ARTISTS must participate in resistance against oppressive powers through their art, speakers said in “Anyo ng Sining, Anyo ng Protesta,” a forum held last Nov. 20 at the Blaylock Hall in the Benavides Building.
Organized by UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies (CCWLS), the forum discussed the role of art in protests.
Alfonso Manalastas, spoken word artist and fellow of the UST National Writers workshop, said protest is inevitable in visual arts.
“As artists, we must eventually have to make it into the streets,” Manalastas said. “We must take it to the masses somehow, and we must eventually participate in the act of resistance itself.”
Literature alumnus Paolo Enrico Melendez delivered a lecture on music as protest art, stating that advocacy should influence art.
“Kapag mayro’ng pressing issues na kailangan mas malakas ang social pressure ukol sa artistic production, nage-evolve ang social campaigns dahil nage-evolve din ang kalaban,” he said.
Multimedia artist Leslie de Chavez said people must not ignore other spaces for protest.
“Ito ay espasyo para sa sining, pero ito rin ay para mag-educate ng mga tao. Lalong-lalo na ang mga taong nasa loob ng white cube [dahil] hindi [sila] lumalabas sa kalye, pero kailangan nilang marinig,” he said.
“Anyo ng Sining, Anyo ng Protesta” was part of the USTingan Series organized of the CCWLS. L.A.E. Dispo
