In the past few years, numerous large-scale murals have sprung up like mushrooms around my hometown, Manila, Philippines. One district in particular has directed funds into commissioning artists to create these massive public works, turning the city’s abundant concrete buildings into canvases for all to view. The murals are seamlessly integrated into the urban landscape, cutting the monotony of the rows of skyscrapers and injecting new life into the city with striking color. One piece in particular that I want to highlight is Manpower by Kris Abrigo (2016). The artwork is interesting because it celebrates the often unsung heroes of the city: the construction workers and, perhaps more broadly, the Philippine labor force. These workers often move into Manila from the provinces, leaving behind their families in the hope of securing more stable jobs. The physical transformation the artist has made on the wall is in conversation with the physical transformation the subjects have made in the city. Overwhelmingly, I feel that the piece, especially given its scale, emphasizes the grand role these people play in the nation’s progress, reminding passersby of the hands that molded the city.
I like that you compare the artist’s transformation of the wall with the people’s impact on the city. I wonder if you could go a step further and point out that the mixed constitution of the worker’s bodies parallels the mixed cultural composition of the city’s inhabitants.
I think the distinction stylization Abrigo chooses for this painting also speaks to how he wanted these workers, whose jobs are usually perceived as lackluster, be received. By redressing these workers in abstract designs of vibrant color, he seems to be reclaiming their modernity and individuality. Going back to your observation, just as these workers transformed Manila into a unique and vivid cityscape, the artist is transforming the workers to vibrant artists and creators.