IN SEPTEMBER, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) will be launching a new program called Pista ni Rizalina, which is a festival of arts, ideas, and human rights, said CCP artistic director Chris Millado at a press conference on July 4.

He said the festival “is a response to the 2020 development plan designed by the National Economic and Development Authority and approved by the Administration.” The goal is to show a society where its people are satisfied and trustful of the government.

When asked how the concept of “human rights” will play part in the art festival vis-a-vis the Duterte administration’s alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings (EJKs), Mr. Millado said: “Hindi lang EJK, it includes education, gender equality, food, malawak ang usapin ng human rights (It is not just about EJK… human rights talks about a wide range of subjects). Practically, it is [about] engaging artwork that deals with a broad definition of human rights.”

But how “engaging” is engaging? BusinessWorld asked new CCP president Arsenio “Nick” Lizaso about his thoughts on artworks that push boundaries in context of the controversial artist Mideo Cruz and his work Poleteismo which was the subject of debate some years back.

Part of a 2011 CCP exhibit called Kulo, Poleteismo received negative criticism because it used images and statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ in what they considered a disrespectful manner. Kulo was a group exhibition in celebration of Jose Rizal’s 150th birthday.

Mr. Lizaso said: “Although I believe that art should disturb the spirit and the imagination, ayoko ng art na medyo may kabastusan (I don’t like art that is somewhat vulgar). I mean, if I would paint and I would use the face of my father, and then I’d put ’yung aking alam niyo na, hindi ko papayagan (my you know what, I would not agree).”

He added, “I’ve seen art — and art has been my life — I live in art. I’ve had no work other than art itself. And I believe that art, kahit na ako’y naniniwala na ito ay dapat na kilitiin ang imahinasyon at pa-antigin ang kalooban, pero hindi ako naniniwala na ang art ay dapat bastos (even though I believe that it should tickle the imagination and arouse the soul, but I do not believe that art should be vulgar).”

The controversial case reached the Ombudsman, which decided to dismiss the criminal and administrative complaints against Mideo Cruz and the CCP executives at the time, taking a stand for freedom of expression, noted Mr. Millado.

Pista ni Rizalina is one of several CCP events that aim to attract more audiences and artist participation and appreciation in the country. The CCP targets reaching 1 million audience members in 2017. From 2010 to 2015, the CCP’s audience grew from 290,000 to 670,000. — Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman

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