Articles
BAYAN - A group exhibition presented by A Space Gallery from November 18 to December 17, 2016
Featuring Kwentong Bayan Collective (Althea Balmes + Jo SiMalaya Alcampo), Hector Barretto Calma, and Jaret Vadera.
Featuring Kwentong Bayan Collective (Althea Balmes + Jo SiMalaya Alcampo), Hector Barretto Calma, and Jaret Vadera.
Essay by Kim Abis
The exhibition, Bayan, reveals the evolution and multiple meanings of the word bayan itself as it manifests in the cultural practice in the Philippines and in the diaspora. Bayan, which can refer to the actual archipelago of 7,100 islands, also refers to the nation of the people itself, including the over 10 million Filipinx living outside the country. It is precisely because of its fluidity, yet all-encompassing nature, that the term BAYAN is the short name for the umbrella organization of the sectoral Philippine national democratic organizations all over the world.
At A Space Gallery, the works of Hector Calma, Jaret Vadera and Kwentong Bayan, combine to reveal bayan in various ways, giving us the opportunity to trace its mutations in particular political and geographical contexts. The most significant of these political contexts is that the archipelago is in fact home to the longest-running communist insurgency in Asia. This year, 2016, marks the 50 year anniversary of the Cultural Revolution, and its persistence in breathing life into various liberation struggles worldwide cannot be denied. Bayan pays homage to the cultural workers who have come before us, who have shown us how to hold the pen like a proper cadre would.
Review of BAYAN
By Kiwi Illafonte
As a child of Filipino migrants, I feel deeply connected to the struggles of our kababayan who are forced to leave our homeland to places all over the world in order to feed their families and seek a better life.
The result of this history has multiple consequences: the departure of skilled workers and educated professionals leaves the Philippines with less of these people to serve our own, and those who do leave end up facing exploitation and oppression in the places the migrate to. And in my case, I ended up being born in America, which on the surface might seem great, but on a deeper level I was robbed of that tie to my motherland, my language, my culture. That said, it is important that the stories of Filipino migrants are shared, so that we may address the root causes of these issues, as well as heal from our own trauma related to them. Events such as BAYAN at A Space Gallery featuring Kwentong Bayan, Hector Calma, and Janet Vadera was such a space.
Last December, I was in Toronto for Anakbayan Canada's national congress, and the opening event was held in the BAYAN exhibit gallery at A Space. It featured theatrical and musical performances, all themed around Filipino migration. The most special element to me, was the artwork on the walls, enlarged illustrations by Kwentong Bayan Collective (Althea Balmes + Jo SiMalaya Alcampo) of the Filipino migrant workers struggle. There were historical infographics, images of faceless caregivers, and protesting migrant workers.
These images served as a reminder to me to continue being involved, to keep fighting for these most vulnerable populations of our overseas Filipino community. The rest of that weekend, during the Anakbayan Canada congress, I got to witness on how Filipino youth across the country are actively addressing this struggle. Performers including myself, Southeast Cartel, and others continued the arts and culture element to the weekend that was started at A Space Gallery. This to me is what a movement looks like, when art, culture, education, and organizing come together, engage, and interact with one another for a unified cause.
I look forward to more amazing art from Kwentong Bayan!
Kiwi Illafonte
www.massbassmusic.com
The exhibition, Bayan, reveals the evolution and multiple meanings of the word bayan itself as it manifests in the cultural practice in the Philippines and in the diaspora. Bayan, which can refer to the actual archipelago of 7,100 islands, also refers to the nation of the people itself, including the over 10 million Filipinx living outside the country. It is precisely because of its fluidity, yet all-encompassing nature, that the term BAYAN is the short name for the umbrella organization of the sectoral Philippine national democratic organizations all over the world.
At A Space Gallery, the works of Hector Calma, Jaret Vadera and Kwentong Bayan, combine to reveal bayan in various ways, giving us the opportunity to trace its mutations in particular political and geographical contexts. The most significant of these political contexts is that the archipelago is in fact home to the longest-running communist insurgency in Asia. This year, 2016, marks the 50 year anniversary of the Cultural Revolution, and its persistence in breathing life into various liberation struggles worldwide cannot be denied. Bayan pays homage to the cultural workers who have come before us, who have shown us how to hold the pen like a proper cadre would.
Review of BAYAN
By Kiwi Illafonte
As a child of Filipino migrants, I feel deeply connected to the struggles of our kababayan who are forced to leave our homeland to places all over the world in order to feed their families and seek a better life.
The result of this history has multiple consequences: the departure of skilled workers and educated professionals leaves the Philippines with less of these people to serve our own, and those who do leave end up facing exploitation and oppression in the places the migrate to. And in my case, I ended up being born in America, which on the surface might seem great, but on a deeper level I was robbed of that tie to my motherland, my language, my culture. That said, it is important that the stories of Filipino migrants are shared, so that we may address the root causes of these issues, as well as heal from our own trauma related to them. Events such as BAYAN at A Space Gallery featuring Kwentong Bayan, Hector Calma, and Janet Vadera was such a space.
Last December, I was in Toronto for Anakbayan Canada's national congress, and the opening event was held in the BAYAN exhibit gallery at A Space. It featured theatrical and musical performances, all themed around Filipino migration. The most special element to me, was the artwork on the walls, enlarged illustrations by Kwentong Bayan Collective (Althea Balmes + Jo SiMalaya Alcampo) of the Filipino migrant workers struggle. There were historical infographics, images of faceless caregivers, and protesting migrant workers.
These images served as a reminder to me to continue being involved, to keep fighting for these most vulnerable populations of our overseas Filipino community. The rest of that weekend, during the Anakbayan Canada congress, I got to witness on how Filipino youth across the country are actively addressing this struggle. Performers including myself, Southeast Cartel, and others continued the arts and culture element to the weekend that was started at A Space Gallery. This to me is what a movement looks like, when art, culture, education, and organizing come together, engage, and interact with one another for a unified cause.
I look forward to more amazing art from Kwentong Bayan!
Kiwi Illafonte
www.massbassmusic.com