by Andrea Leila Andam |
When times get too overwhelming to put into words, I do not bother to find the right ones. Instead, I muster up the courage to grab a paintbrush and create something words can do just as well: paint a picture. However, while I use art as an avenue to find hope, fellow artists who do art for a living are losing every ounce of it.
Life has always found a way to give local artists the short end of the stick, and for Roisa Panteras, a 20-year-old student who sells merch and does commissions for a living, this is more than just a sentence—it is the war she continuously fights in. The Philippine creative industry is one of the most underserved sectors in the country, and after the repetitive lockdowns, artists begin to realize that rock bottom gets deeper.
Before the pandemic, Roi earned from commissions and selling her merch. Going around the school to find students who were interested in her art was Roi’s means of earning, other than setting aside a few pesos from her daily allowance. But because of the lockdown, she had to compromise.
She expresses, “I try to save money from my daily allowance and what I do is I make sure na every day, meron akong naitatabi from that. I used to earn money from my commissions and from selling merch pero because of the lockdown, commissions lang yung pinakukuhanan ko ng money sa ngayon.”
Devoid of physical interaction and face-to-face presentation, artists have resorted to online platforms, and Roi was not an exception. During the quarantine, she thought of opening up an online shop, only to find that it would be too hard to manage since online classes had started, and the materials she would have to acquire were way out of her budget, making trial-and-errors wasteful.
“Actually, during this quarantine, I planned to open up my shop but it was quite hard for me kasi I initially planned on producing my merchandise independently, pero hindi ko rin siya masyadong maasikaso kasi classes have started, then mahal rin yung materials and I had too many trials and errors kaya eventually, nanghihinayang ako sa gastos,” Roi shares.
Those who come into the arts and culture industry know the extra obstacles they would face: little to no recognition, the income’s nature of instability, and people who believe art should never be considered a career. The constant battle against these hurdles is especially true for artists like Roi. Building her audience in the online community was hard enough, let alone finding the motivation to continue her passions.
She kept telling herself, “Doing what I love is enough motivation for me to carry on.” But love, at this very moment, cannot pay the bills or fill an empty stomach.
With pockets seldomly getting filled, artists feel as though the pandemic is the biggest competitor against the other struggles they face daily. What frustrates them the most is how those with the power to help and provide resources fail to do so.
“In all honesty, sobrang disappointed and frustrated ako with how the government is handling the COVID-19 issue. Ever since the lockdown, ang daming issue regarding COVID na hindi naman naresolve kasi mas inuuna pa nila pagtuunan ng pansin yung mga bagay na hindi naman mahalaga,” Roi expressed.
With each trending hashtag on Twitter, the other many layers of the pandemic begin to manifest themselves. The state of creatives and cultural workers only proves that these situations must be resolved beyond the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. While solutions seem to look unchallenging on paper, it is still easier said than done. However, addressing these issues can begin with seeking laws providing benefits and insurance for the kind of workers who need stronger safety nets in these trying times. Artists stress the need for action, especially those in the non-mainstream industries that are most vulnerable.
Despite the art blocks, limited commissions, and the toll on her mental health, Roi still looks at art the same way she looked at it when she first held a paintbrush—an avenue for expression and comfort. She shares, “Personally, I’ve gone through a lot of things during this lockdown, and despite the countless art blocks, sobrang nakatulong pa rin yung art para makapag-bounce back ako sa life. I use art to express myself and most of my art is actually inspired by my personal experiences; the reason why I incorporate inspirational and comforting messages in my art is that those are the things that I want to tell myself. Also, I’m glad na my art brings comfort sa iba during these trying times. Alam ko na all of us have our own silent battles and yung feedback din from others, sobrang nakakagaan sa pakiramdam kasi alam ko na hindi ako nag-iisa.”
While she exchanges care packages with fellow artists, she also continues to post positive and inspirational artwork on her Twitter, @roisarts, hoping to instill the same hope in others. Artists like her, such as Tarantadong Kalbo and Riyokki, continue to post on relevant issues, making it clear that art is not limited to self-expression—there will always be a need to not only express but also expose, especially during these times when a voice needs to be heard. Whether it be political or feel-good illustrations, art will always be an outlet for empowerment.
Heedless of the seemingly unending supply of uncertainty of what lies ahead, their power as artists—not only to express but also to shed light on issues that deserve to be recognized—will not go to waste. Truly no lockdown can cage an artist’s untethered mind.
Illustration by Andrea Andam
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