Research for Contemporary Arts

Introduction:

There are only 73 Filipinos who were recognized as National Artists. the last recognition
was 2018 in which seven artists were given the distinction. The last one before that was
in 2014. We will be showing here the specific list of National Artists in literature,
Francisco Arcellana was a journalist, essayist, and critic he is considered as the pioneer
in developing the lyrical prose- poetic in Filipino literature. He placed second in the 1951
Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature for his short story, “ The Flowers of
May”. Some of his books include Selected Stories (1962), Poetry and Politics The State
of Original Writing in English in the Philippines Today (1977) and the Francisco
Arcellana Sampler (1990), and then also Virgilio Almario was one of the National Artist
for Literature here in the Philippines. Almario is best known as the country’s most
reputable editor of the Filipino language. He has authored and edited the UP
Diksiyonaryong Filipino, and the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino: Manwal sa Masinop na
Pagsulat. Apart from being a linguistic expert. And last specific National Artist that we
have chosen is Cirilo F. Bautista, Bautista was a recipient of several Carlos Palanca
Memorial Awards for poetry, fiction, and essay in English and Filipino, and the
prestigious Philippines Free Press Awards for Fiction. Some of his most notable works
are “Boneyard Breaking,” “The Archipelago,” “Telex Moon,” and “Summer Suns”.

Body:
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan also known as the National Living Treasures, is the
award given to a person or a group of artists that is recognized by the Philippine
government for their contributions to the nation’s cultural heritage. The NCCA was taken
to administrate and implement the Award to the artists. They were also tasked to search
for the finest traditional artists of the Philippines, to adopt a program that will secure the
transfer of skills to others, and shoulders measures to endorse genuine appreciation
and instill pride among Filipinos. In April 1992, the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the
National Living Treasures Award was institutionalized through Republic Act No. 7355.
Tasked with the administration and implementation of the Award is the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts, the highest policy-making and coordinating body
for culture and the arts of the State. The NCCA, through the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan Executive Council, conducts the search for the finest traditional artists of the
land, adopts a program that will ensure the transfer of their skills to others, and
undertakes measures to promote a genuine appreciation of and instill pride among our
people about the genius of the Manlilikha ng Bayan.
First awarded in 1993 to three outstanding artists in music and poetry, the Gawad sa
Manlilikha ng Bayan has its roots in the 1988 National Folk Artists Award organized by
the Rotary Club of Makati-Ayala. As a group, these folk and traditional artists reflect the
diverse heritage and cultural traditions that transcend their beginnings to become part of
our national character. As Filipinos, they bring age-old customs, crafts, and ways of
living to the attention and appreciation of Filipino life. They provide us with a vision of
ourselves and our nation, a vision we might be able to realize someday, once we are
allowed to be true to ourselves as these artists have remained truthful to their art. As
envisioned under R.A. 7355, “Manlilikha ng Bayan” shall mean a citizen engaged in any
traditional art uniquely Filipino whose distinctive skills have reached such a high level of
technical and artistic excellence and have been passed on to and widely practiced by
the present generation in his/her community with the same degree of technical and
artistic competence. Here are some of the Awardees of Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan;
Ginaw Bilog, Masino Intaray, Samaon Sulaiman, Lang Dulay, Salinta Monon, Alonzo
Saclag, Federico Caballero, Uwang Ahadas, Darhata Sawabi, and Eduardo Mutuc
Conclusion: The Order of National Artists aims to recognize: Filipino artists who have
made significant contributions to the cultural heritage of the country. Filipino artistic
accomplishment at its highest level and to promote creative expression as significant to
the development of a national cultural identity.The National Artist Award is the highest
distinction bestowed upon Filipino Artists whose body of work is recognized by their
peers and more importantly by their countrymen as sublime expression of Philippine
music, dance, theatre, visual arts, literature, film and media, arts, architecture and
design. the value of giving a national artist award is to appreciate every Filipino who
such have a good talent. Its an opportunity to all artist to express themselves and show
their creativity. National Artists Award giving them a hope and inspiration to pursue their
passion. Fernando Amorsolo painted and sketched more than ten thousand pieces over
his lifetime using natural and backlighting techniques. His most known works are of the
dalagang Filipina, landscapes of his Filipino homeland, portraits and WWII war scenes.
He made oils of all the Philippine presidents, including the revolutionary leader Gen.
Emilio Aguinaldo, and other noted Philippine figures. He also painted many wartime
scenes, including Bataan, Corner of Hell, and One Casualty. Amorsolo, who died in
1972, is said to have painted more than 10,000 pieces. He’s also remembered for
his use of Chiaroscuro in which he expertly used his famous backlighting techniques,
which later became one of his most important contributions to Philippine painting. He
was also known as an excellent sketch artist; his sketches were always portrayed with a
characteristic glow.