Lesson 2: RESEARCHES ON VARIOUS CONTEMPORARY ART FORMS

I.MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY: Researches on Various Contemporary Art Forms

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

 Identify various contemporary art forms from Pre-Colonial art period to Contemporary period,
 Appreciate various contemporary art foms from pre-colonial period to contemporary period, and
 pproduce/create an original art piece of your own choice.

II.CONTENT
Contemporary art expresses the creative and critical self-expression of the artist. Culture and the society can contribute to
the emerging art works that can in still different perspective among the enthusiast and viewer of the art.
To understand contemporary art forms, you need to revisit the Philippine Art aesthetic timeline from most primal to
its contemporary form. Below are the highlights of the History of Philippine Arts:

Historical stages in the Philippine Art

Philippine Pre-Colonial Arts

Old Stone Age (Paleolithic) Espinosa Ranch Site, Cagayan Shell Bracelets and Pendants (Neolithic) Cagayan, Palawan,
16000- 8000 BC The proof of earliest man’s presence was and Sorsogon 4854 BC Shells were fashioned into tools, as
recovered from a ranch site in Cagayan Province-two flake well as ornaments. The oldest known ornaments made from
tools dated about 9 million years, the oldest man-made cone shells were found in the early 1960’s in the grave of an
object associated with the fossils of a proboscidean, a adult male in Duyong Cave in Palawan. A shell disk with a
prehistoric elephant. Other flake tools are recovered in hole in the center was found next to his right ear and a disk
Tabon Caves, Palawan and some stone tools in Bolobok with a hole by the edge was found on his chest. The shell
Cave, Sanga-Sanga in Tawi-Tawi. ornaments were dated 4854 B.C

Lingling-o (2000 BC – 1000 AD) Duyong Cave, Palawan, a Pre-colonial traditional art has religious symbols, every day
kind of ear pendant fashioned from green nephrite (jade) is activity such as fishing, farming, etc., or a specific decorative
the characteristic trait of the Early Metal Age. One of the art pattern to the community. • It has either the influence
finest jade ornaments found to date is the double- headed of local religion (animistic) or Islamic based. • There is also
pendant recovered from Duyong Cave, Palawan. It is an an exchange of art aesthetics and art processes with
example of the superb craftsmanship of ancient carving in Chinese and other Asian countries who frequent as traders
jade. Manunggul Jar Burial jar excavated from a Neolithic with our indigenous groups. Baybayin is a Tagalog ancient
burial site in Manunggul cave of Tabon Cave at Lipuun Point script also known in Visayan as badlit. It is derived from
at Palawan dating from 890–710 B.C. Brahmic scripts of India and first recorded in the 16th
Other Pre Colonial Art: Pottery, Weaving, Tattoo, Jewelry, century. It continued to be used during the Spanish
Carving, Metal Crafts colonization of the Philippines up until the late 19th century
SPANISH COLONIAL ART PERIOD
Introduced formal Painting, Sculpture and Architecture Byzantine Painting Style: Attributed to Maître à la Ratière,
which was inspired by the Byzantine, Gothic, Baroque and Battle of Marignano, 1515 Byzantine frescoes 11th–12th-
Rococo art styles. • Most artworks are Religious (Catholic) century Church of Panayia Phorviotissa Cyprus. Langit, Lupa
based • Artworks bear the Philippine themed décor even at Impierno Josef Luciano Dans ca. 1850 Byzantine art refers
with Spanish influence to artistic products of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine)
Empire, as well as the nations and states that inherited
culturally from the empire. These are more Christian based
art.
Baroque Aesthetics: Cathedral Church of Saint Mary in Rococo Art originated in early 18th century Paris, is
Murcia, Spain Filipino interpretation: Miagao Church also characterized by whimsical, curvy lines and elaborately
known as the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church decorative style of art, whose name derives from the French
Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines The Baroque is often thought of word 'rocaille' meaning, rock-work after the forms of sea
as a period of artistic style that used exaggerated motion shells
and clear easily interpreted detail to produce drama,
tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting,
architecture, literature, dance, theater, and music
Gothic Art is the style of art produced in Northern Europe Uprising of the Philippine Artist In the formation of the
from the middle ages up until the beginning of the elite Filipino class, the Ilustrado paved way for the rich
Renaissance. Typically rooted in religious devotion. It is locals to study abroad. In that case, a more “academic” and
especially known for the distinctive arched design of its “western” approach has been learned. • The Filipino
churches, its stained glass, and its illuminated manuscripts Classicism is formed that borrows the Neoclassicism,
Romanticism and even a hint of Impressionism
Juan Luna y Novicio was a Filipino painter, sculptor and a Father of Filipino Painting:
political activist of the Philippine Revolution during the late DAMIAN DOMINGO First Filipino to paint his face, the first
 19th century. • His Spoliarium won the gold medal in the Self-Portrait in the Philippines • Founder of the Academia
1884 Madrid Exposition of Fine Arts. de Dibujo y Pintura, the first school of drawing in the
Philippines (1821) • One of the known artists of the
decorative art illustrations tipos del pais watercolor
paintings that depict local costumes. It also became an
album of different native costumes.
AMERICAN COLONIAL ART PERIOD (1898-1946)
The American brought in Education and Values Formation, Popular Art Style during the Philippine American Colonial
with both following the “American way of life” (Alice Period Neoclassicism in Architecture: The White House
Guillermo, Sining Biswal, 1994, p. 4) • Art Illustration, Neoclassicism in Philippine Architecture: Manila City Hall
Advertising and Commercial Design gained popularity and Art Deco in Architecture Chrysler Building Art Deco in
incorporated in Fine Arts. • Painting themes still largely Philippine Architecture Metropolitan Theater Art Nouveau
favored Genre Paintings, Landscapes and Still Life. Portraits in Architecture Old England building built in Art Nouveau
are reserved for high ranking officials with a more academic style. Musée des instruments de musique – Bruxelles Art
approach to make the subject more formal. Nouveau in Philippine Architecture Uy Chaco Building.
NOTABLE ARTIST: FABIAN DELA ROSA • The brightest name NOTABLE ARTIST: FERNANDO AMORSOLO • A portraitist
in Philippine painting after Luna and certainly the leading and painter of rural landscapes. He is best known for his
Master of Genre in the first quarter of the century. • His craftsmanship and mastery in the use of light. • His art
nephews are artists as well, Pablo and Fernando. styles: Impressionism, Luminism, Realism with subjects
NOTABLE ARTIST: GUILLERMO TOLENTINO • Won The inspired by Philippine genre and historical, nudes and
National Artist Awards for Sculpture in 1973 • He is consider society portraits • First awardee of the National Artist
as the "Father of Philippine Arts" because of his great works Award in 1972.
like the famous "Bonifacio Monument" symbolizing Filipinos
cry for freedom and "The Oblation" in UP signifying
academic freedom.
POST COLONIAL PERIOD (1946-1986) PHILIPPINE MODERN ART (1946-1970)
The study of determining what is Philippine Contemporary Philippine Post Modern Art (1970 – 1980s) The support of
Art Period is still being determined since it has been used the Philippine Government for the arts via the creation of
loosely even during the American Colonial Period. However, the Cultural Center of the Philippines during 1969 gave a
some Philippine art historians/critics have always been a venue for all artists to experiment and explore different art
follower of the Western Art Style and its trends at that point medium tying closely to the Post Modern Art Period of the
and thus, suggested that this was actually the point where West with Pop Art, Installation Art, Performance Art,
Philippine Modern Art Period started but went only full dominating the scene. In contrast, social realism became a
swing only after the war. This is set by the creation of the heavy theme by most Filipino Artist as a social commentary
Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) that in a way has a of the problem brewing in the Philippine political and social
strong leaning with the Modernist than the Conservatives landscape.
(the traditional art also termed as the Amorsolo School).
Modern art is characterized by the artist's intent to portray Postmodern art is a body of art movements that sought to
a subject as it exists in the world, according to his or her contradict some aspects of modernism or some aspects that
unique perspective and is typified by a rejection of accepted emerged or developed in its aftermath. In general,
or traditional styles and values. movements such as intermedia, installation art, conceptual
art and multimedia, particularly involving video are
described as postmodern.
Altermodernism is an attempt at contextualizing art made in today's global context as a reaction against standardization
and commercialism. • Artists are looking for a new modernity that would be based on translation. Today, the translation of
cultural values of cultural groups and the connection of those values to the world network are very essential. This
“reloading process” of modernism according to the twenty-firstcentury issues could be called altermodernism, a
movement connected to the creolisation of cultures and the fight for autonomy, but also the possibility of producing
singularities in a more and more standardized world. • Altermodern can essentially be read as an artist working in a
hypermodern world or with “supermodern” ideas or themes.

III.ACTIVITY: Performance task/ Submit your work to your teacher

Direction: produce/create an art (product) based on the classification of contemporary art forms considering the historical
stages in the Philippine art.
Example

IV.SUMMARY and REFLECTION.

Contemporary art is the result of the development / influenced of different cultural and historical backgrounds. Culture
had contributed to the emerging art works that had in still different perspectives among the enthusiasts. By evaluating the
different art forms in different stages, it appeared that indeed contemporary art is an evolution of the past yet undeniably it
has its own distinct character.

1. What are the similarities of contemporary art forms with the pre-colonial to colonial arts? Given their similarities, can
we conclude that today’s art are original? Explain your answer.
2. In your daily life, in what way can you express your appreciation of contemporary art piece knowing their pre-colonial
to colonial background?