No Saviors, We Free Ourselves
The Ongoing Fight for National Democracy in the Philippines
Presented by Anakbayan Philadelphia
Friday, May 2, 2025 – Sunday, June 15, 2025
Opening Reception: Friday, May 2, 2025 | 6-9pm | Free-To-Attend
Presented in Gallery Three
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
The United States granted independence to one of its colonies, The Philippines, on July 4, 1946. However, it has yet to function as an independent nation. Unequal military agreements, economic policies that benefit multinational corporations, and teaching English as an official language in the Asian country maintains a relationship between the Philippines and the U.S., not as “allied nations”, but as a neocolony at the mercy of its imperial master.
“No Saviors, We Free Ourselves” offers an opportunity to learn from this struggle for independence in the Philippines and for the overseas Filipino diaspora to share in the cultural work that has sprung from the National Democratic (ND) mass movement. Anti-imperialist and anti-feudal in its character, the ND movement involves a coalition of workers’ unions and peasant associations, as well as organizations for other sectors including Indigenous people, churchgoers, fisherfolk, the urban poor, youth, women, and LGBTQ+ folk. While addressing the specific issues and experiences of these sectors in Philippine society, the movement unites them all under a shared vision of genuine national and social liberation.
Within the National Democratic mass movement, cultural work has a vital role to play. For artists and writers within the movement, the central question is always “for whom?” with the answer being that our creativity should always be in service to the broad masses of the people. If our creativity is not for peoples’ liberation at its root, then our energy and tools cannot inspire fundamental change.
There are very real risks and constant suppression in this movement & presenting anti-imperialist art. Yet, more and more educators & artists are recognizing that they cannot remain isolated from the rest of society and that genuine artistic freedom can only come about through the collective liberation of the people.
This exhibition encourages the audience to not only participate as spectators in a gallery but to contribute through cultural work & political education. We invite viewers to join Anakbayan Philadelphia at Vox Populi Gallery for a series of program dates to make protest banners, to learn about U.S. militarism in the Philippines, and to represent the need for the masses of the people to take part in the ever-evolving nature of society.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Anakbayan Philadelphia is a youth and student-led comprehensive mass organization to advance National Democracy (ND) in the Philippines. The local city chapter contributes to the international ND mass movement by utilizing art & education to show what it takes to achieve genuine independence: People Power!
History has shown that the people in power do not give up their power willingly unless it serves their interests. Anakbayan, along with the rest of the National Democratic movement, continues to confront the 3 basic problems of Philippine society – US imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism – to realize a truly free Philippines and win the freedom of Filipinos worldwide.
