Core Subject: CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS IN THE REGIONS Elarco, Oabel, Bregondo, Lavado
LEARNING MATERIAL: WEEK 5 and 6
MELC: Evaluates contemporary artforms based on the
elements and principles.
ELEMENTS OF ART
Think of the elements of art as the arrows in your
quiver or tools in a toolbox. You use them individually and in
combination for any art making endeavor. For the visual arts,
these are visual elements: color, form, line, shape, space,
texture, and value.
Color
A three-pronged element of art: hue, value and intensity.
 Hue is the color itself.
 Value is the hue’s lightness or darkness and changes
when white or black is added to it.
 Intensity is the aspect of brightness and purity of a
color. High intensity colors are bold and bright. Low
intensity colors are faint and duller.
Form
For painters and draftsmen, form is the element of art that
renders a three-dimensional form in two dimensions. In a lot of
ways it is the heart of an art object — the form itself. It can
enclose a volume and includes height, width and depth. A cube,
a sphere, a cylinder and a pyramid are all different forms. Forms
can also be formless — abstracted and free-flowing.
Line
Marks made on a surface are known as line. They start at a point
and move along, creating space as they go. Lines can be two-
or three-dimensional, describing form or the form itself, implied,
or abstract. Creating a series of parallel lines to indicate form is
a technique known as hatching. Crosshatching indicates more
than one set of these lines laid overtop of each other at angles
to model and indicate tone.
Shape
The element of art that is two-dimensional, flat, or limited to
height and width. Usually a shape is enclosed.
Space
Space is the element of art through which both positive and
negative areas are defined or a sense of depth is achieved in a
work of art.
Texture
This aspect of art defines the way an art object or an element in
a composition feels or looks as if it would feel if touched.
PRINCIPLES OF ART
If the elements of art are your tools, the principles of
art are how you put them to work. It is where the style of art
manipulates its substance. Rhythm, harmony, balance,
contrast, movement, proportion, and variety are the principles of
art.
Rhythm
This principle of art describes the movement in or of an artwork.
Rhythm is created by the variety and repetition of elements in a
work of art that come together to create a visual tempo or beat.
Harmony
This is achieved when the elements of an artwork come together
in a unified way. Certain element are repeated yet still look and
feel similar. Not monotony and not chaos, harmony is that
perfectly honed combination of both.
Balance
Artists combine elements to add a feeling of equilibrium or
stability to a work of art. Symmetry and asymmetry are
manifestations of balance.
Contrast
Areas of contrast are where a viewer’s eye are usually first
drawn. Artists will combine elements to stress the differences
between those elements.
Movement
Movement is used to create the look and feeling of action in an
artwork. It guides the viewer’s eye throughout a piece. A sense
of movement can be varied lines, repetition of elements, and
gestural mark-making among many more.
Pattern
This is the uniform repetition of an element of art or combination
of elements. Anything can be turned into a pattern through
repetition.
Proportion
Within the realm of the elements and principles of art, proportion
is the relationship of elements in an artwork to the whole and to
one another.
Variety
The principle of art concerned with diversity or contrast is that of
variety. Variety is brought about by using different colors, sizes
and shapes in a work of art. It is the partner of unity. Artists seek
the balance between the two.
WEEK 6
MELC: Compares form of arts from different regions.
Arts in the Philippines refer to all the various forms of
the arts that have developed and accumulated in
the Philippines from the beginning of civilization in the country
up to the present era. They reflect the range of artistic influences
on the country's culture, including indigenous forms of the arts,
and how these influences have honed the country's arts. These
arts are divided into two distinct branches, namely, traditional
arts[1] and non-traditional arts. Each branch is further divided
into various categories with subcategories.
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the official
cultural agency of the government of the Philippines, has
categorized Filipino arts into traditional and non-traditional.
Each category are split into various arts, which in turn have sub-
categories of their own.
Traditional arts
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 Core Subject: CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS IN THE REGIONS Elarco, Oabel, Bregondo, Lavado
o Folk architecture – including, but not limited to, stilt
houses, land houses, and aerial houses
o Maritime transport – boat houses, boat-making, and
maritime traditions
o Weaving – including, but not limited to, basket
weaving, back-strap loom weaving, headgear
weaving, fishnet weaving, and other forms of weaving
o Carving – including, but not limited to, woodcarving
and folk non-clay sculpture
o Folk performing arts – including, but not limited to,
dances, plays, and dramas
o Folk (oral) literature – including, but not limited to,
epics, songs, and myths
o Folk graphic and plastic arts – including, but not limited
to, calligraphy, tattooing, folk writing, folk drawing, and
folk painting
o Ornament, textile, or fiber art – hat-making, mask-
making, accessory-making, ornamental metal crafts
o Pottery – including, but not limited to, ceramic making,
clay pot-making, and folk clay sculpture
o Other artistic expressions of traditional culture –
including, but not limited to, non-ornamental metal
crafts, martial arts, supernatural healing arts,
medicinal arts, and constellation traditions
Non-traditional arts
o Dance – including, but not limited to, dance
choreography, dance direction, and dance
performance
o Music – including, but not limited to, musical
composition, musical direction, and musical
performance
o Theater – including, but not limited to, theatrical
direction, theatrical performance, theatrical production
design, theatrical light and sound design, and
theatrical playwriting
o Visual arts – including, but not limited to painting, non-
folk sculpture, printmaking, photography, installation
art, mixed media works, illustration, graphic arts,
performance art, and imaging
o Literature – including, but not limited to, poetry, fiction,
essay, and literary/art criticism
o Film and broadcast arts – including, but not limited to,
film and broadcast direction, film and broadcast
writing, film and broadcast production design, film and
broadcast cinematography, film and broadcast editing,
film and broadcast animation, film and broadcast
performance, and film and broadcast new media
o Architecture and allied arts – including, but not limited
to, non-folk architecture, interior design, landscape
architecture, and urban design
o Design – including, but not limited to, industrial design,
and fashion design
Folk architecture
Folk architecture in the Philippines differ significantly
per ethnic group, where the structures can be made
of bamboo, wood, rock, coral, rattan, grass, and other
materials. These abodes can range from the hut-style bahay
kubo which utilizes vernacular mediums in construction, the
highland houses called bale that may have four to eight sides,
depending on the ethnic association, the coral houses of
Batanes which protects the natives from the harsh sandy winds
of the area, the royal house torogan which is engraved with
intricately-made okir motif, and the palaces of major kingdoms
such as the Daru Jambangan or Palace of Flowers, which was
the seat of power and residence of the head of Sulu prior to
colonization. Folk architecture also includes religious buildings,
generally called as spirit houses, which are shrines for the
protective spirits or gods. Most are house-like buildings made of
native materials, and are usually open-air.[6][3] Some were
originally pagoda-like, a style later continued by natives
converted into Islam, but have now become extremely rare.
Maritime transport
Maritime transport in the Philippines includes boat
houses, boat-making, and maritime traditions. These structures,
traditionally made of wood chosen by elders and craftsfolks,
were used as the main vehicles of the people, connecting one
island to another, where the seas and rivers became the
people's roads. Although boats are believed to have been used
in the archipelago for thousands of years since the arrival of
humans through water, the earliest evidence of boat-making
and the usage of boats in the country continues to be dated as
320 AD through the carbon-dating of the Butuan boats that are
identified as remains of a gigantic balangay.
Weaving
Weaving is an ancient art form that continue in the
Philippines today, with each ethnic group having their distinct
weaving techniques. The weaving arts are composed of basket
weaving, back-strap loom weaving, headgear weaving, fishnet
weaving, and other forms of weaving.
Basketry
The fine art of basket weaving in the Philippines has
developed intricate designs and forms directed for specific
purposes such as harvesting, rice storage, travel package,
sword case, and so on. The art is believed to have arrived in the
archipelago due to human migration, where those at the north
were the first to learn the art form. The finest vessel basket crafts
made, however, comes from the ethnic groups of Palawan, in
the southwest. The Batak of Palawan has utilized the craft into
high art, as well as retaining their craft's status as functional art.
Intricate basketry can also be found among the Mamanwa,
various Negrito groups, Mangyans, Ivatan, and many others.
Materials used in basketry differ per ethnic group. Some
important materials include bamboo, rattan, pandan, cotton
cloth tassel, nito, beeswax, abaca, buri, bark, and dyes. In the
same manner, each ethnic group has their own basketry
patterns, which include closed-crossed over under weave,
closed bamboo double twill weave, spaced rattan pentagon
pattern, and closed tetrahedron buri, among many others. A few
of the many basketry products from the Philippines include the
tupil (lunch box), bukug (basket), kabil (carrying basket), uppig
(lunch basket), tagga-i (rice basket), bay'ung (basket-pouch),
lig-o (winnowing tray), and binga (bag).[42][43] The weaving
traditions of basketry have also been influenced by modern
demands.
Woodcarving
Indigenous woodcarving is one of the most notable
traditional arts in the Philippines, with some crafts in various
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 Core Subject: CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS IN THE REGIONS Elarco, Oabel, Bregondo, Lavado
ethnic groups date back prior to Hispanic arrival with perhaps
the oldest surviving today are fragments of a wooden boat
dating to 320 AD. Many societies utilize a variety of woods into
making wood crafts such as sacred bulul figures.[51][52] These
divine wooden statues, known in various groups through
different generic names, abound throughout the Philippines
from the northern Luzon to southern Mindanao. The art
of okir on wood is another fine craft attributed to various ethnic
groups in Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago. Wood crafts of
specific objects, such as sword hilts, musical instruments, and
other objects are also notable, where depictions of ancient
mythical beings are usually carved. There are other indigenous
wood crafts and techniques in the Philippines, some of which
have been utilized in Hispanic woodcarvings after colonization,
such as the woodcarving styles of Paete.
Stone, ivory, and other carvings
Stone carving is a priced art form in the Philippines,
even prior to the arrival of Western colonizers, as seen in the
stone likha and larauan or tao-tao crafts of the natives. These
items usually represents either an ancestor or a deity who aids
the spirit of a loved one to go into the afterlife properly. Ancient
carved burial urns have been found in many areas, notably in
the Cotabato region. The Limestone tombs of Kamhantik are
elaborate tombs in Quezon province, believed to initially
possess rock covers signifying that they were sarcophagi.
These tombs are believed to have been originally roofed, as
evidenced by holes marked onto them, where beams have been
placed.] Stone grave marks are also notable, with the people of
Tawi-Tawi, and other groups using the carved marks
with okir motif to aid the dead.] In many areas, sides of
mountains are carved to form burial caves, especially in the
highlands of northern Luzon. The Kabayan Mummy Burial
Caves is a prime example. Marble carvings are also famous,
especially in its epicenter in Romblon. Majority of the marble
crafts are currently meant for export, mostly Buddhist statues
and related works. With the arrival of Christianity, Christian
stone carvings became widespread. Most of which were either
parts of a church such as facades or interior statues, or statues
and other crafts intended for personal altars. A notable stone
carving on a church is the facade of Miagao Church.
Folk performing arts
Folk dances, plays, and dramas constitute most of the
folk performing arts in the Philippines. Like other Southeast
Asian countries, each ethnic group in the Philippines possess
their own heritage on folk performing arts, however, Filipino folk
performing arts also includes Spanish and American influences
due to the country's historical narratives. Some dances are also
related to the dances from neighboring Austronesian and other
Asian countries. Notable examples of folk performing arts
include the banga, manmanok, ragragsakan, tarektek,
uyaoy/uyauy, pangalay, asik, singkil, sagayan, kapa malong
malong, binaylan, sugod uno, dugso, kinugsik kugsik, siring,
pagdiwata, maglalatik, tinikling, subli, cariñosa, kuratsa, and
pandanggo sa ilaw. Various folk dramas and plays are known in
many epics of the people. Among non-Hispanic traditions,
dramas over epics like Hinilawod and Ibalong are known, while
among Hispanic groups, the Senakulo is a notable drama.
Folk (oral) literature
The arts under folk (oral) literature include the epics,
songs, myths, and other oral literature of numerous ethnic
groups in the Philippines.
The poetic arts in the Philippines has been attributed
as high in form and full of metaphor. Tanaga poetry consists of
7777 syllable count, but rhymes range from dual rhyme forms to
freestyle forms. Awit poetry consists of 12-syllable quatrains,
following the pattern of rhyming stanzas of established epics
such as Pasyon, which is chanted through the pabasa. A
notable awit epic-poem is the 1838 Florante at
Laura. Dalit poetry consists of four lines with eight syllables
each. Ambahan poetry consists of seven syllable lines with
rhythmic end-syllables, often chanted without a determined
musical pitch or musical instrument accompaniment, meant to
express in an allegorical way, liberally using poetic language,
certain situations or certain characteristics referred to by the one
reciting the poem. It ca also be written on bamboo. A notable
poetry duel in the Philippines is Balagtasan, which is a debate
done in verses. Some notable poems include A la juventud
filipina, Ako'y may alaga, and Kay Selya.
Folk writing (calligraphy)
The Philippines has numerous indigenous scripts
collectively called as suyat, each of which has their own forms
and styles of calligraphy. Various ethno-linguistic groups in the
Philippines prior to Spanish colonization in the 16th century up
to the independence era in the 21st century have used the
scripts with various mediums. By the end of colonialism, only
four of the suyat scripts survived and continue to be used by
certain communities in everyday life. These four scripts
are hanunó'o/hanunoo of the
Hanuno'o Mangyan people, buhid/build of the
Buhid Mangyan people, Tagbanwa script of the Tagbanwa
people, and palaw'an/pala'wan (ibalnan) of the Palaw'an
people. All four scripts were inscribed in the UNESCO Memory
of the World Programme, under the name Philippine
Paleographs (Hanunoo, Buid, Tagbanua and Pala’wan), in
1999.
Folk drawing and painting
Folk drawings have been known for thousands of years
in the archipelago. The oldest folk drawing is the rock drawings
and engravings which include the petroglyphs
in Angono (Rizal), which was created during the Neolithic age
of the Philippines, corresponding to 6000 BC to 2000 BC. The
drawings have been interpreted as religious in nature, with
infant drawings made to relieve the sickness of
children. Another known petroglyph is in Alab (Bontoc), which is
dated to be not later than 1500 BC, and represents symbols of
fertility such as the pudenda. In contrast, ancient folk drawings
as petrographs can be found in specific sites in the country as
well. The petrographs of Peñablanca in Cagayan compose
charcoal drawings. The petrographs of Singnapan in southern
Palawan are also drawn with charcoal. The petrograhs
in Anda (Bohol) comppose drawings made with red
hematite. Recently discovered petrographs in Monreal
(Ticao) include drawings of monkeys, human faces, worms or
snakes, plants, dragonflies, and birds.
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 Core Subject: CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS IN THE REGIONS Elarco, Oabel, Bregondo, Lavado
Glass art
Glass art is an old art form in the Philippines, with many
artifacts made of glass found in some sites such as
Pinagbayanan. Stained glasses have been in place in many
churches in the country since Spanish occupation. Initially,
European craftfolks managed the production of stained glasses
in the country, but later on, Filipino craftfolks also entered the
scene, notably since the 20th century. A important set of stained
glass creations is those from the Manila Cathedral, where the
pot glass technique was used. The Marian theme is a vivid
depiction throughout the glasses, with stern focus on Mary's life
and saints in their Marian reverence. Major Our Lady images in
the windows include the mother of Peace and Good Voyage, of
Expectation, of Consolation, of Loreto, of the Pillar, of
Remedies, of “La Naval,” of the Abandoned, of Carmel, of the
Miraculous Medal, of the Rule, of Montserrat, of Lourdes, of
Peñafrancia, of Perpetual Help, of Fatima, of Sorrows, and of
Nasalambao. Some glass arts in the Philippines aside from
stained glasses focus on chandeliers and sculptures, among
others.
Hat-making, mask-making, and related arts
Hat-making is a fine art in many communities
throughout the country, with the gourd-based tabungaw of Abra
and Ilocos being one of the most prized. Indigenous Filipino hats
were widely used in the daily lives of the people until the 20th
century when they were replaced by Western-style hats. They
are currently worn during certain occasions, such as festivals,
rituals, or in theatre.
The art of mask creation is both an indigenous and
imported tradition, as certain communities have mask-making
practices prior to colonization, while some mask-making
traditions were introduced through trade from parts of Asia and
the West. Today, these masks are worn mostly during
festivals, Moriones Festival, and MassKara Festival. A related
art is puppet-making, which is notable for its products used in
theater plays and festivals such as the Higantes Festival. Most
indigenous masks are made of wood, where these works of art
are almost always rudimentary as they represent beings outside
basic human comprehension. Gold masks made specifically for
the dead also abound in the country, specifically in the Visayas
region.
Dance
The art of dance under the non-traditional category
covers dance choreography, dance direction, and dance
performance. Philippine dance is influenced by the folk
performing arts of the country, as well as its Hispanic traditions.
Many styles also developed due to global influences. Dances of
the Igorot dances, such as banga, Moro dances, such
as pangalay and singkil, Lumad dances, such as kuntaw and
kadal taho and lawin-lawin, Hispanic dances, such
as maglalatik and subli, have been inputted into contemporary
Filipino dances. Ballet has also become a popular dance form
in the Philippines since the early 20th century. Pinoy hip
hop music has influenced specific dances in the country, where
many have adapted global standards in hip hop and break
dances. Many choreographers in the Philippines focus on both
traditional and Westernized dances, with certain dance
companies focusing on Hispanic and traditional forms of dance.
Music
Musical composition, musical direction, and musical
performance are the core of the art of music under the non-
traditional category. The basis of Filipino music is the vast
musical tangible and intangible heritage of the many ethnic
groups in the archipelago, where some of which have been
influenced by other Asian and Western cultures, notably
Hispanic and American music. Philippine folk music includes
the chanting of epic poetry, such as the Darangen and Hudhud
ni Aliguyon, and singing of folk music traditions through various
means such as the Harana. Some Filipino music genre
include Manila sound which brought hopeful themes amidst the
decaying status of the country during the martial law years,
Pinoy reggae which focuses on dancehall music faithful to the
expressions of Jamaican reggae, Pinoy rock which
encompasses rock music with Filipino cultural
sensibilities, Pinoy pop which is one of the most popular genre
in the country, Tagonggo which is music traditionally played by
finely-dressed male musicians, Kapanirong which is a serenade
genre, Kulintang which is a genre of an entire ensemble of
musicians utilizing a diverse array of traditional musical
instruments, Kundiman which is a traditional genre of Filipino
love music, Bisrock which is a genre of Sebwano rock
music, and Pinoy hip hop which is genre of hip hop adopted
from American hip hop music.
Theater
Theater has a long history in the Philippines. The basis
of which is the folk performing arts under the traditional arts. In
the non-traditional category, theatrical direction, theatrical
performance, theatrical production design, theatrical light and
sound design, and theatrical playwriting are the focal arts.
Theater in the Philippines is Austronesian in character, which is
seen in rituals, mimetic dances, and mimetic customs of the
people. Plays with Spanish influences have affected Filipino
theater and drama, notably the komedya, the sinakulo, the
playlets, the sarswela, and the Filipino drama. Puppetry, such
as carrillo, is also a notable theater art.[209] In contrast, theater
with Anglo-American influence have also mixed with various art
forms such as bodabil and the plays in English. Modern and
original plays by Filipinos have also influenced Philippine
theater and drama with the usage of representational and
presentational styles drawn from contemporary modern theater
and revitalized traditional forms from within or outside the
country.
Painting
Folk painting has always been part of various cultures
in the Philippines. Petroglyphs and petrographs are the earliest
known folk drawings and paintings in the country, with the oldest
made during the Neolithic age. Human figures, frogs, lizards,
along with other designs have been depicted. They may have
been mostly symbolic representations and are associated with
healing and sympathetic magic. The influences brought by other
Asian and Western cultures artistically advanced the art of
paintings. In the 16th century and throughout the colonization
era, paintings of religious propaganda for the spread of
Catholicism became rampant. Majority of these paintings are
essentially part of church structures, such as ceilings and walls.
At the same time, non-religious paintings were also
known. Notable painting during the time include the image
of Nuestra Senora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga (1692) and
paintings at Camarin de da Virgen (1720).
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