Creative council backs graffiti artists

CEBU, Philippines - Whether as a form of protest or just plain visual merchandising, urban art is slowly engulfing the streets of Cebu now that more and more visual artists are mushrooming in this bustling metropolis.

But when things go beyond what’s deemed legal, even the so called “work of art” could look nasty.

A group of local street artists based in Cebu (only revealing themselves in codenames Hardchick and Karingkay) admitted in an interview that despite the radical nature of street art, they consider it as a channel to send their message to the government on the need to support the creative sector.

These artists claimed that their street art is their only way to express their disappointments over the government’s lack of support towards the sector. However, most of these activities are without permission from the wall owners.

The artists said that they are doing illegal graffiti activities on private walls as they want to send a message to the government that they need public support and that they are advertising a clothing brand through their graffiti arts as a way to fight alleged monopoly by bigger firms.

Mikel Magdadaro, a private individual, recalled during an interview with The FREEMAN when he gave permission to a group of local artists to do an art on a wall that he owns.

But Magdadaro said he was shocked to note that the wall art turned out to be a publicity medium for the artists’ t-shirt selling business.

"They should try to find legal and productive ways to show their art. I myself gave them my wall for their art for free, provided they do it properly and mainly for art. What sparked me was when they used it for advertising, and worst, wala sila muangkon," said Magdadaro, who is now based in Melbourne, Australia.

"I allowed them to do graffiti provided it’s for art lang and dili siya hugaw. I was very disappointed when they used it for marketing their clothing line. I am indeed very supportive of the graffiti art. In fact have an album of graffitis on my Facebook," he explained.

Organize to get recognized

Street and graffiti artists belong to the umbrella group called creative sector. Most of these artists, however, operate on a standalone basis and have not officially joined publicly-recognized organizations, such as the Creative Cebu Council, among others.

Creative Cebu Council consultant Nelia Navarro, who is also the director of the Department of Trade and Industry-Cebu Provincial Office (DTI-CPO), said contrary to what these street artists have claimed, the government is in fact supportive of this sector. This is the main reason why the Creative Cebu Council was formed to provide a venue for the established and budding artists to seek help in terms of support from the government and other foreign cooperative agencies.

Navarro is encouraging owners of walls painted by some artists in Cebu without permission to file a complaint at their local government unit (LGU), while the council will embark on a proper advocacy on graffiti paintings.

She said that complaints should be brought up to the proper authorities as doing wall paintings or graffiti needs permission from the wall owners, as well as proper permit from the LGUs.

Navarro said the government is ready to help the creative sector, as long as players will be properly organized. The council, she said, is trying to cover all the broad sub-sectors of the creative sector, including the graffiti artists.

She said that they have repeatedly asked artists in Cebu to properly form an organization and have them registered with the council in order to get proper support from the government.

Cebu’s creative industry is now led by the Creative Cebu Council, a non-profit group which is an alliance of artists and creative entrepreneurs who have bonded together to promote, develop and champion the creative industries sector in the province.

Earlier, the DTI-CPO announced that a lending facility will be made available for the creative sector in Cebu, by the SB Corporation, through the Creative Cebu Council.

Navarro said although there is not much the government can do in terms of financial help, there are several programs in place to propel the growth of arts, specifically in Cebu.

While the council has no existing advocacy program in controlling the proliferation of illegal graffiti artists doing painting on private walls without owners’ permission, Navarro said the council will look into this matter and will relay this concern to the LGU.

Follow protocol

Meanwhile, other stakeholders said they have recognized the importance of the creative sector but they maintained that proper protocol on where to put their art work must be duly sanctioned.

“Whatever medium it is, art is art. For street art, they should paint where they are permitted by the lot, building or wall owners and the Office of the Building Official,” said Meanne Alcordo, president of Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines.

“Similar to the billboard business, I cannot just put my billboard wherever I want to. My thoughts are art is art, but it has to be in the proper perspective and put in the right place. Bottom line is we support any form of art, as long as it is within the bounds of regulation,” Alcordo reiterated.

Alcordo said “the business sector has recognized the importance of the creative sector. Now for them to just indiscriminately paste their work anywhere without authorization, that’s now violation of property rights, violations on regulation on areas where you can put your art work.” /JOB (FREEMAN)