Mobile gallery champions, history, democracy and human rights

In commemoration of the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution on 25 February, the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC) brought Martial Law Mobile Gallery: The Ten Essential Truths to the Atrium @ Benilde. The event was in partnership with the Center for Social Action (CSA) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

Also held in celebration of the National Arts Month, the traveling exhibition aims to promote historical awareness, as well as foster a deeper understanding of human rights and democracy through printmaking.

The initiative, which underscored the pressing need to remember, conserve, educate, and engage the public, provided a space for memory and truth-telling to continuously debunk widespread misinformation about the atrocities committed during this dark chapter in the country.

The three-day installation presented illustrations by Martial Law survivor and Filipino social-realist artist Edgar “Egai” Talusan Fernandez (1955 to 2024) in collaboration with Ang Gerilya, an artist collective with works that took inspirations from Philippine culture and history. They explored socio-political issues and national identity.

The interactive gallery walked viewers into the human narratives of the Martial Law victims from The Freedom Memorial Museum Gallery (TFMMG). It further guided students on how to create distinct prints which symbolize essential truths about the Martial Law period.

The opening was led by HRVVMC executive director Chuck Crisanto and Benilde vice president for Lasallian Mission and Student Life Nicky Templo Perez.

“This year, the People Power anniversary has a status lower than the Chinese New Year, meaning it is a working holiday among all of the other holidays in our country,” Crisanto highlighted. “Definitely, we see a deliberate attempt to slowly erase it from memory.”

“This mobile gallery is not an indictment of what was done in the past, but for us to actually review what we want for our future,” he added. “Ano bang klaseng lipunan ang gusto natin? Ano bang klaseng pamahalaan ang gusto natin? Anong klaseng sistema ng polisya ang nais natin? (What kind of society do we want? What kind of government do we want? What kind of system of policy do we want?) These are the things that we would like you to think about.”

Crisanto likewise extended his utmost gratitude to the college for having the progressiveness to host the mobile gallery.

“Not every school is open to this kind of exhibit,” he stressed.

In her speech, Perez noted the significance of initiatives such as the Martial Law Mobile Gallery: The Ten Essential Truths in storytelling and memory recall, especially with the upcoming midterm elections.

“This exhibit gathers the real stories and tells them over and over again so we will always remember,” she stated. “Ipaalala and patuloy na alalahanin kung ano ‘yung mga nangyari noon para hindi na maulit (It reminds and continues to remind us what happened in the past so that it may not be repeated).”

“I hope we get a lot of students to see, read, understand, and hopefully act,” she added. “Sana ‘yung mga kabataan natin, nakapag-rehistro para makaboto (We hope the youth have registered to vote).”

For more information about the initiatives of Benilde CSA, visit https://www.facebook.com/centerforsocialaction.