Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

206 INDEPENDENCE CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS

cious emotions with the divine nectar of beauty, the deified
emanation of the Supreme Artist, Creator of the Universe.
To follow the example of those nations, unquestionable
hierarchs in the immense domains of arts, the Philippines should
be free, mistress of her own acts and her own destiny equal
to the mentioned nations.
What is happening in art now here in our country is significant enough of what it might be in the future. In it we
already see projecting with enough relief the characters of a
commercial art. They are the primary effects of the influence
of the esthetic ideas of our rulers. Permit me to say something
about this subject, for its'better understanding.
Ordinarily, the American artist, especially he who has not
taken artistic courses in Europe, feels inclined and more commonly finds himself impelled to continue his artistic activities
within the powerful current produced by predominance in the
society of his country, or in North America, of an eagerness,
let us say ideal, though running the risk of falling in a paradox,
to possess and accumulate immense wealth by means of industry. Within this atmosphere it is natural that the pure art
would not have many cultivators in said country, for the
simple reason that whoever dedicate in it has to make use of
a great proportion and intensity of his intellectual faculties,
and possess, besides, an exquisite sense of harmony united, at
least, to a regular professional culture and other auxiliary knowledge which a real artist is obliged to possess these days. There
are, it is true, some very rare American artists, who do not
allow themselves to be swept away by the current, but they
either live for years in Europe working in that environment
or reside in their country to comply with just one sole purpose, but usually to go back to Europe as if they fear the
contagion of industrialism in their country. Thus this very
race, well-selected number of American artists do not exercise,
cannot exercise the necessary influence to change the course of
the esthetic ideals of their country in the sense of elevating their
art to the level of Europe.
In view, therefore, of all that has been said before, the Filipino artists cannot help but wish for the immediate and com