poster campaign for nationbuilding

Read about “Looking for Juan”, an outdoor poster campaign featuring artists with their ideas on what it is to be a Filipino (inspired by a project of a New York-based environmentalist organization), in the Inquirer’s Philippine identity in paintings, sculptures:

The project was organized by the Center for Arts, New Ventures, and Sustainable Development (Canvas), a non-profit organization working for the advancement of Filipino arts and culture and local artists.

For this project, Canvas invited artist groups and individual artists and graphic designers to create artworks on the theme, and writers were also invited to express in 30 words or less what they think it is to be a Filipino.

The artworks and texts submitted by the participants were exhibited at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and were then printed on large tarpaulins which were then showcased at the UP Diliman Oval.

The tarps were put up until July 11 only, too bad I didn’t find out about it sooner (the inquirer site has a video showing some of the works).

Will be on the lookout for April next year, when “Canvas hopes to launch its ‘non-partisan but political’ campaign and help voters choose wisely.”

On the side, this reminded me of a project I once thought up– creating “good vibes” posters everywhere, to encourage good citizenry and discipline and just positivity in general:

We should have designated “national vision boards” lining our main streets, with only one purpose: to inspire. Think EDSA with orderly traffic, Buendia with no jaywalkers, C5 with no ugly pink barricades. The visuals should be immediate or applicable instantly… like images of drivers smiling behind the wheel posted in spots prone to accidents or rude driving (bottlenecks, major intersections with no traffic lights, etc), or pictures of people lining up without fuss plastered outside MRT ticket booths.

(first posted in a billboard i don’t mind seeing everyday, april2008)

Would be nice to revive this, or jumpstart it, and what apt timing, given the coming elections…