Saturday, October 25, 2008
A MORE SOLEMN TRIBUTE, PLEASE
The marker is all that's left on this site that only two months ago used to be a memorial intended to preserve the memory of more than 1,000 women -- comfort women -- who were continually raped by the Japanese occupation forces during the Second World War.
As stated on my previous post, Remembering the Victims of Military Sexual Slavery, the original memorial's entire presentation and setting (located on Plaza Lawton facing the Manila Post Office) seemed capriciously smarmy; an outrageous disrespect for the victims.
Hence, kudos to Mayor Lim and his officials for the expeditious removal of the offensive statues.
As replacement, may I suggest a more solemn image and appropriate location. The mayor may want to send a couple of officials from his Historical & Heritage Commission to the Annual Invitational Sculpture Exhibition, currently going on, so as to select the ideal artist or artists to be commissioned to create the new image or set of images for this tribute.
The exhibition, ANYO, a gathering of contemporary Filipino sculptors, is presented by Art Informal. It features the works of Augusto Albor, Salvador Joel Alonday, Noell EL Farrol, Riel Hilario, Renato Ong, Uly Veloso, Jo Gerlado, Leeroy New, Raymar Gacutan Pablo Capati III, Pete Cortes, Joey de Castro, Christina Quisumbing Ramilo, Mervy Pueblo, Stephanie Lopez, Anna Varona, Alex Tee, Angel Inocentes, Clinton Anniversario, to name a few.
The exhibit opened last Thursday and will run until November 8.
277 Connecticut Street
Greenhills East, Mandaluyong City
Telephone: 725-8598, sms 0918-899-2698
Web site: www.artinformal.com
I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.
Thank you!
Labels: art matters, Manila history
posted by Señor Enrique at 7:22 AM
14 Comments:
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FilMasons NSW said... Definitely, these women victims deserve a more dignified tribute.
I love how you weave these things Eric. Great idea of commissioning local Pinoy artists; what a better way of "displaying" their work.-
FilMasons NSW said...
Definitely, these women victims deserve a more dignified tribute.
I love how you weave these things Eric. Great idea of commissioning local Pinoy artists; what a better way of "displaying" their work.-
Señor Enrique said...
Yes, Mario, these victims are deserving of a more dignified tribute.
Thank you! It so happened that one of the sculptors had sent me an invite; a wonderful coincidence since the mayor's staff may be looking for artists to commission for a new sculpture :)-
Dennis Villegas said...
If the Kamikaze suicide bombers have a fitting memorial in Pampanga, maybe these women should have a more so. Thank you for this reminder to our officials to give more honor to the grave of these poor women...
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Ebb Tide said...
A nice news. Thanks for the info about Filipino contemporary sculptors. I am happy to know that they are increasing in numbers. I wished I can be there at their show. I didn't send you my art brochure yet, because you didn't mail me your home address. Yesterday, I posted the 2nd series of photos from my recent art show, Please check it out. It's like being there
w/ out the hassle.-
said... hello. its me again.my name is EVA. the one who asked you about the panceterias in escolta and wondering the name of the restaurant my parents used to eat before.thanks for your quick reply.
and also,i will wait for it patiently.i mean when you get to have a blog about restaurants's or panceterias in the 50's or 60's. whooo so excited to see that!!!!
i was born in sta.cruz, manila.my aunt and i often go to escolta and avenida when i was young.i remember good earth, madison, berg's, otis, shoe world,syvel's, alemar's, goodwill,shoemart in quiapo (the first one) etc. even El Gusto in azcarraga. i love their mamon and lugaw.we also love to eat at ramon lee and la perla.
hope to see old photos of escolta and avenida. wonder where to look.do you know a website?
im now here in LA, Calif. and how i miss manila badly.i even asked my sister to buy me....are you ready?....Liwayway and komiks!!! hehehe. miss them too.
one last thing.i love to see old ads from pinas.like cortal, alhambra, rufina patis, goya, etc.wonder what website to look at? pls give me any suggestion.ill appreciate them so much.thanks a lot! u are a great help. you've got a really informative blog.no wonder you won tons of awards. proud to be PINOY!!!!-
Señor Enrique said...
And not in some obscure corner of a park, either. Intramuros may be the appropriate place since from what I understand, the Japanese kept some comfort women there during the war.
Thank you, Dennis!-
Señor Enrique said...
There are many local talents that are emerging, Ebb Tide. They just need more venues to showcase their works, and this initiative by Art Informal certainly is a big boost to their visibility.
I will check out your photos. Thanks for sharing :)-
Señor Enrique said...
Unlike Manila's movie theaters, restaurants are far more abundant and ephemeral; thus, compiling a list dating back from the '50s may be one arduous task, Eva ... hehehe.
However, for those site you ask, start with the following:
http://pilipinokomiks.blogspot.com/
http://video48.blogspot.com/
And there's Nostalgia Manila, too. Just google for its URL.
Our fellow bloggers may add to this list :)
Enjoy!-
Sidney said...
Wonderful... it is nice to see that city hall is listening to the remarks and suggestion of the people.
Congrats Eric... I am sure you helped the case by blogging about it !-
escape said...
quite small indeed. the sufferings and the pin caused by such experience is definitely something we need to look at once in a while. it somehow reminds us of our freedom.
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Señor Enrique said...
Thanks, Sidney, though, I'm sure city hall has received numerous complaints from concerned citizens regarding this memorial's inappropriate images.
But nonetheless, kudos to city hall for listening to its constituents :)-
Señor Enrique said...
That is so true, donG!
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My profile said...
This maybe a late comment...but in behalf of the artists of Anyo and Art Informal, thank you for suggesting sculptors from our group show. Also, I do remember the cement sculptures around that memorial (which stands near a public restroom, if I may add). Manila is such a place to find disjunctions and discontinuities of image and text, of memorials and whatnot. It is not uncommon to see historical places being used as dens for the unmentionable and to witness homes of heroes turned into softdrink and beer warehouses. Perhaps we can spot them more and highlight the ones worth mentioning. Thanks!
