Social Realism in the Philippines: The Turns of a Term

In his essay featured in Afterall Journal 48 on July 1, 2019, Patrick D. Flores delves into the theme of 'social realism' within Philippine art, highlighting its foundations in colonial history and acts of defiance. He focuses on Antipas Delotavo's 1978 watercolor titled 'Itak sa Puso ni Mang Juan (Dagger in Old Juan's Heart)', which critiques US imperialism through the imagery of a Coca-Cola advertisement. This artwork was showcased in 2012 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which was founded by Imelda Marcos in 1969. Additionally, the essay discusses the artist collective Kaisahan, established in 1976 from a radical student movement, including figures like Papo de Asis and Pablo Baens Santos, whose manifesto aimed to redefine national identity in art, emphasizing social realism as both a measure and a form of intervention.