Reading the Bantayog Museum: Semiotic Analysis of the Exhibition Design of Bantayog Museum

Abstract

Usually, people go to museums to view artworks, to learn its significance and be inspired by them. They marvel at the beauty, creativity or emotion that an artist wants to deliver to them through his/her works. It is interesting to note, that people, or the viewers, can also marvel at how these artworks were arranged, at how the museum exhibition was designed. A work of art attempts to convey a certain meaning to whoever is viewing it. Undoubtedly, an exhibition design of a museum can also do this. It can bring out emotional responses and various interpretations from the viewers. Thus, with this premise, this study attempts to focus on the meaning-conveying potential of an exhibition design in a museum, and in this case the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Memorial Museum. Exhibition design is the art and science of arranging the visual, spatial and material elements of an environment into a composition that visitors move though. The visual element is composed of sub-elements namely color, value, texture, line, balance and shape. The spatial element is mainly concerned with the use of space. The material element is composed of the artworks and other objects, markings, or notes and medium used in the exhibition. The Bantayog Museum, as it is commonly known, was established to educate the people, especially the youth, about the history of Martial Law in the Philippines. It is under the supervision of Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation, Inc., a non-stock, non-profit organization which aims to honor Filipino patriots who fought valiantly against the unjust and repressive Marcos rule. The Bantayog Museum exhibition is mainly composed of photographs, a painting, replicas, manifestos, painting reproductions and a compilation of unpublished newspaper. The museum space is divided in three sections, depicting significant eras during the martial law days in the Philippines. These are the pre-martial law, declaration of martial law, including the era of repression/suppression & era of resistance, and post-martial law or the People Power Revolution. The dominant colors in BM exhibition design are red (on the right wall), yellow (on the left wall), and ochre on the wooden floor. The exhibition space has a horizontal orientation and texture is generally smooth. Balance, in terms of object arrangement, is asymmetrical or informal, and the shape of the entire exhibition space is rectilinear, like a capital letter L. The museum exhibition was designed and constructed by an all woman team, all of whom are former activists during the First Quarter Storm, and considered themselves as Martial Law veterans. Common goals, ideals and their involvement with the Foundation had unified the 12 women to render their service voluntarily and worked for 3 months in establishing the exhibition. Applying the theory of semiotics, the exhibition design of Bantayog Museum clearly signifies that it is "anti-Marcos" and "anti-martial rule", as manifested by the artworks/objects, on how these were arranged, and enhanced by other design elements. The exhibition of Bantayog Museum was designed in such a way that viewers can learn the history of Martial Law from the point of view of heroes, martyrs, victims & activists.