dwelling by the Laguna de Bay.
You would know a Francisco mural when you see it. The figuration is
spontaneous with the coloration; the colors were not a show-off as well. His
enormous canvass at the lobbies of Manila City Hall and Philippine General
Hospital definitely stood in sharp contrast with the murals along the streets
of Angono. Yet, the latter may be similarly considered as belonging to the
realist school given that their artworks reflect an appropriation of the
mythico-historical murals of Francisco.
While Angono artists are still incomparable to their mentor, their oeuvre
introduced a novel style of socio-realism, somehow identical to the valiant
Mexican painters who dramatized the revolution as it unfolds. A stroll along
Barangay Poblacio Itaas in Angono, Rizal would reveal the influence of
Francisco on modern muralists. To get an easel painting from Francisco is
such a rarity since he preferred to do murals. Perhaps he made huge
paintings on plywood and public walls to increase the viewership of his
work.
There arises the attraction of artists to subscribe to socio-realistic arts – it is
open for public consumption. Francisco’s murals spoke the melodramatic
socio-political allegory which captured the attention of critics. It aroused
opinions and varied interpretations because it was made for the public to
see. Inarguably, there are many Franciscos at the present.
An independent multimedia collective of young artist and workers based in
Southern Tagalog region called Southern Tagalog Exposure also
capitalized on the publicity element of socio-realist art. They used protest
visual art forms such as street theater, murals, and effigies to arouse
opinions from larger society on issues concerning the underclass. On their
website, stexposure.wordpress.com, the collective maintained that their
passion is “developed at the backdrop of a congruent sense of social
responsibility.”
Recently, STExposure conducted a photographic exhibition with a theme
“Locating Bonifacio,” in time for the celebration of Bonifacio’s
sesquicentennial anniversary. Here, the potential use of art in intensifying
awareness and understanding a national hero was demonstrated through
the collection of portraits.
Realism was also the foreground of a recently concluded culture and arts
symposium at UP Los Banos, entitled “Siklab.” In the said symposium,
speakers from different fields talked about how arts can be used to forward
social change. Of crucial contribution to the conference are the remarks of
the controversial Mideo Cruz. His public display of provocative images has
caused outraged criticisms from different sects, but he would pertain to his
obras as a “public persuasion to action.”
There is also a form of realism based on nostalgia, the looking backward to
an earlier period in history or even in myth, a romanticism actually. A
compelling medium to deliver such kind of realism is theater. Various
socially relevant theater shows were being staged across different key
theater houses along CALABARZON, particularly in universities. Layeta
Bucoy, a homegrown artist and professor from UP Los Banos, could be
considered a representative of such movement. As a critically acclaimed
playwright, her works depict social realism at an unprecedented level. Her
close association with Artaud’s theater of cruelty is what she would refer to
as an “unsettling representation of reality.” As Bucoy romanticized social
and political turmoil, she used art in inciting action from a purportedly
uninterested public.
Point is, socio-realistic art isn’t just a matter of skill. It is a discipline that
demands sensibility and keen observation to what is happening around.
The politically charged works of Francisco may face abrasion, as other art
forms fade and wither, but the realities they attempt to mimic will remain
relevant. As socio-realist art reflects the social, political, and economic
circumstances of the times in which it was created, the sentiments and
observation of the artist similarly surfaced.