Lesson 1: DEFINING CONTEMPORARY ART
1. Mimesis - copying the model exactly as it is.
2. World War II - The new style of art that emerged is called
contemporary art
3. Western contemporary artists – Jackson Pollock,
- Marcel Duchamp,
- Andy Warhol
4. Contemporary art – “the art of today”
- is made from a variety of media and materials to
convey an artist’s interests or expression or self. It usually
reflects his or her culture, political views,
as well as the current popular trends.
- the scope of contemporary art is broad.
- Contemporary artists experiment with medium and
form to make a statement.
5. Heneral Luna (2015) – directed by Jerrold Tarog and
produced by Artikulo Uno Productions.
- basement of the colosseum where the dead and
dying gladiators are brought to be stripped of their last
few remaining possessions.
6. Spoliarium – painting by Juan Luna that garnered one of
the three first gold medal awards at the Exposición
Nacional de Bellas Artes held in Madrid, Spain in 1884. It
is now displayed and preserved at the ground floor of the
National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila.
- It is also a most appropriate allusion.
7. 1950s - 2000s - there are more than 100 art styles and
movements
- Some of the more famous ones are abstract
expressionism, kinetic art, op art, performance art,
environmental art, feminist art, postminimalism, video
art, graffiti art, postmodern art, body art, and digital art.
8. Fernando Amorsolo - Fruit Pickers Under the Tree, his
style is much softer, delicate, serene, and more realistic.
▪ Philippine Contemporary Artists
1. Victorio Edades - was the first to break the rules of art,
hence why he is often attributed as the “Father of Modern
Philippine Art.”
- He did not show natural forms nor perspective and
used bold strokes and bright colors.
- The Interaction depicts a much flatter and more
stylized scene.
2. Carlos “Botong” Francisco and Galo Ocampo - influenced
by Western artists, abstraction, expressionism, and
surrealism were evident in their paintings.
3. Hernando Ocampo - used geometric forms in strong red
colors overlapping with shades of yellow to brown.
4. Vicente Manansala - painted in abstract cubism his
human forms engaged in genre such as those in market
scenes.
5. Cesar Legaspi - used his art as a commentary to the state
of hard labor in the Philippines. He employed transparent
cubism with a lot of flowing lines that give movement to
his human forms.
Subtopic 2: Characteristics of Contemporary Art
1. Contemporary art
– is generally considered to include art that is being
created at present.
– may be considered as art produced in our lifetime or
may refer to works of art made during the contemporary
period of art history.
– is characterized by a transgression of established norms
and rules, and the rejection of established institutions,
traditions, and history. It emphasizes the new, modern,
and progressive.
– blurs distinctions between traditional and discipline-
based art forms. It freely mixes media or use media in
unconventional ways.
– infuses timely social issues into works of art
– utilizes existing art forms and appropriate them into
new works; embrace and utilize innovative materials,
media, and technology; and engage the past by utilizing
ancient techniques and materials.
– Awareness of local heritage is a significant aspect of
contemporary art. Local traditions, history, and
contemporary issues influence the creation of art.
– poses questions and critiques of society, everyday life,
and concerns of the day. The social nature of art is
underscored as many contemporary artworks utilize
public spaces and emphasize the participation of the
audience.
– is a statement that an artist makes about the conditions,
thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and many other things that define
human life through the use of various mediums and
materials.
Artworks examples:
• Itak sa Puso ni Mang Juan by Antipas Delotavo,
watercolor on paper.
• Carnivores of Session Road by Santiago Rose, mixed
media on canvas.
• Cutting Onions Always Makes Me Cry by Julie Lluch,
terra cotta.
• Kinupot by Edgar Fernandez, molded canvas over
wood armature.
• Dead Whale by Biboy Royong, installation art.
• Cat Dolls by Plet Bolipata, the subject matter
combines human figures and cat heads. The artist
constructed a human skeleton made of wires and
covered it with textile. The cat head is made of resin.
- Several of these are found in front of her house to
serve as “guards”.
• Metalscape by Sam Penaso is an abstraction using
recycled metal.
Subtopic 3: Subject Matter and Style in Contemporary Art
- is not confined to representations of human figures and
landscapes.
- favorite subjects in contemporary art are children, women, or
the environment.
1. Abstract expressionism - is an art style in which the artist applies
paint, for example, in a manner that expresses emotions and
feelings in a spontaneous way. The figures may be heavy in lines
and color without solid mass.
2. Kinetic art - is a sculpture that may be moved by the wind
or powered by a machine or electricity.
3. Op art - uses lines or images repeatedly to create an
optical illusion.
4. Performance art - combines a variety of media and the
human body to execute an artistic theatrical expression
performed before a live audience.
5. Environmental art - involves the artistic creation or
manipulation of space such as landscape or architectural
design that may enclose its audience. Earthwork or art
using stones, leaves, trees, grass, or other natural
elements are included in this category.
6. Feminist art - emerged from concerns of female artists
expressed through art. They tackle issues of identity,
sexuality, gender roles, equality, and the ways in which
the female is treated in society, among others.
7. Minimalism - has a stripped-down, prefabricated look,
free of details, and often with flat surface, but expresses
a specific content or statement. An example is electric
wire emerging from the wall that coils to form a particular
shape.
8. Video art - consists of images that are recorded through a
video and viewed through television, computer, or
projection screen.
9. Graffiti art - is a drawing, inscription, or sketch done
hastily on a wall or other surface made to be seen by the
public.
10. Postmodern art - carries modern styles to extreme
practices, often expressing an idea through a mix of
materials such as found objects welded together.
11. Body art - is an art form that uses the body as the medium
or main material. It can be painted or clothed and used
for art performance in public. Tattooing and piercing are
examples of body art.
12. Digital art - is done with the aid of a computer to create
an image or design composed of bits and bytes. The image
can be printed on paper, tarpaulin, or other mediums.
• In contemporary art in the Philippines, there is a
dominance of abstraction, expressionism, social realism,
and mixed media art.
• Interactive art-making is also practiced among Filipino
artists.
• Film has expanded to include independent or “indie” films
that explore specific themes.
Lesson 2: APPRECIATING CONTEMPORARY ART
Subject matter is what you see that is depicted in the
artwork. It may be a human form where the figures
are engaged in an activity, or a combination of texture
and color. It may also be a figure made form found
objects put together or assembled into a coherent
whole.
• What is the main figure in the artwork?
• How is the main figure placed within the artistic frame?
Material is what the artwork is made of. It can also
be a combination of objects used in the artwork.
• How do the other figures in the artwork relate to the main
figure?
• What are the materials or objects used by the artist?
• Do these materials bring out the intended effect of the
artist?
• If the artist chose other materials, do you think the same
effect will be achieved? Why and how?
• How is the main figure placed within the artistic frame?
Art elements and principles refer to the physical
qualities of the image. The artist uses colors, lines,
spaces, and other elements to make visual images.
These are arranged into an organized manner that
observes unity, harmony, rhythm, or other principles
of design in a creative way.
• What are the dominant elements in the artwork?
• How are these used in the artwork?
• How are line, shape, or volume used within the artistic
frame?
• How are texture, movement, or space used within the
artistic frame?
• What are the unifying features in the artistic composition?
• Are there any variations among the repeated elements?
• How does the art form appeal to the visual sense?
Subtopic 2: Art Analysis and Interpretation
• There are three elements that constitute a description of
contemporary art: what the artwork is all about (subject
matter), what materials/medium were used in the
process of art-making, and the art form.
• Description, analysis, and interpretation are essential to
art appreciation before making a judgment on whether
the artwork is beautiful or not.
✓ Art viewing starts with a description of an
artwork.
✓ Art analysis, on the other hand, requires an
understanding of the content by separating the parts
of the subject matter. This can lead to grasping the
artwork’s organizational structure, nature, function,
and value.
✓ Art interpretation is employed by the viewer after
describing and analyzing an artwork. Here, focus is on
the expressive qualities, the meaning, theme, mood,
or idea communicated by the artist. The Mimesis –
copying.

Lesson 3: CONTEMPORARY FINE ARTS
1. The fine arts consist of painting, sculpture, and
architecture.
2. In contemporary painting and other fields of art, there are
four basic and broad categories of style that are
manifested in an artwork:
(1) Objective accuracy
✓ Control and handling of illumination the amount
of light an object receives, the shape of its
shadows, the transition from light to shadow, the
source of light.
✓ Correct drawing accurately draws what the artist
sees and understand what he or she is looking at.
✓ Use of color depending of the amount and source
of light they receive and on their location in space
✓ Focus by manipulating the sharpness or softness,
distinctness or vagueness of form and contour
✓ Ability to create the illusion of depth through
perspective.
(2) The Style of Formal order
✓ This general style creates works with the
characteristics of order in measure, proportion,
mathematical relationships, balance and harmony. It
doesn't mean that the works can't also be "realistic"
looking to some degree but the most important aspect
of the work would be the sense of order or an ideal.
(3) The Style of Emotion
✓ Themes of emotion, feeling, romance are
common features in painting.
✓ Romanticism and emotion are used in painting
when the artist wishes to disclose personal
feelings in relation to love.
✓ Anxiety and despair in painting express
disappointment, bitterness, disturbance, or
uncomfortable feelings and often look dark and
chaotic.
✓ Joy and celebration are displayed through
vigorous, uncomplicated approach such as
depiction of movement and energy with the
visual representation of the sun, sky, air, water,
and mountains.
✓ Brushstrokes are also used to express sparkle,
freshness, and abundance.
(4) The Style of Fantasy
✓ The artist creates strange forms or allows himself
or herself to experience a creative process that
leads to fantastic outputs.
✓ Fantastic works may be objectively accurate or
subjectively distorted. Art of this type originates in
both logical and irrational ideas and therefore can
draw on such diverse sources as science, myth,
fairy tales, folk stories, magic, superstition, dreams
and hallucinations, utopian ideals, speculative
vision, etc.
✓ Minimal craftsmanship is required but planning
where to put and what to achieve in the creative
design depends on the imagination of the artist.
Subtopic 2: Contemporary Sculpture
The sculpting process may either be subtractive,
where the material is removed or carved out, or
additive, wherein the material is added part by part.
It is carved from a slab of material (such as stone,
wood, etc.) and is limited by the material’s shape
and size. This means the sculptor can only make
a form that is allowed by the materials’ shape
and cannot exceed its size. One example of this
is Lucell Larawan’s Waiting for the Blessing, in
which he embedded thousands of nails on
carved wood and painted the form with acrylic.
The Four Basic Sculpture Techniques
1. Modeling - Modeled sculptures are created when a soft or
malleable material such as clay is built using an armature
(metal brace) and then shaped to create a form. It is an
additive process.
2. Carving - It involves cutting or chipping away a shape from
a block of stone, wood, or other hard material. It is a
subtractive process where the material is systematically
eliminated from the outside.
3. Casting - When a sculpture is formed using terra-cotta clay,
it is made with plaster of pairs. Casting it in bronze or metal
accurately reproduces the form from an original clay or wax
model. It is durable, can be transported without breaking and
can also be duplicated.
4. Assembling - Sculptors gather and put together different
materials, including found objects to create an assembled
sculpture. Assembling is an additive process using adhesive,
welding, and other chemicals for adhesion.
Styles and Movements in Sculpture
1. Monolithic sculptures - It is carved from a slab of material
(such as stone, wood, etc.) and is limited by the material’s
shape and size. This means the sculptor can only make a
form that is allowed by the materials’ shape and cannot
exceed its size.
- One example of this is Lucell Larawan’s Waiting for the
Blessing, in which he embedded thousands of nails on
carved wood and painted the form with acrylic.
2. Constructivism - It makes use of new materials such as
plastics, metal wires, etc., and allows a break from the
figurative representation of sculpture. Its main traits are
abstraction, transparency, interpenetration of sculptural
form, overlapping of planes, and the use of lines in tension
to describe direction and movement.
- An example of this is an abstract experiment such as
Wilson Baldemor’s Vise Tandem. (bronze and aluminum)
3. Sculptural Assemblage - It provides a method to the
contemporary artist who abandons carving, modeling,
and casting. Several forms of found objects are put
together through welding.
- Michelle Hollanes Lua’s Broke Bag Mounted. She
created a variety of texture by putting together pieces of
aluminum, brass, stones, and diamonds collected from
hundreds of broken shoes, belts, and bags, covering the
inner layer of a fiber glass cast.
4. Kinetic Sculpture - It is a sculpture in mechanical motion.
Strong wing can also propel movement in a sculpture.
When they are suspended in the air, they can produce
musical sound as the elements move with the wind and
touch each other.
- Impy Pilapil’s kinetic sculptures such as Nautilus are
made of bamboo, constructed vertically to interact with
the wind and are designed to accommodate the
movement of the viewers who interact with the kinetic
sculptures.
5. Niches, Boxes, and Grottoes
A niche is a recessed place in a wall where a
sculptured figure or bust can be located. (Born from
walls).
An example of this is Renato Habulan’s Takatak
Series.
Boxes are closed and can become packages or
portable containers.
One famous example of this style is Alfred and Isabel
Aquilizan’s Project Be-longing.
Grotto is not associated with the wall and is more like
a room. It relates instead to the vault or convoluted
inner spaces of natural caverns.
Richmond Campil’s Revelation presents a neat
arrangement of staircases and cubes.
Subtopic 3: Contemporary Architecture
The practice of architecture is all about making places. To
produce the ideal human environment, architecture is
complemented by the fields of interior design, landscape
architecture, and urban design.
1. Interior Design refers to planning, designing and furnishing
to achieve the planned function and character of the interior
environment. The work may also involve new construction or
renovation.
2. Landscape Architecture refers to the art of composing
landform, vegetation, water, buildings, and paving to create
memorable outdoor environments such as gardens and
parks. Landscape architects design the layout as well as the
topography and plant materials for public parks, residential
areas, college campuses, playgrounds, golf courses, shopping
centers, industrial parks, and parkways.
3. Urban Design refers to the art of designing towns, cities,
streets, and spaces. Urban designers weave public spaces,
diverse uses, and memorable context into a distinctive pattern
of place and enduring places of beauty that transform our
everyday lives.
Styles of Contemporary Architecture
1. Postmodernism - Characterized by eclecticism, it is a
brash, diverse, humorous and colorful architectural style
which emerged as a reaction to the simple, restrained
architecture of the modern movement.
2. Neo-vernacular - This architectural style reinterprets the
“vernacular”—indigenous, folk, tribal, ethnic, or
traditional architecture. Structures of this style use
modern materials and processed indigenous materials.
3. Biomorphic - It uses artistic design elements on naturally
occurring patterns or shapes reminiscent of nature and
living organisms
4. High-tech - This architectural style uses advanced
technology and display technology in the structures,
which feature commonly feature shimmering facades of
metallic surface treatments, exposed steel, glass, and
aluminum.
5. Alternative - Structures with this style use recycled
materials or alternative materials for construction.
6. Deconstructivism - Characterized by fragmentation and
incoherence, structures look uneven and disjointed.
Sections and walls collide at odd angles, and interiors
often have an unusual sense of space.
7. Green - Green, eco- or environment-friendly architecture
aims to create structures that have a low impact on the
environment.
Lesson 4: INSTALLATION ART: NEW MEDIA ART
Installation art is an art form consisting of three-dimensional
works that are often sites specific and designed to transform
interior or exterior spaces to achieve an effect. They are
designed and installed only in the space for which they were
create.
As a visual art form, is labor intensive and the artist usually
works with fellow artists and assistance with welding, carpentry,
construction format and fabrication skills.
 Subtopic 3: Different Types of Installation Art
1. Technology Aided Installation Art
It consists of an installation art piece on which light, video,
or film. This is best appreciated in a dark room where the
light contrast with a dark environment.
2. Performance Installation Art
It is combined with theater and dance. Lights and sounds
are part of the design and performance is made under a
specific span of time. This type of installation requires
careful planning not only for the placement of the
materials but more importantly, to achieve the desired
effect when combined with lights, sounds, and the
performers movements. The installation is best
appreciated when all of these elements interact in the
light-controlled space. The Grid, Metal and Nylon Strings
by Ohm David.
3. Conceptual Installation Art
It places emphasis on an idea or concept rather than in the
tangible art object. It may include a written text,
instruction, or a question that leads the viewer to think
about an idea. It follows the notion that art should
examine its own nature. The role of the artists, therefore,
is to make people think and reflect through the use of an
art piece as stimulus.
4. Interactive Installation Art
It allows the viewer to attach walk in or through, listen to,
or interact with the installation piece. In some cases, the
viewer is given pieces of fabric or paper to write on which
are attached to the artwork. Their contribution completes
the meaning of the installation.
5. Environmental Installation
It encompasses ecological concerns and is a celebration of
an artist’s connection with the beauty of nature, the
natural world, and environment.
- Earth sculpture is classified as installation art. It is made
on terrestrial environment such as land air and water
outside heavily populated places. natural space is the
“container of art” and is the material that the artist uses.
- They are referred to us earthworks, Skyworks, or
waterworks. This constitutes objects were events that are
frequently too vast, fragile, temporary, or this tend to be
experienced for a long time by many people.
Lesson 5: PUBLIC ART: ART IN AN OUTDOOR SPACE
Public art requires collaborative work and
engages the service of different types of people,
such as artists, Architects, engineers, plumbers,
civic leaders, community residents, design
professionals, finding agencies, and construction
teams. it is a communal process that can
enhance the artist's creativity.
Public art has the capability “to engage
audiences and create spaces, whether material,
virtual, or imagine, where people can identify
themselves by creating and renewed reflection
on community, the use of public space, and our
behavior within them”. (sharp et al. In Guazon
2013). They can be large enough to call your
attention to hide, can enclose viewers, stimulate
interaction, or can project a historical event.
Subtopic 2: Types of Public Art
1. Community Based Art
- It pertains to artistic endeavor done within a community and
with the help of its citizen. In such circumstances, the artist
usually reaches out to the locals to either collaborate with
them or enjoin them to try out making art themselves. The
focus of the community-based art is usually to engage locals
who have never dabbled in arts before, allowing them to learn
from the professional artist conducting the event.
2. Municipal Art
- It is typically located in squares plazas, or in front of
government buildings, low courts, airports, public museums,
or academic institutions. The purpose of this type public art is
to instill patriotism and nationalism among the community
members.
3. Land Art
- It includes monumental earthworks that interact with nature
and the environment.
4. Architectural Art
- It decorates the facade, orchard, or enclosed concrete
structures where a large number of people converge. It forms
part of an architectural structure or compound.
5. Commemorative monuments
- These are sculptures, whether individual or group of people
who are honored for heroism or for participation in historic
events.
6. Design Based Public Art
- It is decorative and is usually located in parks or commercial
centers. The design or theme matches the buildings and its
surroundings to achieve unity because the artwork is viewing
in relation to its natural and man-made surroundings.
7. Campaign Inspired Public Art
- This public art promotes an idea by making visible reminders
of the public.
Subtopic 3: Mixed and Multimedia Art
✓ Mixed and multimedia or refers to an artwork that is made
from a combination of mediums or materials.
✓ Techniques used in mixed media:
1. Collage - It is an artistic composition of materials and objects
pasted over a flat surface and is usually hung on the wall.
2. Assemblage - It is putting together objects and combining
them in new context. Assemblage employs any method of
joining or fashioning to make his three-dimensional object. In
three-dimensional mixed media artwork such as assemblage,
some artist stuff objects, including birds, pillows, or other
things whose internal parts can be replaced and transformed
creatively into an artwork.
Lesson 6: PHOTOGRAPHY AND DIGITAL ART:
TECHNOLOGY-AIDED ART
Subtopic 1: Types of Contemporary Photography
use geometric shapes, lines, spaces, movement, Penn
color in the art composition.
3. Fantasy Digital Art - Fantasy digital artists create worlds,
universes, and imaginary creatures and combine colors
that can transport the viewer to another world that seems
boundless and immensely broad. They take inspiration
from myths, legends, or fantasy stories or create their own
visual narrative
4. Digital Art - as Design There is a great demand for digital
art from the business and commercial industry, leisure
and the creation, airline and shipping industries, and
communication and media industry. Contemporary art
design is popular among people in urban places. Because
of its digital form, these designs are easily spread and
shared electronically

1. Nature Photography - It enables us to view people,
landscapes, places, and objects that we may never
encounter in our lifetime. Nature can be captured in its
pure form. People's portraits are taken either indoor or
outdoor.
➢ Multimedia combines performing arts with visual
arts. Photography and digital art use camera aided
with computer programs that can alter images.

2. Photography that Depicts Reality - it can also present

reality in its true form. If words can describe a scene,
photography has the power to show it.

3. Photographic Alteration - it can also offer an illusion and

these challenges the standpoint of Fidelity of appearance.
Photographic devices can be used for entertainment,
documentation, reporting but these devices offer instant
technology that can convert and edit images at one touch.
Hence, what is natural becomes an interpretation that can
hide whatever the photographer was just to conceal and
add what is desired to be visible, even when it is actually
not.

4. Mobile Photography - It is taking pictures using a mobile

phone. Depending on the cell phone camera quality and
image solution, photos can be printed as big as 8X10 in.
however, if it is printed bigger, the photograph will look
blurry and pixelated because of the limited image
resolution.

5. Photojournalism - There are photos that accompany

narratives in the newspapers, magazines, and digital
media to give the reader a view of persons, places, and
events.

➢ Types of Digital Art

1. Electronic Aided Digital Art - It is an art with intervention

of technology.

2. Nonfigurative Digital Art - Contemporary artists who

engage in nonfigurative digital art disregard figures and
any semblance to nature, naturalism, and realism. They
Lesson 7: FROM FOLK ART TO CONTEMPORARY EXPRESSIONS
Folk arts are pieces produced by indigenous people, which are
for practical use and also as decoration. It uses plants that are
abundant locally, like pandan, buri, abaca, piña, or bamboo.
Therefore, different places specialize in their own folk art. For
example, in Ilocos, they have the inabel weave and the
handwoven binakul. Abaca is most dominant in the Bicol
region and is used to make sandals, bags, rags and handicrafts.
Samals of Sulu makes woven buri mats. Pandan leaves are
dyed green and then buri strips are interwoven with the base
design in Samar.
Subtopic 1: Art Production
The Contemporary expression inspired by folk arts discussed
in this lesson include woven products: textile, fabrics, and
clothing, bags and accessories, footwear, home-use products,
lampshades, decors and masks.
WOVEN PRODUCTS: TEXTILE, FABRICS, AND CLOTHING
Woven products used as clothing, bags and accessories that
are based on folk art and design gaining popularity locally and
globally. This way, our product are not only recognized by
more people but also provide employment and foster
development and sustainability of the art craft industry.
With the use of modern technology, fashion designers have
developed the tactile qualities and unique texture of our local
products for comfort and style. They have been successful in
bringing our local fabrics to the fashion industries and to the
global consumer market.
Barong Tagalog, or simply barong, has its origins from the
Spanish rule in the Philippines. The colonizers wanted to
FOOTWEAR Indigenous materials such as beads, crochet,
rattan and woven fabric are used as materials for footwear.
They prove to be strong, durable and attractive. Yuchengo
Museum organized a bazaar of handmade Filipino products
and handcrafted ware in November 2014 and called it
“Habines! And All Things Handmade Bazaar”. Abaca sandals
are decorated with colorful beads in Laguna. Although they do
not have high heels like the bakya, they are preferred for their
comfort and attractive design. Sandals made of buri are found
in Bohol. Because they are thin and light, they are perfect for
indoors and can easily be kept in the luggage, which is
convenient for travelers.distinguish themselves from indios by
making them wear thin and transparent clothing to primarily
prevent carrying of weapons. This piece of clothing had no
pockets to prevent thievery and was worn untucked under the
waistband to mark social status. The fabric was made of piña,
jusi, abaca, or banana. Through the centuries, the barong has
been worn by Filipino men.
Modern fashion designers have created variations of the
original barong so that it is now also worn by women. There is
a variety of embroidery design and they come in different
colors, such as red, blue, brown, yellow and green. The polo
barong is another variety that was designed to be worn at
work. They have short sleeves and are made of cotton, ramie,
or chiffonille
Aside from local tailor shops and city malls, creative designs of
barong are shown at fashion shows, such as Barge Ramos’s
“Holiday Haute Couture XII”. The photo of Ramos’s Barong
Tagalog Collection was taken during the gala night of fund-
raising for the Philippine International Aid in San Francisco,
California, USA.
The Fashion & Design Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has also
redesigned the barong tagalog and baro’t saya for use in more
modern, contemporary times. For example, apparels combine
hablon, mixed abaca, piña, and banana seda with dyed fine
hemp. Fashion shows and competitions challenge designers
such as Roland Alzate and Randy Ortiz to use native products
creatively
BAGS AND ACCESSORIES Bags of different sizes and shapes can
be functional and aesthetic. Ilocos abel fabrics designed with
geometric patterns are both fashionable and useful, especially
for students who use them as bags. In Bacolod, pandan leaves
are woven and can be tied with cow leather to make bags of
export quality. In Bicol, rattan and other types of wood are
used as bag handles. Banig can also be used as little purses, as
in the case of Tacloban.
Ikat is a style of weaving that uses dyeing process before the
threads are woven to create a pattern or design. It is mostly
practiced in Cordillera by the Ifugaos and the ethnic groups in
Mindanao. Modern fashion designers make creative use of Ikat
weave by turning these into accessories and clothing accents.
Pearls are abundant in the southern part of the country. These
make good accessories. In the northern part of the country,
natural materials such as stone, rocks, woods, sticks, animal
bones and teeth, shells, feathers, leaves, cloth, or leather can
make necklaces and other accessories.
Mel Araneta’s necklaces are made from found objects, such as
medals, leather and soft drink can tabs, tied together with thin
metal strings.
HOME-USE PRODUCTS Because of environmental concerns,
we are more selective of the material component of the
products that we use, especially at home. Banig is used for
throw pillow case in Cebu. In Bukidnon, abaca is woven into
hats, baskets, and different types of containers. In Bacolod,
trays are made of pandan leaves. ln Bohol, rapia makes good
material for bottle holders.
LAMPSHADES Lampshades can be made from native plants
such as buri and abaca. Maria Vinecraft, Inc. of Davao City
makes lampshades from the amlong vine. Bacolod artist Anita
Feria uses ceramics and paints these to make ceiling lamps.
DECORS Tapestries are wall decors that are made of woven
fabric. These are common in Ilocos and Baguio City. In Dipolog
City, a unique design is in the collection of Andres Bonifacio
College.

Patrick Gabutina’s creative decors are made of driftwood,

dried grasses, and dried flowers. Assembled with sinamay,
they returned into very attractive decors that can be put on
the table during Christmas season.

To show the variety of materials that can be used for home

decors, see the different products made in Negros. These
include coco twigs, crochet, pandan leaves, tiles, resin, wood,
abalon shell, capiz, and other material that are abundant in the
region.

MASKS
In many ethnic tribes in the Philippines, masks are believed to
have magical powers. They can serve as dwelling for ancestral
spirits or can be put on the door to ward off evil spirits.

Contemporary artists make masks for decorative purposes. In

Puerto Princesa’s Ka Lui Restaurant, we find examples of
wooden mask that depict different characters. The common
color is brown combined with black. Another restaurant that
has masks as decor is Pueblo por la Playa in Pagbilao, Quezon.
Here, the masks are attached to tapestry. The faces are
painted with different geometric shapes and colors while the
hair of each masks is made of thread and rope. In Bacolod, the
masks are theatrical, comic, colorful and combined with
painted objects

Early Filipinos weaved using fibers from abaca, cotton,

pineapple and, bark. Before the final garment or fabric is
produced, the fibers were first knotted, boiled, dyed, and dried
and weaved using hands and a wooden platform. • Different
regions weave mats depending on the abundance of local
plants. Ilocos has the famous inabel weave and the handwoven
binakul, which has been dwindling. Abaca is most dominant in
Bicol region and is used to make sandals, bags, rags, and
handicrafts. Handicrafts include a wide range of decorative
objects done by the hand using simple tools. Banig is a
handwoven mat used for sleeping. Buri mat is woven by the
Samals of Sulu.