A guerrilla street art project by young Ilonggo artists

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – What started as a guerrilla street art project of 3rd year Fine Arts students from the University of San Agustin here, is now officially part of Inside Out, the largest participatory art project that aims to inspire communities by exhibiting in public spaces. 

“Inside Out” is a “global art project transforming messages of personal identity into works of art” inspired by the French street artist JR, known for pasting large format portraits in public places, who won the TED prize in 2011. These portraits are used by the artists as a medium to convey their untold story to the people and show them real identities.

The portraits of 11 young Ilonggo artists are displayed on the walls of Muelle Loney wharf. These are exhibited for free and can be viewed by everyone. The artists aim to share their identity, inspiring people by transforming dead spaces into a wall where everyone is free to show “what they stand for.”

What the young Ilonggo artists stand for:

“I stand for acceptance. Accepting yourself as an existing being deserving to live in this world. That everyone has a reason to live on this planet and no matter how you look or your status may be, you are a part of this world and everyone has a story.”

Norma

“I stand for the innocence, every individual has the right to dream, imagine and choose.”

Josefina

“I stand for innocence and benevolence; for earth and nature; for birth and culture. I stand for every little thing that matters to our being; to the beautiful things that are in danger of disappearing; to all those who knew ‘wonder’ and ‘gratitude’ and to those who are in the cradle of ‘solitude’. I stand for the ideals of the soul, wisdom of love, and the gift of pain.”

Catherine

“I stand for Freedom and Acceptance. Freedom to do what one aspires to become. Freedom To express true self-identity. “

Cheska

“I stand for the children who have funny faces. They feel they’re different and are bullied because of how they look like. Eventually, they lose their self-confidence.”

Larry 

“I stand for the obsession of freedom which terrifies. The uncertainty which pushes a person to go beyond his belief. I stand for those who sparkle and break; those who dazzle but are dizzied. It takes a lot of courage and depth to explore every inch and crevice of a soul, and then having it taken away from you. I stand for the wave after wave of disappointment which makes you aware of the flux. It’s that passion of indecisiveness which allows someone to become a chameleon; who becomes the epitome of being mad with no fixed personality, where only transcendence can help.”

Claudine 

“I stand for being GENUINE. Being true to you and being genuine are imperative in life. This means being what you want to be, not being what everyone else wants you to be. Don’t simply aspire to appease people, strive for what you truly enjoy. “Stop being NICE, Start being REAL!”

Chicano 

“I stand for equality. No discrimination and judgments. We are different in skin color, languages, traditions, beliefs and cultures but the fact is, we are all human beings that need to respect one another.”

Steph

“I stand for the people who struggle in life, where most of the time that is the reason why we can’t move forward and see opportunities. I am encouraging everyone to look through my eyes and see the happiness within me as I embrace the challenges in life and make it as a motivation to make Art. Struggle makes us strong individual, it only depends on how we react on things in front of us.”

Jonn 

“I stand for Liberty; the freedom to be who you are, to express yourself and to be accepted by the world. I stand for the privilege to do things whatever it is without being judged because I’m just enjoying life. To be liberated and explore new things, to feel the thrill of every adventure. But most of all the freedom to love, to laugh hard, to feel pain and to live life to the fullest.”

Ronnyl

To know more about the Inside Out Iloilo: “What we Stand For” project please visit this website or go to Muelle Loney Wharf, Aduana St. Iloilo City. – Rappler.com

 

Daniella Julieta Caro works in Cinematheque Iloilo Film Development Council of the Philippines. This article was originally published by IloiloArt.com where she contributes.