On Ferdinand Cacnio’s “Uplift” and Elizabeth Stienstra’s “The Virgins of Apeldoorn”
Context: Artist defends ‘female Oblation’ from plagiarism allegations (http://www.rappler.com/nation/173884-ferdinand-cacnio-defends-female-oblation-plagiarism)
At a glance, I see glaring similarities between “Uplift” and “The Virgins of Apeldoorn” — to name a few: 1) the levitation; 2) long hanging hair; and 3) outstretched arms. But, conversely, there are also differences like nudity, hair and the woman is rising up and not reclining as seen on Stienstra’s work.
Should we conclude that Cacnio plagiarized just because of these glaring similarities despite the differences?
The problem happens when we look only in terms of physicality. We need to look beyond the surface level and understand the context of what the artworks represent. On one hand, “Uplift” gives meaning to honor and excellence that is UP as the woman appears to be ascending to the heavens through deification. On the other hand, one could look at the “The Virgins of Apeldoorn” as a frozen emblem of innocence, while others can dispute its exploitation.
While there are glaring similarities, both artworks are independent and not copies from each other. Also, both of them maybe original but they are not unique. Originality relates to the origin — preceding all others while uniqueness relates to being the only one of its kind — unmatched or unparalleled.
The “levitating woman” motif has been repeatedly used in the art world. To name a few artworks:
Using the levitating motif, the artist now construct and/or deconstruct ideas and portray these using his or her own style and understanding — where delineation happens.
It is also worth noting to assess Cacnio’s style and previous works because this will give us an idea on how he conceptualize and execute.
Deeper Discourse
Why are others pairing the female icon and its existence to the male icon (Oblation)? Why can’t she have her own independent identity? Should we deify the Iskolar ng Bayan identity or should they be about serving the people — just like how the Oblation stands firm on the ground?
Positively, I see this issue as a way to better assess art and how it affects us. I hope we further the discourse and make it an inclusive one because the issue is not only about originality but also about representation.
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