Japanese Occupation's Impact on Art

Japanese Occupation Impact on Art

• The Japanese Occupation in Manila led to a slowdown in modern art projects.
• "Moderns" and "Conservatives" continued to create art under KALIBAP (Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod ng Bagong Pilipinas).

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

• Japanese forces established the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" promoting Pan-Asianism to reject Western influence.
• Publications like Shin-Seiki, newspapers, and magazines such as Liwayway and Tribune were sponsored for this propaganda.

Censorship and Artistic Control

• Art, music, and literature faced strict scrutiny; works deemed subversive or anti-Japanese risked severe consequences, including death.
• The Japanese Information Bureau (Hodobu) regulated the information campaign and employed local artists and cultural workers.

National Artist Felipe P. de Leon

• Felipe P. de Leon was reportedly pressured to compose "Awit sa Paglikha ng Bagong Pilipinas," which served as an anthem promoting allegiance to Japan during the occupation.

Amorsolo's Paintings

• While Calmed by censorship, Fernando Amorsolo's works from 1942, such as "Harvest Scene" and "Rice Planting," portrayed idealized rural life, largely ignoring wartime atrocities.
• Genre paintings depicted the perceived normal relationship between Filipinos and Japanese occupants, reflecting daily life.

Indigenous and Pre-Colonial Themes

• Japanese colonizers favored depictions of indigenous and pre-colonial traditions, representing various ethnolinguistic groups, as seen in Crispin Lopez's "Study of an Aeta" (1943).

Neutral Imagery of War

• Despite the occupation's violence, artworks often maintained neutral aesthetics, focusing on the visual appeal of destruction rather than horror.
• Amorsolo's "Bombing of the Intendencia" (1942) and "Ruins of the Manila Cathedral" (1945) displayed dramatic smoke and ruin without explicit violence.

Post-War Depictions of Horror

• After 1945, some artworks began to openly portray the horrors of war.
• Notable works include Diosdado Lorenzo's "Atrocities in Paco" and Dominador Castañeda's "Doomed Family," indicating a shift in artistic expression post-occupation.

Explore the influence of the Japanese Occupation on the art scene in Manila. Discover how artists navigated censorship, the establishment of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, and the role of figures like National Artist Felipe P. de Leon. This quiz highlights the complexities faced by creatives during this tumultuous period.