Born in 1953 in the Philippines, Renato Habulan, one of the three notable social realist painters of the Marcos era, is a founding member of Kaisahan, a group established in 1976 for socially committed artists. He is also an active member of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines. As part of his involvement for the cause, he actively participates in community-based projects, often working with farmers and labourers. His interest in theater and performance is evident in his pictorial compositions.‘Kagampan (Fullness of Time)’ is one of two large-scale paintings Habulan prepared as centrepieces in a 1983 solo exhibition that featured a series of multi-figure works depicting different sectors of the working class, poised to revolt. Although martial law was lifted in 1981, political repression and poverty persisted. The growing unrest is translated by Habulan into a work where workers wait, in a stage-like setting, to take action.
