Young artists, communities mount multidisciplinary human rights exhibition

Sa Pagbaba ng Luksa channels the power of young creatives to engage with urgent social issues and confront cycles of injustice through a multidisciplinary exhibition. The initiative was organized in commemoration of the Philippine Lasallian Peace Month for Democracy and Human Rights. It is likewise part of the ongoing 2025 Benilde Human Rights, Democracy and Peace Festival.

The exhibit empowers artists to produce pieces that spark awareness and inspire meaningful action. It encourages viewers to engage in critical thinking. It likewise fosters cross-movement between budding artists and communities — from narrative to creative production — to strengthen solidarity and advance shared advocacies.

Sa Pagbaba ng Luksa, which sheds light on the extrajudicial killings amid the country’s so-called “war on drugs,” draws from the legacy of People’s Art and Social Realism, an art movement which underlines social and economic issues through the portrayal of the daily lives of ordinary citizens and the poor. It reflects the realities of those most affected by oppression and violence, honoring their voices while demanding accountability from systems of power.

The collection includes photographs, short films and videos, sound works, digital and traditional visual arts, wall-bound sculptures, object-based works, textiles, and performance arts created by the students, alumni, and faculty members from the various Lasallian schools in the Philippines, including De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. Creations from students from the University of the East (UE) are likewise on display.

Through these portrayals, the exhibition aims to build solidarity between artists, communities, and movements, affirming the role of art as both a mirror of truth and a catalyst of social change.

Sa Pagbaba ng Luksa is spearheaded by modern heroism collective Dakila’s Active Vista Center. This is in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design and Benilde Center for Social Action. They are joined by the Benilde Arts Management, the student organization of the Benilde Creative Industries Management Program. It is likewise conducted in collaboration with Buklod Sining, the oldest art group of the UE, and Silingan Coffee and Silingan Candle Makers, non-profit organizations which provide a safe space for the relatives of EJK to heal together by producing and marketing coffee and candles.

Sa Pagbaba ng Luksa is free and open to the public at the Atrium@Benilde Campus. It is available on view from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. from 23 to 27 September. For more information, visit facebook.com/MCADManila and facebook.com/centerforsocialaction.