Filipino Mythical Creatures in Visual Art Today

Presenter(s)

Aliciana Charbonier

Abstract or Description

Filipino mythology, containing creatures like the aswang and kapre, has had an integral part in expression of the culture.  Mythological creatures, in any culture, have been used to explain why things happen the way they do, where something may have come from, as well as teach lessons needed for life to the younger generations.  This research paper will be going over how artists today use these mythical creatures in different ways from the ways they were in the past, while also exploring the changes in cultural identity reflected in the reinterpretations.  The overarching question being asked in this paper is, in what ways do Filipino artists reinterpret mythological creatures, like the aswang, in visual art?  As mentioned, myths are usually used as lessons or explanations.  The aswangs, which will be the mythological creature focused on in this research, are traditionally scary stories used as lessons.  Modern artists and filmmakers have taken these creatures to represent social-political themes, like corruption and environmentalism. An example of this in the film medium would be Aswang, a documentary directed by Alyx Ayn Arumpac, in which aswangs are used as a metaphor for things like the extrajudicial killings instated by Filipino President Duerte.  In this reinterpretation, Arumpac uses the aswang to represent the wrongly placed focus of others when people died.  Its message showed that people were too concerned with the death of a person, rather than fixing the reason they died.  In modern visual art, the reinterpretation of the aswang reflects the evolving concerns of Filipino society, from environmental issues to personal identity. These reinterpretations show how folklore can change into more than just stories, keeping a place for itself in the modern day.

Mentor

Dr. Sean H. McPherson, Dr. Inkyoung Kim, Dr. Hannah Stohry