Exhibit: Philippine Martial Law 50 Years Later

Hello! We are a small collective of Filipino artists and social activists. We are fundraising to support young Filipino-Canadian artists to produce an exhibit around the 50th anniversary of the declaration of martial law by Ferdinand Marcos on September 21, 1972. Together with Philippine martial law survivors living in Quebec and Ontario and young Filipino volunteers composed of filmmakers, visual artists, songwriters, sculptors and poets have recorded an oral history of some experiences of martial law in the Philippines. Based on these recorded interviews, the artists are finalizing art pieces, installations, a rap song and word art to be displayed and presented for the exhibit.

We have been volunteering our time, skills and resources for the most part. While we received some funding to secure a venue, we hope to raise another $2500 to help support the artists to finalize the pieces for the exhibition:

Printing and framing of digital art and posters: $600

Catering for two days: $400

Equipment rental: $400

Fees related to the production of promo materials: $500

Art installation materials: $600

The following is the context and concept for this exhibit project:

Canada is home to nearly one million Filipinos, many of whom fled the dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s or experienced the regime's brutality firsthand. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of young Filipinos residing or working in Canada have no recollection of these dark periods in Philippine history. They are subject to misinformation on various social media and internet platforms.

Today in the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the late dictator's son, won the presidential race, using public relations firms to distort his family history and convince many people of the "golden age" narrative of his father's rule. What does the current situation mean for the thousands of Filipinos in Canada who still have ties to the Philippines? How will this shape Canada's relationship with the Southeast Asian nation that continues to be one of the primary sources of immigrants to this country?

Through the eyes of young Filipino artists, the exhibit will explore these issues primarily through video-recorded conversations with martial law survivors in Canada. The results of the exchange between survivors and artists will be reflected in their art, while the video-recorded interviews will be projected onto art installations throughout the exhibit.

The Exhibit will be held on September 21 & 22 from 5pm to 10pm.

435 Beaubien, Outremont

Parking is available on the street.

By public transport: 

Bus 80 south from Parc or north from Place des Arts metro get off on Parc avenue corner Beaubien - 3 minute walk west to the address.

Bus 161 from Plamondon metro, 19 min bus ride, get off on Van Horne and Hutchison stop, 6 minute walk to venue along Parc avenue towards Beaubien  (turn left on Beaubien until address).