Last Saturday, I passed by the opening of Dos por Dos at the Boston Gallery in New Manila.About 200 artists participated by contributing 2x2 works on the general theme of human rights - including works by some of the very best this generation has to offer - Elmer Borlongan, Mark Justiniani, Manny Garibay, John Santos III, Norman Dreo, Dansoy Coquilla, Michael Cacnio, Fred Esquillo, to name a few...
In more ways than one, this is a project similar to what we're trying to do - except that this is an indoor show of smaller pieces, whereas we want an outdoor, more publicly accessible activity of banner-sized works. And we're dealing with a ligher theme - What is a Filipino? - that might be more appealing to more people.
A lot of the works, individually, are already quite provocative.
But there is one factor that makes this show important.
If we look at the press today - depending on where you sit, you may perceive it as either repressed and under siege on the one hand, or as irresponsible and reckless on the other. I don't know who's fault this really is, but either way, the public ends up confused or skeptical.
Dos por dos, taken together, demonstrates the power of sheer numbers focused on a single effort (there are nearly 200 of them!) and makes quite a statement on the possibilities for the art community as an alternative force for raising and pushing greater awareness on very important public issues.
Dos por dos runs til December 30, 2006 at Boston Gallery.
* The artwork depicted is Fred Esquillo's "Scarecrow II" (24"x24" Oil on Canvas, 2006).
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