Sa Labas ng Kahon
Two years after lockdown, the U.P. College of Fine Arts’ annual student exhibition returns to unbox artworks and widen perspectives.
Text by Patricia Tierra
Photos by Mars Pamisa
March 2, 2023
U.P. College of Fine Arts students at the exhibit opening in Parola U.P. Fine Arts Gallery.
With eager anticipation, students, faculty, and members of the U.P. community all gathered last February 17 in the Parola U.P. Fine Arts Gallery for the opening of Sa Labas ng Kahon: The Annual Student Exhibition. The exhibition was on view until February 28 at the Parola U.P. Fine Arts Gallery, Art and Design Building West Hall.
Out of 260 submissions, 130 artworks were chosen by the U.P. College of Fine Arts Student Council (CFASC) with the help of Parola U.P. Fine Arts Gallery Head Curator Professor Dayang Magdalena Nirvana Yraola. Having an open-ended theme, artists were encouraged to share to the community all the various expressions, compositions, and narratives they have created within their households.
CFASC Chairperson Louise Beron giving a welcoming speech at the exhibit opening.
When asked about the experience of organizing the exhibition, CFASC Chairperson Louise Beron shared how the CFA community’s persistence to bring back its traditions outweighed all the improbabilities that came with the project. “These students did all this work from their homes, away from the resources made available by the college. Just imagine the things we can do now that we have the time and space, the support from our constituents, and opportunity to bring these works in public for everyone to see. I want them to know that we are just beginning, at the cusp of a breakthrough,” said Beron.
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread all over the world, everyone was forced to recalibrate their normal routines and activities, including how art is produced, distributed, and received.
Because of the threat of a highly contagious virus, warm bodies no longer occupied galleries, museums, and fairs. Artists and cultural workers had little to no capacity to work, unemployment rates soared, and the working class suffered from crisis after crisis. Slowly, the production, distribution, and reception of art had to be redefined according to the changing times.
Artworks on view at the exhibit.
What would be the role of the exhibition in the state of art and society today?
“Although there are many definitions of art, if we would be zeroing in on its ability to express oneself and, consequently, society, I would say that we have always used it to tell stories of love, passion, fear, anger, and the like. We have always used it to express dissent, injustices, narratives only a few have known about before. And, as much as possible, we strive to make art that serves the interest of the masses. However, given the political climate right now, we are placed at a vulnerable position. There are no rights that cover us. There are more blatant attacks on artists and free-thinkers. There are people who weaponize disinformation in the guise of art. But regardless, we persist. The exhibit is a manifestation that no one can stop us. Especially now more than ever.”
A CFA student observing the details of an exhibited painting.
How are students influencing the art scene today?
“There are more and more schools of thought in terms of art that we can immediately subscribe to. We have taken a more liberal approach to studying art. But even then, we find ways to break, explore it. I guess that is the point of studying the arts: we are forced to learn the ropes in order to know what's beyond it.”
Coming out of the pandemic, everyone is faced with the challenge of confronting a flawed socio-economic system and how it fails to sustain the needs of the people. In response, student-artists turn to art for hope, comfort, and strength. For those who seek to take part in molding society through art, this means constantly reimagining, rebuilding, and reinventing a more just and humane world after the pandemic.
