Artist Mideo Cruz Looks Back at the Kulo Exhibit 10 Years Later

On June 17, 2011, the CCP opened the Kulo exhibit at the Bulwagang Juan Luna (Main Gallery), which featured works by 32 artists in celebration of Dr. Jose Rizal’s 150th birth anniversary. The exhibit, which intended to question or challenge societal customs and behaviors as a theme, received little attention until the media took notice of a particular piece: “Poleteismo” by multi-media artist Mideo M Cruz. Thus, a long controversy began involving debates among conservative groups, threats to personal and government property, and court charges. Eventually, on August 9, 2011, the CCP Board of Trustees decided to prematurely shut down the exhibit.

For the 10th anniversary of the Kulo, we interviewed Cruz for his perspective as the central subject of the controversy, his motivation behind his work “Poleteismo,” the controversy’s impact on his art career, how he coped with the stress, making art during the pandemic, and living a quiet farm life away from the city with his family.

Extract from an article on the Cultural Center of the Philippines website.
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