The 1970s in the Philippines was a tumultuous period marked by political unrest, societal concerns, and a national struggle to survive. Filipinos were grappling with issues of poverty, inequality, and human rights abuses. These themes adorned Dalena’s works and led to his rise to prominence—first with his political cartoons and illustrations for the Philippine Free Press and Asia Philippine Leader.
\nDalena’s oeuvre reflects the less respectable side of Manila life: poverty, the carnal and steamy climate of bars and beerhouses, prostitution and exploitation of women, and the city’s overall tumultuous atmosphere. These works were the product of his observations and perspectives on the prevailing social conditions.
\nIn the 1980s, Dalena birthed his Alibangbang series, a collection of works that vividly portray the intense situations and affairs inside a beerhouse. The excellence of his craft is evident in his social realist canvases, where the beerhouses come to life with gyrating a-go-go dancers, the smoke, sweat, and stale beer almost palpable to the viewers.
\nThe work at hand exemplifies Dalena’s masterful use of symbolism, blending social realism and impressionism. The woman, only in her undergarments, sprawled on three chairs stuck together, her body on full display, is a powerful symbol of the exploitation of women in beerhouses. Her boots denote her work as a dancer. Her boots, a symbol of her job as a dancer, and her body language all add layers of meaning to the piece. One of her hands covered her face while the other was on her groin area—because of embarrassment or pleasure, only she will ever know.
\nAlibangbang is the Tagalog term for “Common Jay” (Graphium doson), a type of butterfly with vibrant blue wings commonly found in the Philippines. It was also a term used to refer to a flirtatious woman in the old days. Additionally, alibangbang was bright blue, a color most animals see and are attracted to. The artist ingeniously naming his series of almost-naked women in beerhouses after a beautiful butterfly alludes to how men viewed women during those times: a spectacle that needs to be consumed.
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