Between symbols and selves: shifting perceptions of Filipina identity in 20th-century Philippine national art

Abstract

This thesis examines the shifting perceptions of Filipina identity in twentieth-century Philippine art to underscore their crucial role in the construction of the Philippine national identity, utilising Benedict Anderson’s concept of “imagined communities” as a theoretical lens. Through a chronological analysis of artworks by Fernando Amorsolo, Anita Magsaysay Ho, Eduardo Castrillo, and Pacita Abad, this research reveals the persistent patriarchal undertones in nationalistic visual narratives. Ultimately, this thesis aims to uncover and challenge homogenising archetypes of Filipino women as national symbols and instead, contribute a decolonial female perspective to the analysis of selected twentieth-century Philippine artworks – advocating for a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of Filipina identity within the Filipino imagined community.