A Plea for Freedom from Fear
Fermin Gomez
1949
“A Plea for Freedom from Fear” is a hauntingly evocative sculpture by the esteemed Fermin Gomez (1918-1984), capturing the raw emotional landscape of the Philippines during the Japanese Occupation. The artwork, completed four years post-occupation, depicts a mother in agony, clutching her baby, while two children seek refuge behind her, and a lifeless child rests at her feet. This powerful composition conveys the deep-seated fears and anguish felt by countless mothers as they endured the war’s horrors and longed for liberation.
Born in Tarlac, Gomez graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1937 and was under the tutelage of National Artist Guillermo E. Tolentino. Before the war, he imparted his knowledge as an educator at the same university. Gomez’s work, imbued with profound emotional depth and cultural significance, is a timeless tribute to the resilience and indomitable spirit of the Filipino people, embodying their enduring quest for freedom and peace.