By Vanessa Adolfo and Maez Estrada

A dictator in Malacañang is passé, not that it was ever in fashion.

Such is the view of Filipino artists and cultural workers who have lately committed themselves to preventing the possibility of a Marcos-Duterte tandem in government. This is the time to color outside the traditional lines.

And local artists have achieved just that by starting a literal art movement.

‘ART’ project

Artists against the Resurgence of Tyranny (ART), was launched online last December 14, 2021. (Photo from ART’s Facebook page)

Uniting against the political alliance between Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte in the 2022 elections, Filipino artists and cultural workers have brewed up the Artists against the Resurgence of Tyranny (ART).

ART is an alliance launched in December 2021 that consists of individuals practicing visual arts, performing arts, literature, music, film, and other fields. Its initial unity statement was signed by nearly 200 artists of different disciplines and 11 arts collectives and organizations.

These include Artista ng Bayan (ABAY), Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), Dakila, Kalimbahin, Musicians for Peace, Regional Art Forum, Respond and Break the Silence Against the Killings (RESBAK), Salidummay Performing Arts Group, Sining Bugkos, Surian ng Sining (SUSI), and Ugatlathi Artist Collective.

Award-winning playwright and Martial Law survivor Bonifacio Ilagan of SUSI and the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses (CARMA) highlighted ART’s advocacy of discontinuing the abuses of the Marcos and Duterte political dynasties.

“We bear this focused commitment in the very name of our alliance, and we wear it like a badge of courage: ART,” Ilagan said during the alliance’s launch.

ART’s online launch last December 14, 2021. Screenshots from Lito Ocampo

Debunking political machineries

As it stands, ART is the largest alliance of artists and cultural workers in the country that stands against the reemergence of tyranny by the Marcos and Duterte regimes.

“[The tandem has] officially become a political cartel operated by clans of plunderers and enablers,” JL Burgos of SUSI said.

CAP chairperson Bibeth Orteza added that we must stand up against this abuse of power and resist the families who have a long history of human rights violations but are still aiming for a seat in office.

When it comes down to the Marcos legacy that the tandem banks on, founder-leader of Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino (Kontra-Gapi) Edru Abraham debunked the idea of “Solid North,” being an Ilocano himself.

“Naging ‘solid’ lang ‘yan (Solid North) noong panahon ng diktadura, by definition ay kontrolado ang lahat ng gobyerno,” Abraham said, explaining that people’s movement against Marcos in the northern provinces continue to this day. He called on his fellow Filipinos from the North to think about their decisions in supporting the Marcos-Duterte tandem, especially for the future generations.

In the midst of historical distortion and suppression of facts, artists are now faced with the challenge of using the arts to “question, highlight, and resist” the blatant changing of narratives.

“This election is about taking back our stories, taking back our voices, breaking the cycle of suffering that seems to be a pattern,” lawyer Grace Lopez of Regional Art Forum said.

The role of the arts

Visual artist and professor Toym Imao said the arts become our “second line of defense” when the truth and the press fall victim to the state.

“We have the ability to encapsulate very big concepts about democracy, about our rights, into a few soundbites, a certain lines of a song, an image created by a painter or a sculptor, that says more than words,” Imao said.

Musicians for Democracy in the same tune emphasized the power of music during times of “darkness” and “loss of humanity” brought by the prevailing culture of impunity. “Sa mga panahong gaya ngayon, mas lalong gamitin ang paglikha [bilang] sulo sa dilim,” singer-songwriter Skarla said.

Skarla also called on mainstream singers in the music industry to speak up against abuses of power, pointing out how they can use their influence and voices to educate the public. “Hindi na panahon para mag-alinlangan at matakot. Ibigay natin sa mga sumusuporta sa atin ang katotohanan.”

Artists fight back

In the face of rapidfire Marcos-Duterte propaganda that largely circulates online, ART believes that the realm of the Internet is the perfect place for a counter attack, where they can “utilize virality in social media to reach more audiences, [especially since] it is an effective medium in delivering the right information in a very clever and creative manner,” Skarla said.

As disinformation persists, artists must combat fake news by upholding truth-telling in the democratic society, and using art to “deprive, shame, and mock” fascism are ways in which artists can resist, according to filmmaker Glenn Aquino of RESBAK.

The alliance emphasized the importance of unity and synergy, creating focal points to attract artists and groups who do different forms of art, educating each other, and intensive planning of programs.

In highlighting the significance of discussions about resistance against tyranny, ART aims to create a safe space for an exchange of views to enlighten more people and break free from echo chambers. This, the artists said, is a first step in bringing back democracy in the country.