Filipinism is a concept coined by the Kapatiran at Ugnayan ng Natatanging Sining at Talento (KUNST) Filipino, an organization of Filipino artists founded by artist and curator Mr. Virgilio Cuizon, as a way of showcasing the unique artistic expressions of Filipino artists.
Every artist has their own way of expressing their personality and character to form a unique Filipino identity. It is the aesthetic and conceptualization of the artists’ ideas and the infusion of their heart and soul into every piece they create that makes Filipinism. Inspiration can emerge from the artists’ childhood environment, their places of origin, and the language or dialect they used.
Historically, Filipinism in the art scene began during the impressionism art movement in the 19th century when Filipino visual artists triumphed over their Western counterparts. At the 11th Edition of Exposicion Nacional Bellas Artes held in 1884 in Madrid, Juan Luna, a world-renowned Filipino painter, won the first gold medal through his masterpiece Spoliarium over Spanish painters Antonio Muñoz Degrain and Jose Moreno Carbonero who received the second and third gold medals, respectively. Another Filipino painter, Felix Ressureccion Hidalgo, won a silver medal in the same competition.
Through the Viaje 3 Filipinism What Makes Art Filipino Exhibition, the Philippine Embassy in Rabat hopes to showcase the creativity and diversity of the Filipino artist, and to raise awareness of the richness of Philippine visual arts in Morocco.