AGO Censors Pro-Palestinian Materials and Products at Filipinx Market Honouring Pacita Abad12/12/2024
 Filipinos United 4 Palestine On November 2, 2024, Filipinos United 4 Palestine tabled at the Borloloy Filipinx Market at the Weston Family Learning Centre at the AGO, an event held to celebrate the work of Pacita Abad, a renowned Filipina artist and activist. Pacita Abad, a student organizer in the Philippines and vocal opponent of the Marcos Sr. dictatorship — which suppressed freedom of speech, press, and assembly — fled to the United States to escape political persecution. Members of the Filipino arts community felt compelled to examine Abad's exhibition within the context of the AGO's ongoing refusal to acknowledge Palestinian genocide or address the silencing of cultural workers within its ranks. This refusal was underscored by the departure of Wanda Nanibush, the inaugural curator of Indigenous Art at the AGO, following accusations by Israel Museums and Arts Canada of her "posting inflammatory, inaccurate rants against Israel," according to a leaked letter addressed to the AGO. Invited to participate in the Borloloy Filipinx Market, Filipinos United 4 Palestine felt uneasy about what appeared to be an attempt by the AGO to "artwash" its image — using progressive Philippine cultural heritage as a tool to counter the growing cultural boycott of the institution. Nevertheless, driven by a mandate to educate the community on calls for genuine ceasefire, hostage/prisoner exchange, and arms embargo on Israel, we opted to participate. Our goals were to: 1) Inform visitors of the Abad exhibition about the ongoing crisis in Gaza and the work of Filipinos United 4 Palestine toward a just and lasting peace; 2) Raise awareness within the Filipino community about the plight of Palestinian-Filipino refugees in the Philippines; 3) Highlight AGO’s censorship of Wanda Nanibush, an Indigenous curator who, many suspect, was dismissed for her pro-Palestine stance. Filipinos United 4 Palestine was transparent about our participation, formally listed as a vendor, and understood that the AGO had no objections to our presence. However, on the day of the event, AGO staff instructed us to remove any displays, materials, and signage bearing phrases like "Free Palestine" and "Palestine," including educational pamphlets on the Arms Embargo Now campaign. Staff stated that these materials could make some attendees feel “unsafe” and that the gallery was “not a political space.” Other vendors were similarly prohibited from displaying pro-Palestine materials, including "Free Palestine" signs, depictions of Palestinian flags, and watermelon symbols. These instructions left our members feeling disheartened. Since our founding, our materials have never been identified as harmful. The most troubling aspect, however, was the AGO’s depoliticization of Abad’s work. This act of censorship confirmed our fears that the Abad exhibition and related outreach initiatives served as a public relations tactic rather than a genuine tribute to Abad’s legacy or an endorsement of her influence on young Filipino artists in the diaspora. Several vendors and attendees approached our members to express solidarity. Filipinos United 4 Palestine strongly condemns the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) for censoring pro-Palestinian voices and for using Pacita Abad's artwork to quell the growing cultural boycott against the arts institution. By misusing Filipino art, the AGO undermines genuine cultural exchange and weaponizes our heritage to divert attention from Palestinian demands for justice and solidarity. Many community members have expressed a desire to learn more about Pacita Abad but are hesitant to do so through the AGO. In light of these events, Filipinos United 4 Palestine invites the broader Filipino community and cultural workers to organize talks and cultural interventions that truly honor Pacita Abad’s work, her tenacity to speak truth to power, and her lifelong fight for a just and lasting peace. We call on the community to engage with our collaborators, art organizers and activist groups to support their campaigns, initiatives and events and actions that advance the goals of Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) promoting boycotts, divestments, and economic sanctions against Israel and support Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). To learn more DM or email us, or reach out to our collaborators @Stopartwashing @Wawog_now @bds.movement Comment and tag your favourite arts space, arts community or arts platform in the city! Learn more at: ago-no.ca bdsmovement.net/pacbi  (Re-post from Jan 26, 2024)
As Filipinx/a/os in the diaspora, we have a direct and nuanced connection with the Palestinian People’s struggle. Our commonality lies within colonization, tying us all in the influence and harms of Western imperialism. The pursuit of justice and national liberation in the Philippines is intricately intertwined with the global struggle of oppressed communities worldwide, including Palestine. It is our duty to sustain solidarity, recognizing that our fight for liberation is interconnected with that of other oppressed communities. Supporting Palestine's right to exist, claim their land, and resist oppression aligns with our own aspiration to be free from the remnants of colonization as Filipinos. Supporting the Palestinian people means that we also need to interrogate our connections to the forces that oppress Palestine, particularly considering how those of us in so-called Canada and the US contribute tax dollars directly funding this genocide. We also can’t ignore the persistent ties between the Philippines and Israel and how it contributes to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. This relationship also underscores the link to the attacks on Filipino activists, land defenders, and peasants, emphasizing the broader impact of Western imperialism from Palestine to the Philippines Unpacking Philippines’ relationship with Israel The Philippine government has its ties with Israel for many decades. Although the Philippines historically acted benevolently by accepting Jewish people during World War II, a period when many nations turned them away, it also became a crucial factor leading to the UN resolution 181, partitioning Palestine into two states in 1947. The Philippines’ vote played a decisive role in the establishment of the state of Israel, a decision highly influenced by western imperialism. Israel provides military weapons to the Philippines, which are the same weapons used to attack land defenders and activists in the motherland. In fact, the Philippines is the 3rd largest buyer of Israeli weapons ($275m), after Azerbaijan ($295m), and even more than the US ($217m). The IOF also trained the Philippine military on counterterror tactics at a time when Duterte equated activism with terrorism, which evidently has its impacts in the red-tagging of Filipino activists, peasants, Indigenous peoples and land defenders to this day. The Philippines and Israel are strong trading partners. In addition to Israel supplying military weapons, it also contributes planes and technology to the Philippines. Conversely, the Philippines exports various goods, including gold, minerals, raw products like coconuts and cashews, and integrated circuits. These strong economic ties have influenced the lacking response the Philippine government has shown Palestinians and Filipino Palestinians affected by the ongoing genocide. Currently, Filipino Palestinians and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Palestine are left without adequate support. The many Filipino-Palestinian refugees repatriated in the Philippines also find themselves without aid and assistance from the Marcos government... Continue to read the original post here.  (Re-post from Feb 22, 2024)
Over the past 138 days, we’ve witnessed a strong global uprising for a Free Palestine, with millions of people across the globe amplifying the call of Palestinian people and Palestinian-led movements for not only a permanent ceasefire, but a lasting liberation for Palestinian people, including to lift the siege on Gaza, the release of all Palestinian prisoners from Zionist jails, to end the 75-year occupation, and to end all forms of Western complicity in Zionism. In the midst of this global uprising, solidarity blooms within our community, particularly with Filipinos who have voiced their support through various impactful avenues. Whether marching in the streets, engaging in solidarity events, contacting representatives, amplifying Palestinian content on social media platforms, or igniting critical conversations within circles, we witness firsthand the significant number of Filipinos steadfastly advocating for Palestine's right to liberation. Thanks to Palestinians within and outside of Falasteen that our community have found guidance and courage through Palestinian voices, power, and resilience. While many approach this solidarity work with bravery, others grapple with fear. Acknowledging the urgency of our cause, we recognize the various reasons behind Filipinos' reluctance to speak out for Palestine. Factors such as unsafety within families and workplaces, feelings of despair and overwhelm, and the pervasive fear of being labelled antisemitic due to conflated Zionist narratives all contribute to this hesitation. In the face of these challenges, our solidarity remains grounded, radical, and vital. It is through understanding, support, and collective action that we navigate these complexities and continue to stand in unwavering solidarity with Palestine. In this blog, we invite you to join us in unpacking some ways we can fight in solidarity with Palestine without fear... Read the original post now. |
