What I Need to Know

What This Module is All About

Philippine Contemporary Arts from the Regions is intended to inspire everyone. Below is the art works and activities in different
art form. Share on the possible initiatives and practices in doing, promoting, and preserving contemporary
arts in a form of activity. Collecting such outstanding art form may boost the artist and a great chance to put the learnings into the world
of arts. This module gives you the different art forms and a brief overview of major
themes of Philippine art history., from pre – conquest down to modern and contemporary periods. The account put the practices are
influenced by major traditions which we can trace through our long of making and taking sense of art.

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

Research on various contemporary art forms. CAR11/12ICAP-0c-e-4

a. Identify the various contemporary art form
b. Identify the major periods, artists and artworks of Philippine art history
c. Define contemporary art by situating these within Philippine art.
d. Illustrate local example of contemporary arts through an interview or
through a place visit.
e. Distinguish traditional, modern, and contemporary styles in the visual arts
be able to interpret these by creating a self-portrait.

LESSON 1: Various Contemporary Art Forms

What I Know

Various Contemporary Art Form

Speaking of art, there are many words that will always pop up in ourmind. When we say forms, classifications we can name them one
by one. Today, wewill discuss various art forms of contemporary arts.

1.PRACTICAL (Utilitarian) ART. This art is intended for practical for practicaluse or utility. It is the changing of raw materials for
utilitarian purposes.However, they must possess ornaments or artistic qualities to make themuseful and beautiful.

2.INDUSTRIAL ARTS. It is the changing of raw materials into some significantproducts for human are shell craft, bamboocrafts, leather
craft, potterymaking, sheet – metal work and manufacture of automobiles, homeappliances and televisions set.

3.APPLIED / HOUSEHOLD ART. It refers mostly to household arts such asflower arrangement, interior decoration, dress making,
home – making,embroidery, cooking and others.

4.CIVIC ART. This art includes city or town planning, maintenance, andbeautification of parks. This refer to beautification to improve the
standards ofliving.

5.COMMERCIAL ART. It involves business propaganda in the form ofadvertisements in newspapers and magazines, sign painting,
billboard andannouncements, leaflets, displays, poster designing, movie illustrations andmany more.

6.GRAPHIC ART. It is anything printed from raised or sunken reliefs and planesurfaces.

7.AGRICULTURAL ART. (crop production), horticulture (garden or orchardcultivation), husbandry (raising of cows, carabaos, poultry
and swine) andfarming.

8.BUSINESS ART. This includes merchandising, accounting, bookkeeping,typewriting, stenography, salesmanship, and business
administration.

9.FISHERY ART. It includes shallow and deep-sea fishing, fish refrigeration andculture, net weaving.

10.MEDICAL / CLINICAL ART. It includes first aid treatments, medicalmanufacturing, surgery, medical operation, rehabilitations and
other.
(crafted:Bryan https://www.slideshare.net/bryanaortiz5/contemporary-arts-in-the-philippines )

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What’s More

Activity 1.Classification of Arts.

Classify the following art forms. Use the legends below:

MA – medical artFA – fishery art

BA – business artAA – agricultural Art
GA – graphic art PA – practical art
IA – industrial art CA – commercial art
CA – civic artPA – practical art
1._________ 2.________ 3._________ 4.________

5._________ 6.__________ 7._________ 8.________

9._____ 10._______

What’s New

From the discussion above, we learned about the different contemporary artforms. While we review the previous lesson, it to boot basic
to be beyond any doubtthat the art of the so – called past continued and proceeds to development until theappear and are thus in that
sense, “contemporary”. This art continued to beconveyed, without a doubt in case the conditions behind its era have as of now
changed through and through. In the discussion below, be conscious of the way thedescription of context is integrated into the
description of form – what art is made ofand how art is made. The relationship of material and process to the symbols and
meanings of the art forms matter how we contextualize.

(crafted from: Faludette May Datulin,2016.Contemporary Philippine Arts of the Regions p. 14 – 15)

Philippine Art History

I.Pre-Colonial Arts / Ethnic Arts
Was there art before colonization?

In art chronicle terms, we implyart a few times as of late the coming ofthe essential colonizers as “pre -triumph”. In expound terms,
weinsinuate to it as natural the thoughtthat our forerunners, have beenmaking art without a doubt a few timesas of late colonization. It is
alsodescribed in culturalhttps://bit.ly/3i6nd0Uterms as “pre-colonial” as a term to use the general way of life before colonization.
Althoughthe terms are interchangeable, it is also useful to keep these distinctions in mind whenstudying the art of the past

In Pre – colonial Philippines, arts are for ritual purposes or for everyday use. Art ofthe ancient Filipinos were woven into the fabric of
everyday life. They do not refer to art aswe do today. That is, as an expression of an individual, and seen largely in galleries and
concert halls. They do not distinguish forms into different categories like music, theater,visual arts, etc. Everyday expressions were all
integrated within rituals that markedsignificant moments in a community’s life, like planting, harvesting, rites passage,
funerary,ceremonies, weddings, among others. (crafted from: Faludette May Datulin et. al, 2016. Contemporary Philippine Arts of the
Regions p. 15)
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Our ancestors, just like others in the world during those times, were hunter gatherers.The forefathers hunted food and game that were
shared among members of a community ina gathering where they told stories about the hunt. They imitated the movement of
animalsand prey, and the sounds that they made. But how do arts apply?

In this simple activity alone evolved ritual, music, dance, theater and yes even literature.When they told stories about the hunt, this form
of oral story telling marked the beginnings ofthe literature. When they imitated movements of the animals they hunted, this marked
theearly beginnings of theater or play acting. When they learned to add drum beating and attachrhythm to their movements, they have
given birth to music and dance.

The pre- colonial peoples of the Philippines already possessed a varied and vibrantmusicale culture. The country’s indigenous cultures
through the existence of ethnic musicalinstruments such as pipe, flutes, zithers, drums, various string instruments like kudyapi a three
stringed guitar, the kulintang – an array bossed gongs, the gansa or flat gong, bamboopercussion instruments, and the gong – large
bossed gong.
The following are the native dance forms imitated from the movements of theanimals:

1. Pangalaydance (Sulu) is mimetic of the movements of the sea birds

2. Mandaya’ Kinabua, Banog – banog (Higaonon & B’laan), and man- manok(Bagobos in Mindanao is imitated the movements of
predatory birds.

3. Talip dance (Ifugao) that is used for courtship is mimetic of the movements ofwild fowls.

4. Inamong dance (Matigsalugs) and Kadaliwas dance (T’Boli) represent thecomedic movement of the monkey

5. Tinikling dance evocative of the movements of the crane, balancing itself onstilt – like legs or flirting away from the clutches of
bamboo traps.
Famous artworks during pre – colonial

1.Carving
 Bulul (Cordillera) a granary God that plays an important role in rituals
 Hagabi (Ifugao) a wooden bench
 Santos / sculptures of saints (Laguna and Pampanga)
 Okir (Tausug / Samal / Badjao) mythical sarimanok, the naga or serpent.
 Manunggul Jar discovered at Manunggul cave of Palawan

2.Weaving
 Textile weaving
a.Pis siyabit (Tausug of Sulu) a headpiece woven
b.Malong (Maranao of Lanao del Sur)

 Mat and basket weaving

a.Tepo mat (Sama of Tawi-Tawi) a double layered made of Pandanleaves.
b.Ovaloid basket (Itbayat, Batanes) a head sling made of nito orbamboo used to carry the harvests.
c.Bubo (Ilocos region) a sturdy bamboo strips used to trap the fish.

3. Ornamentation - representations of various ethnolinguistic groups.

a.Wearing gold jewelry (upper class Tagalog)
b.Tattooing (Visayan) it is believed to protect the individual from evilspirits, it is also a sign of bravery and maturity.

II. ISLAMIC ERA (13 TH Century to the Present)

How did Islam influence artbefore the coming of Spanishcolonizers?

Islamic is characterized bygeometric designs and patterselecting focus from the believers.Even before the coming ofSpanish
colonizers, Islam wasalready well entrenched inSouthern Philippines. FilipinoMuslims recognize that theybelong to an ummah or a
communityof believers. Central to the Islamic faith is the doctrine of or unity of God. This beliefemphasizes the impermanence of nature
and the incomprehensible greatness of the DivineBeing.

In Islamic art we can observe how artist are influenced by the notion of the Tawhid,we will find that the interior of mosques are covered
with elaborate patterning in the form ofreliefs to draw the attention away from the concrete object, in other words away from
humanforms and nature” toward the contemplation of the divine” (source: Faludette May Datulin et.al , 2016. Contemporary Philippine
Arts of the Regions p. 19)

Happenings during Islamic era

1.Sultanate of Sulu was established Sayyid Abbubakar
2. Qura or holy text was introduced
3. Building of religious school called Madrasah
4. Natives from Yakans , Basilan and Zamboanga were converted to Islam
5. Islamazation process In Mindanao became strong.
6. Islam became the religion and as a way of life of people in Mindanao (Tausug,
Maranao, Maguindanao, Yakan, Samal, Badjao).

III. SPANISH ERA (1521 – 1898)

What kinds ofart developed duringSpanish Colonization?

Art became a handof religion,serving to propagate theCatholic faith and thussupport the colonialorder at the same time.Religious orders
weredispatched to convertthe natives toCatholicism as part ofthelarger project culturally asreligious art, lowland Christian art or folk art.
During this period, cruciform churches followingthe shape of the latin cross were built. In keeping with the prevailing, they
werecharacterized by grandeur, drama, and elaborate details that purposely appealed to theemotions. The use of adobe, limestone or
brick and the construction of thick buttresses orwing like projections reinforce the church structure to make it more resistant to
earthquake.In other words, the result is a fusion of both native and European elements, prompting someart historians to refer to the
style as colonial baroque or Philippine or tropical baroque.(source: Faludette May Datulin et. al, 2016. Contemporary Philippine Arts of
the Regions p.31)

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Important Happenings related to art during Spanish era

 Chinese artisans were engaged in making icons or saints made inwood or ivory
 Colonial churches were built
 Western musical instruments were introduced, pipe organ, violin,guitar, and piano
 Catholic liturgical music was introduced in 1742
 Choral music to boys were introduced and created the first Filipinocomposers named Marcelo Adonay (1848 – 1928)
 Musical form based on Catholic faith have emerge in the Pasyon – thebiblical of Christ’s passion chanted in an improvise
melody.

 Secular music was formed; the awit and the corridor – these were thetwo musical forms based on European literature and
history.
 Kundiman became a vehicle for conflict – the lyrics were that ofunrequited love, except that the love object was the
Philippines whowould be cleverly concealed as beautiful woman.
  Mangyans made the baybayin script made of bamboo poles cut intosmaller nodes that are carved used to composed short
poems,expressing one’s feelings and other emotional concers.Pomp andpageantry of religious processions were introduced.
 Zarzuela was introduced, it was an opera which features singing anddancing with prosed dialogue which allowed the story to
be carried outin a song.
 Severino Reyes and Hermogenes Ilagan were awarded as the mostdistinguished playwrights as they wrote zarzuela in
Tagalog
 Honorata “ Atang” dela Rama awardeded as the most celebratedleading actress
 The first Senakulo was written in 1704 by Gaspar Aquino de Belen
 Komedya were also introduced; komedya de santo (it centers on life ofChrist ) and Secular Komedya.
 Folk dances such as carinosa, pandango, polka , dansa and rigodon,habanera, and tango were introduced.
 Visual arts, and paintings must be visual interpretation of biblical textscenter to Catholic devotion ex. Heaven Earth and Hell by
Jose Dans (1850)
 Reprographic art of printmaking was introduced, Doctrina Christiana isan example, the first printed book in the Philippines
compiling songlyrics, commandments, sacraments and other catechetical material.
 Juan Luna ( Spolarium) won gold medals and Felix ResurrectionHidalgo (Virgenes christianas expuestas al populacho)
won silvermedals

Famous Artists and their artworks during Spanish era:

Visual Arts:
1. Damian Domingo – water color albums of tipos
2. Juan Luna – Spoliarium, Espana y Filipinas
3. Felix Resurrection Hidalgo – Virgenes christianas expuestas al populacho
4. Lorenzo Guerrero - The Water Carrier
5. Simon Flores – Portrait of the Quiazon Family
6. Jose Dans – Heaven, Earth, Hell
7. Esteban Villanueva - Basi Revolt

Miniature paintersEngraver:
1. Antonio Malantic 1. Francisco Suarez
2. Isidro Arceo,2. Nicolas Engraver
3. Dionesio de Castro 3. Laureano Atlas
4. Justiniano Assuncion

Musician – Composer Theater artist:

1. Marcelo Adonay 1. Honorata “Atang” delaRama

Writers:
1. Severino Reyes - Zarzuela
2. Hermogenes Ilagan – Zarzuela
3. Gaspar Aquino de Belen - Senakulo

IV. AMERICAN ERA (1898 –1940) to the Post war Republic (1946 – 1969)
What were the changesbrought about by AmericanColonization? How were theydiffer from the religious formsof the Spanish colonial
period?In the American regime,commercial and advertisingarts were integrated into finearts curriculum. Moreover,Americans favored
idyllicsceneries and secular formsof arts. Becausethe lingua franca of this periodwas English, poems and stories
from books were dramatize inclassroom, to facilitate theteaching of the English language.Unlike, the Spanish, theAmericans passionate
thought their language through an efficient public-schoolsystem.In less than decade, Filipino playwrights began to write plays in
English.In thebeginning of the 20 th century, new urban pattern that responded to the secular goals ofeducation, health and governance
was imposed. The new patrons of the arts included theAmericans who engaged in governance and education, business and tourism.
The demandfor artists who could do illustrations in textbooks or graphic design to product labels thusemerged. The inclination towards
genre, still life and portrait paintings persisted. Landscapeson the other hand, became cherished as travel souvenirs, especially those
that captured theexotic qualities of Philippine terrain. In 1909, a year after the establishment of the Universityof the Philippines, its
School of Fine Arts was opened. It also offered a course on commercialdesign to fulfill the aforementioned demand. For some time, the
academic (a term referringto the kind of art was influenced by European academies) tradition of painting and sculpturein the manner of
Amorsolo and Tolentino prevailed in the art scene.(crafted from: FaludetteMay Datulin et. al, 2016. Contemporary Philippine Arts of the
Regions p.28 -29)

Famous Artist during American era

1. Juan Abad – Tanikalang Ginto (Golden Chain) (1902)

2. Juan Matapang Cruz – Hindi ako Patay ( Iam Not Dead) 1903
3. Aurelio Tolentino – Kahapon , Ngayon at Bukas (Yesterday, Today andTomorrow )

(The above 3 artists emphasized their works a deep profound yearning forfreedom.)

4. Lino Castillejo (author) – A Modern Filipina First Filipino written in

5. Jesus Araullo (author) – A Modern Filipina English

6. Daniel Burnham (architect) - He design Manila and Baguio

7. William Parsons – implanted Burnham Plan – an urban designed employedNeoclassic architecture.
8.Thomas Mapua
9. Andres Luna de San PedroFilipino architects who designed buildings
10. Antonio Toledo during the period
11. Fabian dela Rosa (naturalists Painter) – Planting Rice (1921), El Kundiman (1930)
12. Fernado Amorsolo
 romantic painter – Dalagang Filipina, idyllic landscapes, historical paintings
 graphic artist –The Philippine Readers (book) The Independent (newspaper)
 logo designer - Ginebra San Miguel.
13. Guillermo Tolentino (sculpture) – Oblation (1935) UP Oblation (1958)Bonifacio Monument (1933).
V. JAPANESE ERA (1941 – 1945)

Since the Japaneseadvocated for the culture ofEast Asia, preference wasgiven to the indigenous artand traditions of thePhilippines.
This emphasizedtheir propaganda in Asia.Under the Japaneseoccupation of Manila, theModern Art Project wouldslow down in pace.
Earlymoderns and conservativesalike continued to produceart and even participated inKALIBAPI (Kapisanan sa Paglingkod ng Bagong
Pilipinas) sponsored art competitions.
Nevertheless, art production once again tilted to fulfill the agenda and demands of
the new colonial order. The Japanese forces led the formation of the greater East Asia Co –Prosperity Sphere, a propaganda
movement that sought to create a Pan – Asian identityrejected Western traditions. The productions of images, texts, and music
underwent scrutiny.
In music, the composer National Artist Felipe de Leon was said to have beencommanded to write AWIT SA PAGLIKHA NG BAGONG
PILIPINAS. Declared as theanthem specifically for the period, it conveyed allegiance to the nation reared in East Asia,where Japan was
actively asserting its political power.
Genre paintings were the most widely produced, particularly those thatpresented a neutral relationship between Filipinos and the
Japanese through works thatshowed the normality of daily living. (crafted from: Faludette May Datulin et. al, 2016.Contemporary
Philippine Arts of the Regions p. 15)

Famous artist and their artworks during Japanese era

1.Fernado Amorsolo (painting)

 Harvest scene, 194210
 Rice Plating, 1942
 Bombing of the Intendencia (1942)
 Ruins of Manila Cathedral (1945)
2. Sylvia La Torre (song)
 Sa kabukiran
3. Levi Celerio (composer)
 Sa Kabukiran
4. Felipe P. de Leon (composer)
 Awit sa Paglikha ng Bagong Pilipinas
5. Crispin Lopez (painting)
 Study of an Aeta (1943)
6. Diosdado Lorenzo (painting)
 Atrocities in Paco
7. Dominador Castaneda (painting)
 Doomed Family (1945)

VI. MODERN ERA (Neo Realism, Abstraction Modern styles)

What is Modern Art?
Modern art is quite different fromcontemporary art especially when interms of history and styles.

Modern era in the Philippine artbegan after World War 2 and thegranting independence. Writers andArtists posed the question of
nationalidentity as the main theme of variousart forms.
It is referred to as “traditional compared to contemporary art. The styles of modernart for example are now part of art and curricula and
have become academic.
The most well- known proponent of Modern art painting is Victorio Edades whosework were initially rejected and misunderstood but
later on his modernist sensibility wasshared by several artists. In this era artists explored various mediums, techniques andthemes that
were at that time considered “new”.
There was an exploration of subject matter, content, and form. Using modernistsfiguration, many of the artists explored folk themes and
also crafted commentaries on theurban condition and the effects of the war.
Modern artists do not aim to copy and idealize reality; instead, they change the colorsflatten the picture instead of creating illusions of
depth, nearness and farness. They depictwhat might be thought of as “ugly “and unpleasant instead of the beautiful and pastoral.
Another strand of Modern art is abstraction. It consists of simplified forms, whichavoided mimetic representation. It is sometimes
referred as nonrepresentational or non-objective art as it emphasizes the relationship of colors, line, space or the flatness of the
canvas rather than an illusion of three dimensionality. (crafted from: Faludette May Datulinet. al, 2016. Contemporary Philippine Arts of
the Regions p. 15)

Modern famous artists and their artworks

 Neo Realists Artist

1.Manansala – The Beggars (1952), Tuba Drinkers (1954),

2. Legaspi – Gadgets II (1949), Bad Girls (1947)
3. HR Ocampo – The Contrast (1940), Genesis (1968)
4. Ramon Estella
5. Victor Oyteza
6. Romeo Tabuena

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 Abstractionist Artists
1. Constancio Abenardo
2. Lee Aguinaldo
3. Jose Joya
4. Fernando Zobel
5. Arturo Luz – Street Musicians (1952)
6. Nina Saguil - Cargadores (1951)

Modern Architectural structures:

1. Church of Holy Sacrifice (1955)

2. Church of the Risen Lord
3. Chapel of Saint Joseph the worker

VII. CONTEMPORARY ART

What is contemporary art? Is itsimilar to Modern art? Whatare the general characteristicsof contemporary art?

Contemporary art is muchdifferent from Modern art as itsaid earlier modern art isreferred “traditional” comparedto contemporary art.
Howwould that be? An example isthe work of FernandoAmorsolo, he painted hispainting “Harvest Scene in1942. At that time, the
paintingwas considered contemporary.Today, we refer to that work as an example of Modern art produced during Japanese era.
But some of the artists continue to produce work ‘til today and in that sense their works canbe describe as contemporary by virtue of
being of the present.
What contemporary really is? Contemporary art is an art of today produced by artistsliving of today. It is a fluid term, and its use can
change depending on the context.
Philippine Contemporary Art was an offshoot of social realism brought about by
Martial Law. Arts became expression of people’s aspiration for a just, free and sovereignsociety.Artists use mixed media. Their artworks
are site specific, process - based and theyintegrate various art forms.

Contemporary art has the following characteristics;

a. collaborative / participative
b. interactive
c. Process - oriented (meaning that there is less emphasis on the finishedproduct and a single author or creator. There is a wide range
of strategies,media and techniques)
d. Site specific (they cannot be experienced in the same way if we removefrom their original place.

Contemporary art is distinguishable from Modern art in historical, stylistic, and cultural
terms. (crafted from: Faludette May Datulin et. al , 2016. Contemporary Philippine Arts of the
Regions p. 15)

Important Happenings during the rise of Contemporary Art

Many cultural projects ensued amid the backdrop of poverty and volatilesocial conditions under the leadership Of Ferdinand Marcos
and ImeldaMarcos in 1965
 Martial Law was Declared on September 21, 1972
 New Society or Bagong Lipunan was built by Marcos in which the main focusis to rebirth the lost civilization and
aspiration to modernization anddevelopment in which the main vision is to combine the fine arts, architecture,
architecture, interior design, tourism, convention city building, engineering ,urban planning, health and among many
others through an art and cultureprogram.

What I Can Do
Activity 4: Application

What fiesta traditions do you observe in your hometown or to the place whereyou currently live?

What is the fiesta held and what does it commemorate? What areits rituals and activities?

Choose a form (fiesta décor, culinary art, performing art etc.)describe and explain its origins.
Interview an older member of the family or latter.Write your answer on a separate sheetor
notebook.