Mideo Cruz’ “Poleteismo” continues to stir debate
Artists from the United States, Canada, Italy, Germany, Australia and
Thailand defended Cruz and said the campaign of vilification against
Cruz was unjust.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – In the immediate wake of the Senate’s investigation into the
controversial art exhibit “Kulo” and one of its featured works
“Poleteismo” by embattled artist Mideo Cruz, the Concerned Artists of
the Philippines (CAP) issued a statement urging the senators to uphold
the Freedom of Expression as enshrined in the 1987 Constitution.
The 1987 Philippine Constitution states in Article 3, Section 4 that:
“No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression,
or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and
petition the government for redress of grievances.”
The group reminded lawmakers of their oath to uphold and defend the
Constitution and desist from “bullying” and “pressuring” institutions
like the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to ” succumb to their
will.” It also called on the CCP to stand firm on its mandate, promote
and protect the artistic freedom of expression and reopen the exhibit.
“We urge the Senate to instead focus its energies, time and budget to
address the continuing human rights violations and impunity of
violators in the country. There is moreover the matter of extreme
poverty due to landlessness by the majority of the Filipinos which also
deserves priority,” it said.
Cruz a no-show at the Senate
The Senate conducted it’s hearing on “Kulo” but Cruz did not appear.
In an email to Bulatlat.com, Cruz said he was advised against it by
well-meaning friends.
Finding Cruz absent, Senate Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada said
Cruz should be subpoenaed, but at the end of the hearing wherein
officials of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
and the CCP attended, chairman of the Committee on Education Senator
Edgardo Angara said there was no longer a need to subpoena Cruz.
Angara explained that it was not Cruz who was the subject of inquiry
but the CCP as a public institution that allowed Cruz’ work to be put on
display in one of its galleries.
Cruz issued a statement explaining his absence from the hearing.
He said he did not attend the hearing because it was no longer about
his work but an issue of art education and the broader fight for
freedom of expression. He said he was abiding by the decision of
colleagues not to attend and in the process not feed his “self-serving
impulse to defend my work or my person to each query, insult or threat
being hurled at me.”
Controversial
artist Mideo Cruz issues public apology to those offended by his
“Poleteismo” but remains firm on the right of artists to create and
express their views on society and issues. “I apologize if I hold a
contrary view to others but I honestly believe that providing a space
for a different voice is necessary for a mature society,” he said.(Photo by Ina Alleco Silverio / bulatlat.com) Poleteismo fallacies
Dean Raul Pangalangan of the UP Law School and Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist said “fallacies” abounded in the furor over “Poleteismo.” Among the six fallacies he noted was the belief that if “Poleteismo” should be displayed in a private gallery and not at the CCP which is a a state instrumentality, making it complicit to an attack on religion.
“A private gallery is completely free to judge art according to its aesthetic biases. But a publicly-funded gallery is bound by a document called the Philippine Constitution, which requires it to respect ‘freedom of speech and of expression’ (Article III, Sec. 4) and ‘foster … a Filipino national culture … in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression’ (Article XIV, Sec. 14). By shutting down Kulô, the government is reduced to being the henchman of the neighborhood thug,” he said..... MORE
Source: Bulatlat.com
URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/08/17/mideo-cruz-poleteismo-continues-to-stir-debate/
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