Amado V. Hernandez was a Filipino writer and National Artist awarded posthumously in 1973 for literature. As a writer, he moved away from ornate Tagalog and wrote in a style closer to everyday spoken language. His first major work, the novel "Mga Ibong Mandaragit," exposed the problems of land and farming in 1950s society and was written while he was imprisoned. Hernandez was also a renowned playwright and essayist who believed art should serve as a conscience for society.