Our Art, Our Revolution

Artwork: Ienne Junsay

Much of today’s response to abuse and oppression is the seemingly unstoppable pursuit of artists, musicians, filmmakers, photographers, and writers to record these injustices in their world of work. The history of our arts and humanities is the history of our revolution. 

In a video that discusses the revolutionary literature and art in the Philippines from the 1960s to the present, Professor Jose Maria Sison, chairperson of the International League of Peoples' Struggle, says, “We took the stand that literature and art must serve the exploited and oppressed people and necessarily the new democratic revolution as the way to their national and social liberation. There was no way the fascist regime could stop the creation of literary and artistic works. Literary works circulated among the people. Lightning cultural performances were held even in city centers. Protest graffiti, periodikits and sticker-posters of various sizes were posted on walls, waiting sheds, and inside buses and jeepneys. A collective of creative writers and illustrators was able to produce the illustrated version of Philippine Society and Revolution.”

Source: When In Manila

“When martial law was proclaimed and fascist dictatorship was imposed on the people, many creative writers and artists joined the underground and armed revolutionary movement and created more works about the dire social conditions, the sacrifices and struggles of the Filipino people. Literature and art flourished most among the propaganda and cultural teams of the New People’s Army and the masses in the countryside. The central and regional publications of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines published songs, poems, short stories and illustrations Cultural organizations published, performed or exhibited the literary and artistic works of their members,” Sison explains.

Needless to say, the same thing is happening right now. With the power and influence of social media, our voice continues to get louder and louder. Most of our artistic plights and responses to the current struggle of the victims of the current administration’s abuse of power involve starting a conversation, making art, sharing music, hosting workshops and campaigns, and many others that challenge, question, and attack our nation’s oppressors. We become the voice of those who are voiceless. We become the voice of every victim whose life ended as a statistic, as collateral damage. 

Let us demand justice. Let us demand answers. Let us demand fairness.