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Silent Fighter

    an investigative photo documentary

Exclusive 22-page photo essay from our investigative journalist team in collaboration with award-winning photojournalist Xyza Cruz Bacani. Location: Gapan City, Philippines Copyright Wondereur 2023.

MEET with artist Mideo Cruz curated by a pivotal force in the Southeast Asian art scene Dayang Yraola.

Cruz
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“I HAVE A LOT OF HATERS.”
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“Some people have tried to put me in jail.”
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“This was a few years ago. I went through a very stressful time. My phone was ringing every five minutes, either from reporters or people sending me death threats.”
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“I’d received threats before, but this was something different. I was scared but continued to create more works.”
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“IN A CITY LIKE MANILA, ANYONE CAN KILL YOU IN EXCHANGE FOR A BOTTLE OF BEER.”
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“I FELT VERY ISOLATED - IT WAS LIKE BEING CRUCIFIED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.”
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“At the time, there was a lot of corruption scandals involving the Catholic church and the government.”
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“I was sued by the Conservatives for my installation at the Cultural Centre of the Philippines.”
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“THEY WANTED MY WORK TO BE BANNED AS ILLEGAL.”
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“The exhibition included collages of religious and pop icon images, symbols of power and money.”
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“The media made the situation impossible for me by fuelling this controversy that I didn’t really call for. All I wanted to do was to encourage critical thinking.”
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“IN RETROSPECT, I THINK THEY WANTED TO CRUCIFY SOMEONE FOR THEIR OWN SINS.”
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“After the legal charges were dismissed, I decided to leave the city and move back to my hometown of Gapan City, a village where most people work as rice farmers.”
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“It was good to go back to my roots. The farmers’ work ethic had struck me as a child, especially watching my grandfather work. He always wanted to do everything perfectly, even simple things like plowing the field.”
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“Farmers are actually very artistic, doing things perfectly according to their standards. Their work is almost poetic.”
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“This level of perfection and craftsmanship is something I strive for, regardless if my work is welcome or not.”
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“A DIFFERENT VISUAL EXPERIENCE CAN BE RELEVANT TO PEOPLE’S LIVES.”
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“It’s about creating these ‘private traumas’ to push people out of their conventional views.”
Untitled 1
“I MAKE ART THAT DISTURBS BECAUSE I WANT A BETTER SOCIETY.”