Clean Slate
Thursday, November 2
Thoughts after a double-shot of espresso
In one of those highly-charged conversations with two of my closest friends over coffee, we ruminate about the stagnation of creativity in the Philippines. There's an abundance of talent, no doubt about it, but almost no drive for growth and creativity. Mechanical technique, duplication of a "template," and cliches are the norm.
At first, the explanation seems to be poverty and the third-world mindset. But we look at how Vietnam and Asian Third World countries have grown and flourished in their art, and, more importantly, how they have surpassed us in areas like film, writing, and even graphic design and advertising in spite of the fact that the Philippines has reached its Golden Age in these fields earlier than our neighbors.
It seems that after the 1970s and early 1980s, the creative spirit of Filipino artists and intellectuals have plateaud. And a plateau is always more dangerous than a decline when it comes to art. A decline can be easily seen as a problem and addressed accordingly. But a plateau indicates a resting on laurels, a non-movement, an inertia that is difficult to overcome.
It makes more sense, when we relate our current state of art and media to the Filipino's absolute respect for elders. In a community, this is an essential and admirable quality. But for the modern industry and art, this elder-worship is disastrous.
Ideally, at some point, the pioneers of our modern enterprises and legendary icons in the field of art and media, have to step down and allow another generation to take the field one step further. Ideally, this happens naturally, when the leaders and icons can no longer offer anything new to the field or industry to which they have dedicated their lives. And ideally, this time is recognized by everyone, and decisions are made for the greater good.
Unfortunately, the Filipino way still espouses the padrino-protege relationship. In itself, this mentoring is ideal and productive. However, the kind of mentor-protege relationship in the Philippines pushes tradition and obedience, not creativity and self-discovery. Success is only guaranteed those who are willing to accommodate every whim of the mentor. And succession is only granted once the mentor dies or willingly abdicates. And abdication is not a usual option for once-creative geniuses turned stodgy fat cats who hold their tenure until their dying breath.
Naturally, this system has greatly stunted the growth of art -- visual, literature, film, etc. -- in our country. The protege must become better than the mentor, or else the mentor fails. A mentor who seeks to stifle and lord over proteges for personal vanity and glory destroys himself and the vocation he serves.
This cycle of entitlement and tyranny has systematically assured our country's slow fossilization into a conundrum and cautionary tale. And our hopes of coasting along only on natural talent and skill are being dashed against the rocks of change with the rise of great young artists and intellectuals in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos -- our seemingly "backwards, unproficient English-speaking" neighbors.
It seems drastic, but I believe that the last resort for a determined Filipino artist is to publish, create, launch outside the country. Whether he is acclaimed or criticized, he is assured that his work will be read, viewed, listened to -- unpoliticized (mostly), uninsulated -- by a wide, varied audience who acknowledges the importance of creativity and art.
At first, the explanation seems to be poverty and the third-world mindset. But we look at how Vietnam and Asian Third World countries have grown and flourished in their art, and, more importantly, how they have surpassed us in areas like film, writing, and even graphic design and advertising in spite of the fact that the Philippines has reached its Golden Age in these fields earlier than our neighbors.
It seems that after the 1970s and early 1980s, the creative spirit of Filipino artists and intellectuals have plateaud. And a plateau is always more dangerous than a decline when it comes to art. A decline can be easily seen as a problem and addressed accordingly. But a plateau indicates a resting on laurels, a non-movement, an inertia that is difficult to overcome.
It makes more sense, when we relate our current state of art and media to the Filipino's absolute respect for elders. In a community, this is an essential and admirable quality. But for the modern industry and art, this elder-worship is disastrous.
Ideally, at some point, the pioneers of our modern enterprises and legendary icons in the field of art and media, have to step down and allow another generation to take the field one step further. Ideally, this happens naturally, when the leaders and icons can no longer offer anything new to the field or industry to which they have dedicated their lives. And ideally, this time is recognized by everyone, and decisions are made for the greater good.
Unfortunately, the Filipino way still espouses the padrino-protege relationship. In itself, this mentoring is ideal and productive. However, the kind of mentor-protege relationship in the Philippines pushes tradition and obedience, not creativity and self-discovery. Success is only guaranteed those who are willing to accommodate every whim of the mentor. And succession is only granted once the mentor dies or willingly abdicates. And abdication is not a usual option for once-creative geniuses turned stodgy fat cats who hold their tenure until their dying breath.
Naturally, this system has greatly stunted the growth of art -- visual, literature, film, etc. -- in our country. The protege must become better than the mentor, or else the mentor fails. A mentor who seeks to stifle and lord over proteges for personal vanity and glory destroys himself and the vocation he serves.
This cycle of entitlement and tyranny has systematically assured our country's slow fossilization into a conundrum and cautionary tale. And our hopes of coasting along only on natural talent and skill are being dashed against the rocks of change with the rise of great young artists and intellectuals in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos -- our seemingly "backwards, unproficient English-speaking" neighbors.
It seems drastic, but I believe that the last resort for a determined Filipino artist is to publish, create, launch outside the country. Whether he is acclaimed or criticized, he is assured that his work will be read, viewed, listened to -- unpoliticized (mostly), uninsulated -- by a wide, varied audience who acknowledges the importance of creativity and art.
posted by neva, 2:22 PM
