Kat in the Hat

Nov 4, '07 12:38 PM
for everyone

ludicrous (loo-di-krus), adj. commissioning a mural about press freedom, then censoring it.

It's just so ridiculously low and petty! Don't the powers-that-be realize that by blatantly and amateurishly defacing this mural, they make themselves seem laughably defensive? It's the pathetic and shameless behavior of the desperate.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

What Press Freedom?

Around three months ago, the National Press Club commissioned us to do an 8x32 foot-mural on the history of press freedom in the Philippines. A lot of problems were encountered during the production phase mainly because of the delays in the schedule of payment on their part, as stipulated in the contract we signed. Still, through the commitment and dedication shown by the members of our group, the mural was completed in time for the unveiling scheduled on October 26. Finally, we would be able to sleep a lot more easily.

Or so we thought.

We were shocked to be informed by one of their board of directors that changes were made in the mural without our knowledge.

We, the Neo-Angono Artists Collective, would like to express our outrage, revulsion and protest against the total lack of respect of the NPC for the integrity of the commissioned artwork, as shown by the slipshod alterations they caused in several parts of the said mural, to wit:

* The erasure of a big portion of the newspaper held by the central figure, containing the statement of the International Federation of Journalists regarding the perceived effects of the anti-terror law on press freedom, and replaced by a hideous bird-monster in a cage;

* The alteration of the headline of the newspaper Jose Rizal is holding from “Press Freedom Fighter’s Son Abducted” to “Press Freedom Fight Is On” and the defacement of Jonas and Edith Burgos’s pictures as well as the erasure of Jonas’s name;

* The change of the tattoo on Andres Bonifacio’s left arm from the alibata “K” to a sappy red heart pierced by an arrow;

* The erasure of the name of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines from the banners of the rallyists;

* The lengthening of the hair and beard of the figure identified as academician-columnist Prof. Randy David beside columnist Conrad de Quiros;

* The addition of beard and mustache and the change of hair color from white to black of the pugo and balut vendor identified as columnist and Martial Law detainee Juan Mercado.

We believe that the above-mentioned alterations were made by some unidentified artist/s with the authorization and consent of the NPC leadership (even with their disavowal of responsibility, considering that the mural was within their premises). We rail against these modifications not only because of the slipshod work and poor artistry but more so because of the censorship that is clearly at work here.

Isn’t it ironic that an institution such as the NPC would cause the censorship of a work that they themselves commissioned purportedly to promote press freedom? Isn’t the freedom of expression of the artist bound up with the very press freedom that they supposedly uphold? Aren’t these alterations a clear violation of the rights of authors/artists protected by the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines?

We call on our fellow artists, journalists, writers, and citizens to support us in this move to defend not only our artistic, but also our civic rights. We will highly appreciate it if you could send a short statement of support for our cause.
Please send it to info@neo-angono.com

To view the mural in its original state, please visit www.neo-angono.com. You may also visit the actual bastardized mural at the Headline Restaurant at the 4th floor of the NPC building.

Uphold press freedom and artistic expression!

- The Neo-Angono Artists Collective, October 31, 2007

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24 CommentsChronological Reverse Threaded

imoquibilan wrote on Nov 4, '07

foot IN mouth disease ng gobyerno natin yan. sana mabulunan na sila sa sobrang dami ng sunod-sunod na pagtatakip sa sunod-sunod na eskandalo at katiwalian pinaggagagawa nila. sana lang rin, di umubra sa mga pilipino ang mga distractions na 'to.

yeah, what they did to this mural is revolting as an artist and an editor. But let's not forget the other issues that this will put in the back burner - the national broadband network kickback scandal, the bribery of local officials in malacanang, the glorietta explosion, erap's pardon, and MOST of all, the hello-garci scandal that started it all.

ulatrixdix wrote on Nov 4, '07

thought you were doing a telly by posting definitions of words, but looking at your post again, am shocked.

yes imo, i can imagine how you feel, being as you said, an artist and an editor. pero kahit ako, na walang pakialam sa pulitika (i'm not a book, so don't judge me), naloka ako dito.

nazgulqueen wrote on Nov 4, '07

It's really disgusting.

What are they going to do next? Change the lines of revolutionary poems too?

dizzychick76 wrote on Nov 4, '07

I don't personally believe in censorship- even as a parent. I believe in parental guidance or education.
Frightening, isn't it, as well as disgusting. Wawi emailed me this and I was pissed off.

Labo nila, pare.

dizzychick76 wrote on Nov 4, '07

I'll link this na rin...I was planning on posting this but you already did- so hope you don't mind.

dyanibee wrote on Nov 4, '07

Vandalism, pure and simple.

ebeseyes wrote on Nov 4, '07

what's frightening is the fact that they're all getting away with it. kahit na garapalan na. what a price we have to pay for 'stability.' :<(

ebeseyes wrote on Nov 4, '07

the angono artists should just return the money and tranfer the mural somewhere else with the vandalized sections redone. :<)

wamjam wrote on Nov 5, '07

inapakan nanaman ang isang uri ng ating kalayaan.

roach1818 wrote on Nov 5, '07

especially because if they'd just left it alone, it would've stayed obscure (it's not like the NPC is a hot destination). now of course, everyone knows. if i weren't so outraged it would be funny.

evelynbosch wrote on Nov 5, '07

i think what was done is totally unacceptable. what happened to the law of intellectual property rights. doesn't that apply here?

lagkat wrote on Nov 5, '07

IMO: "sana lang rin, di umubra sa mga pilipino ang mga distractions na 'to. "

-- Sana nga. Pero sa totoo lang, sobrang daling palimutin ng Pinoy. Isang showbiz scandal lang, wala na silang pakialam sa lahat ng 'yan. Our resilience may be our strength, but it could also be our fatal flaw.

"the glorietta explosion"

-- It was supposedly caused by faulty plumbing; too much build-up of methane gas. There are those who dispute this conclusion, but for now, that is the official finding. It remains to be seen (or most probably, we will never know) if this was a "Wag the Dog" scenario or just plain corporate greed and negligence.

TRIX: "kahit ako, na walang pakialam sa pulitika, naloka ako dito."

-- Yes, that's why I decided to post about this. I knew that even the self-proclaimed apolitical (aka indifferent) would find it absurd. And those of us in the arts/media/entertainment industry are especially affected by this. For those who don't remember what censorship was like under Marcos, this is just a tiny taste of it. Will we wait till full-blown media control is in the government's hands again?

EB: "what's frightening is the fact that they're all getting away with it. kahit na garapalan na. what a price we have to pay for 'stability.'

-- Let me phrase that more correctly, EB: What's frightening is the fact that we are LETTING them get away with it. And is this *real* stability? I don't think so. This is not the kind of country I want my kids to grow up in; these are not the kind of values I want them to learn.

ROACH: "if they'd just left it alone, it would've stayed obscure"

-- 'Di ba?! That's why I said it's just so pathetic and petty. Pati ba naman 'yan, pinatulan nila? I'm hoping this desperate behavior is a sign they're losing their grip.

EVELYN: "what happened to the law of intellectual property rights"

-- In the Philippines??? Since when were intellectual/copyrights respected here? I've been a victim of plagiarism myself. :-(

nazgulqueen wrote on Nov 5, '07

It reminds me of the government in the film V for Vendetta.

Guy Fawkes masks anyone?

ninaterol wrote on Nov 5, '07

Hi, I'm very appalled to have seen this and am very sorry that this happened to you guys. It's not only a grave offense against the artists, but against the whole nation as well. I hope it's okay that I sent an email to my friends with a link to this page. This deserves to be seen so that, somehow, the truth will prevail. More power to the Neo-Angono Artists Collective!

lagkat wrote on Nov 5, '07

Karen -- Did you see my e-mail with Manolo Quezon's article? He used the speech from "V for Vendetta" as his jump-off. Needless to say, my dad LOVED that movie.

NinaTerol -- This didn't happen to me personally -- in the sense that I'm not one of the artists -- but indirectly, it happened to everyone in the whole country. And yes, feel free to forward the link. That's precisely why I posted it. Hopefully, if enough people learn about this government's preposterously insulting actions, something will finally be done about it.

ebeseyes wrote on Nov 5, '07

lagkat said

Did you see my e-mail with Manolo Quezon's article? He used the speech from "V for Vendetta" as his jump-off.

post this here too, i will! will look for a postcard later. :<)

lagkat wrote on Nov 6, '07

EB, I accidentally deleted na the e-mail with the article. Anyway, people can read it online on the Inquirer website. But I'll post about the rally on Friday. Please do, too, okay? You have hundreds of contacts. Who knows? It just might make a difference! :-)

patrickdr wrote on Nov 6, '07

Marcos-era morons did this.

"Meet the new boss...same as the old boss!"
--The Who "Won't Get Fooled Again"

lagkat wrote on Nov 6, '07

patrickdr said

Marcos-era morons did this.

You know what scares me, Patrick? Whenever people say the Philippines needs someone like Marcos, or that we should have Martial Law again. Those who say that either don't remember what it was really like, were lucky enough not to have been affected by Marcos's tyranny, or who benefited from the corrupt regime.

I remember (somewhat...I was a kid then, but not totally sheltered) what it was like, and I very nearly grew up fatherless because of the iron hand of Martial Law. I haven't forgotten, and it dismays me that most Filipinos seem to have little memory of it.

The Who was right, we should not get fooled again! Here's another relevant quote:

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
-- George Santayana

merrr wrote on Nov 6, '07

This is truly ridiculous!

sirenangcrystal wrote on Nov 6, '07

I'm just going to be straigthforward about this...

I am truly disgusted with what happened to the mural!

NPC, althought they paid you, had NO right to do such a thing! What they did is a vile gesture of denial of their Filipino blood! This shows that they can live, eat, and sleep peacefully in a filthy lie. Where is your conscience?

If they cannot acknowledge, accept, or even simply show what happened in the past, how can they expect to help make and have a better future for the country?

what they did is not only stepping on the dignity of the artists; they also spat on the spirits of their countrymen who willingly offered their lives so that others may live.

To NPC - you want a good image??? work on it! don't cover up what happened in the past! if it is press freedom you want, why not be HONEST about it??? freedom and honesty go hand in hand you know. Is this what you want the children of the future to see? The cycle of corrupting minds will never end if you will keep doing that. Is there a powerful force holding you back from saying the truth? its about time you stand up to that force (if there is such one), because it is degrading your institution and the people in it.

To the neo-angono artists, keep the spirit alive, you will soon be vindicated. You did a masterpiece and soon, your message will reach many hearts.

evelynbosch wrote on Nov 6, '07

nobody ever tries to fight something like this in the courts. that is what i mean about intellectual property rights. i too have been plagarized, have had concepts stolen and used. but had no way of proving it.. but that is mild compared to what happened to this mural.

evelynbosch wrote on Nov 6, '07

seems all we can do is shake our heads. and bitch loudly and to one another? is there any way that this can be made more public? i would support that.

lagkat wrote on Nov 6, '07

evelynbosch said

is there any way that this can be made more public?

This issue came out in the Inquirer. I'm trying to do my part by posting it here, as well as posting other issues and forwarding e-mails in the hopes that one day, enough outrages are known by enough people to make them angry enough to do something.

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