From May 21 to June 30, Kwago bookstore will present "Guhit Kontra Gahum", an art exhibition (and zine launch) curated by Dom Balmes. "Guhit Kontra Gahum” is a response to the 13 films from Cinema Rehiyon, selected by Roma Estrada for Kwago’s #SINESALUSALO.
Along with the local artists, Cyrill Acuña, Krishna Ariola, Adam David, Marian Hukom, Marx Fidel, Robert Komiks, Randy Valiente, Andrei Venal, Rai Hamid, Tarantadong Kalbo, Cartoonist Zach, Rob Cham, Printmaking for the People, Bad Komiks, and Tyang Karyel, “Guhit Kontra Gahum” combats the rampant disinformation and historical distortion of the Marcos regime that widely affects the 2022 National Elections.
What is Gahum? How do we resist Gahum?
“Power refers to Lakas (Strength) or Kapangyarihan (Ability to make something happen) in Tagalog. Cebuano offers Gahum (Hegemony), power pervading every aspect of human life, determining people’s ways of seeing, doing, living, relating, and understanding the world as well as possibilities and capabilities for change,” Kwago wrote on their Instagram post.
Through art, we have the power to resist gahum. For them at Kwago, art is a community. A community that is bound by solidarity and universal collective dialogue.
“For us at Kwago, art is not just a bunch of pretty looking objects you can sell to people who think it's pretty too. ART IS COMMUNITY. ART IS SOLIDARITY. ART IS DIALOGUE. ART IS CONSTANT LEARNING. ART IS FAILING. ART IS TRANSFORMATION. ART IS A MOVEMENT. ART IS HOPE," Kwago wrote on the caption.
As we are still divided by political beliefs and dominated by elite politicians who fabricate our history, this kind of art movement is what we need. “Guhit Kontra Gahum” not only helps our local artists to showcase their talent, but also serves as a platform to articulate their opinions on the destructive historic phenomenon we are dealing with.
Kwago is a local bookstore launched in 2017, founded by Czyka Tumaliuan. Kwago offers a space for creatives, writers, and literary enthusiasts, to connect and experience literature in a lot of ways.
For more information, follow them on Instagram and Facebook. Visit Guhit Kontra Gahum exhibition and zine launch, located at Kwago Bookstore, 196 J. Elizalde Street, BF Homes, Paranaque City.
