The war on drugs and its effects are on display in ‘Hudyat’ art exhibit at FEU

The Far Eastern University (FEU) this March plays hosts to "Hudyat: Filipino Artists for Human Dignity", an introspective art exhibit on the effects of the Duterte administration's campaign against drugs and criminality. 

Edna Aquino, member of the organizing committee, explained that the title translates to "warning."

"Exhibit siya ng mga batikang artist natin (at) saka mga photographers at mga literary artists natin na nagpapahiwatig ng kanilang hinaing at kanilang pag-aalala sa mga nangyayaring walang humpay na killings dahil sa war on drugs," Aquino said in a report on Unang Balita on Friday by Katrina Son.

Leading the exhibit curated by Ricky Francisco are National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto Cabrera, Pandy Aviado, Xyza Bacani, Melvyn Calderon, Antipas Delovato, Toym Imao, Patricia Evangelista, Carlo Gabuco, Jose F. Lacaba, Marne Kilates, Raffy Lerma, Julie Lluch, Nikki Luna, William Elvin Manzano, Rick Rocamora, Jose Tence Ruiz, Resbak, EA Torredo, Mark Valenzuela, and Veejay Villafranca.

They are joined by artists from FEU, namely Ma. Eugene Aniar, Christopher Bautista, Manuel Billoso, Jun Concepcion, Alexandre Dalit, Gabriel Gapay, Archie Jacinto, Candido Manarpiz, Gene Paul Martin, Victor Sison, and Dexter Sy.

Raffy Lerma's famous photograph of a woman cradling her slain husband, evocative of "La Pieta" by Michelangelo, is on display along with art critical of the Martial Law era like Toym Imao's "Desaparecidos" and a print of Jose F. Lacaba's "Prometheus Unbound."

"Desaparecidos" is an installation that has been previously featured at the University of the Philippines - Diliman and the Martial Law Museum, mounted in 2016.

Photographs by Raffy Lerma are among those on exhibit. Photo courtesty of FEU.

"Exterminator" by Virgilio Aviado. Photo courtesty of FEU.

Also mounted again after its stint at the Art Fair Philippines 2017 is Jose Tence Ruiz's "Tongue in a Mood" and refurbished electric chairs—a comment on the return of the death penalty. 

Some eye-catching pieces include Virgilio Aviado's "Exterminator", which are pictures of President Rodrigo Duterte holding firearms, and Antipas Delotavo's "Bakas ng Salarin 2016", which shows bodies in garbage bags with cardboard signs identifying them as criminals.

In an interview with GMA News, acclaimed sculptor Julie Lluch puts the works in context. 

"My idea is just to mourn. I just want to mourn all these people killed across the country — killed with impunity, killed with little conscience or no conscience at all," Lluch said. "It is time for artists to really speak up and I think art is a very powerful tool to express (the) sentiments of the people."

Martin Lopez, FEU Director of the President's Committee in Culture, further said that the exhibit is for students and the public to have an awareness of the issues and that "through the artwork, they will have a better understanding of human rights and human dignity and then maybe take a stand on issues."

"Hudyat: Filipino Artists for Human Dignity" will be on display at the FEU Gazebos, NRH Lobby, and Technology Building Lobby until March 25.

Visit the official Facebook page for more details. —Aya Tantiangco/KG, GMA News