Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Region

(1st Semester Reviewer)

Lesson 1: Modern and Contemporary Art Introduction

Topic Description: Determining the essence of studying art in different regions in the
Philippines. The goal in this lesson is to differentiate and classify what is contemporary
and modern art. This lesson provides a learner an idea about cultural art that was
created from the past generations that might exist in the present and appreciate the
effort of Filipino traditional art that came from the ancient inhabitants that nurture
contemporary arts in the Philippines.

Art
- expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, producing work to
be appreciated.

Contemporary Art
- art that springs out of the present-day events and passions of society.
- It is the newest form of art, from the 1960s/1940s up to this very moment.
- It is culturally diverse and technology - oriented.
- It has become a collaborative process and the audience plays an active role in
reacting.
- It is essential to you not only because it belongs to your time but it also serves as a
form of expression of people’s present feelings and longings.
- The means through which artists of today communicate their sentiments.

Lesson 2: Brief History of Philippine Art

Topic description: Brief history of the Philippines, one of the most neglected traditions
of our history. In this lesson, we will discuss more about the different cultures, traditions
and arts in the various regions in the Philippines. At the end of this lesson you will
determine the different cultural and traditional arts in the various regions and also define
the old Filipino ancestral habits. Follow these steps;

Pre-Conquest

● Indigenous - Our ancestors have been making art before colonization.

● Pre-colonial - Describe in cultural terms “pre – colonial” as a term to use for the
general way of life before colonization.
Pre-Conquest (Art before colonization)

● Hunting - Imitated the movements of animals and prey, and the sounds that they
made. In this simple activity alone evolved ritual, music, dance, theater and yes,
even literature.

Filipino Indigenous Rituals

● Cañao or Kanyaw - from cordillera, officiated by a shaman or mumbaki, the

cañao also involves animal sacrifice, healing, to announce the birth of a child,
weddings, burial ceremonies, etc.

● Kashawing - Lake Lanao in Mindanao, kashawing is a ritual to ensure

abundance during rice planting and harvesting.

● Tagbanwa - In Palawan, they believe that every thirteenth moon, three

goddesses descend from heaven to bless the planting of rice.

Music (Pre-Conquest)

Folk Dance
● Pangalay - from Sulu archipelago is a mimetic of the movements of seabirds.

Other folk dance who imitate the movements of predatory birds are;
● Kinabua of Mandaya
● Banog - banog of Higanon and B’laan
● Man - manok of Bagobos

Popular Filipino Folk Dance;

● Tinikling

Pre-Conquest

Carving
● BULUL of Cordillera
● Hagabi
● Communities in Laguna and Pampanga

In Southern Philippines (Tausug/Samal/Badjao)

● Okir or Ukkil
Terracotta
 ● Manunggul Jar

Textile (Weaving)
● Pis Siyabit
● Boxer Codex (16th century)

Marketing
● Did positioning match the final product?
● Was positioning successful? Appropriate? Effective?
● Was product launch effective?
● Were marketing programs effectively implemented?
● Did product & launch meet marketing goals?
Sales
● Was the channel & sales force appropriately informed about the product?
● Did the product and message meet customer needs?
● Was timing appropriate? Cost?
● How do initial sales compare to goals?
● How has the product been received?

Lesson 3: Islam Colonization Art

Topic description: Among the different civilization of the Philippine cultural history,
Islam Colonization Art has proved that Religion is one of the most important to preserve
its culture. The land of Mindanao was and still unconquered because of Moro's and
Muslims defending their land even before Spanish Colonization. At the end of this
lesson you will determine the different cultural and traditional arts on the various regions
and also define the Islam Traditions and their beliefs.

Islamic Colonial
- 13th century - up to the present

Islam Colonial
● Rajan Baguinda
● Sayyid Abbubakar
● Princess Piramisuli

When Rajan Baguinda died, Abbubakar lead the throne and established the Sultanate
of Sulu.
Sayyid Abbubakar
- Introduce the book of Quran
 - House of Prayer or MOSQUE
- Recognized for building religious schools known as MADRASA during the 16th
century.
- Facilitate teaching arabic from natives of Zamboanga and Yakans from Basilan
were converted to Islam.
- Strengthened Mindanao in driving force from Spanish colonization.

Sayyid Abubakr led a significant Islamic conversion when he married princess

Piramisuli. A lot of ethnic tribes in Mindanao were converted. Sayyid Abubakr
introduced the Quran, built Masjid or mosques and established Madrasa, a school for
learning Arabic.

Religion (Ummah and Tawhid)

Ummah - community of believers

Tawhid - (asserting oneness/the oneness of God)

History of Islam

● How people of mindanao adopt the art of islam?

● What are the main beliefs of islam that influence the ways art in
mindanao?

Spanish Colonial (1521 - 1898)

- South remained resistant to Spanish

- Gained inroads in “lowland Christians”
- Demands to establish catholic church and colonial state.
- Religious art, lowland Christian art, and folk art influenced.
- Project or colonization and Christianization.
- Town’s center is called “municipio” or local government office and churches.
- Cruciform churches were built inspired from latin.
- Build a baroque inspired church.
- Church makes it more resistant to earthquakes. • Interpret the image of a saint
through the Bible.
- Images produced through painting, sculpting, engraving.
- Brought musical instruments: pipe organ, violin, guitar, and piano.
- Established western church music.
- Santo Domingo and San Agustina teach choral music to young boys.
- Filipino composers “Marcelo Adonay” 1848 – 1928
 - Communities like Pampanga, Ilocos, Bicol, and Ilo-ilo secular music forms like
“AWIT”.
- “Kundiman” and the “Balitao” love songs evolved.

Lesson 4: Spanish Colonization Art

Topic description: Spanish Colonization gave a big contribution of influence in the

Philippines. One of the major influences in the history of Philippine Art that still has an
existence nowadays are the architecture, paintings, churches, etc., these arts changed
the life of Filipino people.

Art during Spanish Colonization (1521-1898)

Religion (Catholicism)

Humanic Baroque Churches

 San Agustin Church in Manila
 Morong Church in Rizal
 Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte
 Sto.Tomas De Villanueva Church in Miag-ao Iloilo

Baroque Church
- are resistant to Earthquakes
-
Used;
- Adobe
- Limestone
- Brick
- Construction of thick buttresses

“Santos” or Saint during Spanish

- Painting
- Sculpting
- Engraving

Santos or Saint
-are displayed in a decorative altar niche called “Retablo”

Via Crucis
-refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and
resurrection.

“Trompe l’oeil” (trōⁿp-ˈlœi)”

-french for “fooling the eye”
-a fooling 3D paintings mostly seen on the ceilings of the church

Plateria Carroza
-hammered silver designs found in altars and bodies of carrozas.

Music during Spanish Colonization

● Pipe organ
● Violin
● Guitar
● Piano

- ARCHBISHOP JUAN RODRIGUEZ ANGEL established a singing school at the Manila

Cathedral taught by western church music.
- Santo Domingo and San Agustin convents teach choral music to young boys and would
soon create Filipino composers like MARCELO ADONAY (1848-1928).
- KUNDIMAN and the BALITAO, balitao-sentimental love songs and lullabies also evolved
- BAYBAYIN– a writing believed to be an invocation for a safe journey by sea.
- Baybayin script is used to compose short poems that tell of courtship and other
emotional concerns.
- BAYBAYIN may not have chronicled a pre – colonial history, but they do, however,
provide evidence of the presence of pre pre-colonial writing system.
Baybayin script - Sanskrit Alphabet