CHAPTER 11

VISUAL ELEMENTS IN PHILIPPINE TRADITIONAL MOTIFS AND CRAFTS

Visual elements

One can identify the race of a country based on its distinct arts, motifs, symbols and
crafts. When the arts and designs “vinta sailboat, jeepney, kalesa and kimona” are talked
about, we can feel the sense of belongingness and get the very idea that it is our own country
talked about. The designs, patterns, and colors that constitute these typical Filipino symbols are
called visual elements.

Decorative Methods

Art is an expression of a particular person, or group of people (Caruso, 2005). It can

have a larger effect on culture heritage and identity for it can be symbolic traits, morals and
religious characteristics. The intricacies of Philippines arts are rooted on rich diverse cultures. As
such, diverse arts are expressed in different ways and methods.

Traditional Methods of Philippine Art

First is folk architecture that is made of stilt houses, land houses and aerial houses.
This is made of light materials like wood, bamboos, nipa, cogon and vines.

 Stilt houses are commonly seen in costal communities.

 Land houses are commonly seen in rural villages of the country.
 Aerial houses are commonly seen on big branches of tress most commonly seen in
forested areas under the shades of green canopies.

Second, is the maritime architecture that includes boat house, boat-making, and
maritime traditions, as exemplified among the colorful vintas (sailboats) in Muslim
Mindanao.

Third, is weaving that includes basket weaving, back-strap loom weaving, headgear
weaving, fishnet weaving and other forms of weaving.

Fourth, is carving that includes, but not limited to, wood carving and folk non-clay
sculpture.

Fifth, is Folk Graphic/Plastic art, which include, but not limited to, calligraphy,
tattooing, folk writing, folk drawing and folk painting.

Sixth, is Ornament/ Textile/ Fiber Art that includes hat-making, mask-making, and
ornamental metal crafts.

Seventh is pottery, which include, but not limited to, ceramic making, clay pot-making
and folk clay sculpture.

Non-Traditional Methods of Philippine Art

Unlike the traditional method that uses local materials, non-traditional

method utilizes synthetic materials and resources produced by industries. Here are the
eight-pictorial form of non-traditional method of the Philippine art.

1. Non-folk sculpture of Daniel de la Cruz on “Artes Filipinas” is a modern sculpture

made of brass, bronze and iron and some metallic materials.
2. Print making is an artistic process based on the principle of transferring images
from a matrix onto another surface, most often paper or fabric.
 3. Photography is the application and practice of creating durable images by
recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of
an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive materials such as
photographic film.
4. Installation Art is an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-
specific and designed to transform the perception of a space.
5. Mixed Media work is an artwork in which more than one material has been
employed. Assemblages and collages are two common examples of art using
different media that will make use of different materials including cloth, paper,
wood and found objects, as shown in the works of Jonathan Benitez.
6. Graphic Arts are visual arts based on the use of line and tone rather than on
three-dimensional work or the use of color. This exemplified by the work of Chris
Inton.
7. The development of science and technology paves the way to art of Magnetic
Resonance Imaging – a procedure that uses magnetism, radio waves and a
computer to create pictures of areas inside the body like x-rays.
8. Another emerging art that revolutionizes landscape gardening is topiary. Topiary is
the practice or art of training, cutting and trimming trees or shrubs into odd or
ornamental shapes.

Philippine Houses: the Blending of space and soul

A house is one big thing that we must be grateful for because we have a place which is
not only called a house but also a home (PJ Harvey). As such, a home creates a space for our
living soul; a place where our souls feels comfortable last and comfortable always (timothy
Corrigan, Interior Designer). Our diverse culture create diverse houses which we call our very
own typical Filipino homes. In fact, the artistic design of our houses does not only reflect the
sociocultural community we have but also shelter the identity of how our soul lives to its fullest.
List typical houses in the Philippines that serve as the space and soul of our heritage and
identity.

Different types of houses in the Philippines typical in the tropical climate

1. Torogan of the Maranao people of Mindanao with traditional intricate design built in Lanao.
Torogan is a wing-like house beam with fern and serpent as motifs which symbolize high social
status of Maranao.

2. The Ifugao Bale is an indigenous architectural design harmoniously located within the
contour of the Rice Terraces, but its design differ from tribe to tribe for distinction.

3. Bahay Kubo considered as th “Icon of the Philippines”. It is a type of stilt houses commonly
indigenous to the cultures of the Philippines. Its name varies from province to province as
payag or kamalig.
4. Bahay na Bato is literally known as “house of stone” in English. It is a type of simple
miniature building which was popular during Spanish Era.

5. Tree House is typically a pre-colonial platform or building constructed around, next or

among the trunk or branches of durable and mature trees while above ground level.

6. T’boli House which is akin to nipa hut but is larger, wider and more spacious that can
accommodate several people to sleep over. Some of these are built on highland areas in south
western Mindanao, centering on Lake Sebu.

7. Ivatan House which is typical representation of an Ivatan, indigenous people of Batanes

Island. The Ivatan construct this type of house to protect them from coming tropical storms or
typhoons. This heritage house is made of stone, lime and wood with a thatch roof made of local
grass called ‘cogon’. These structures resembling houses inspired by European hinterlands. Its
durable bricks and stones are purposely built to protect against storms and cyclones.

8. Badjao Boat House is a lepa boat that serves as the humble abode of Bajau (sea gypsies)
which especially in Sitangkai, Tawi-tawi and Bongao. This type of house reflects the fishing way
of life of the Badjaos.

9. Stilt Houses which are raised on stilts over the surface of the body of water. They are built
primarily as a protection against flooding they also keep out vermin.

10. Multi-story house – a building that has multiple stories and which typically contains
vertical circulation in the forms of ramps, stairs and lifts.

11. Townhouse or townhome – a single family home that shares one or more walls with
other independently-owned units.

12. Condo unit a housing manner for which the owner holds sole title to the unit, but land and
common property (elevators, halls, roof, stairs, etc.) are jointly owned with other unit owners.
The upkeep expenses on the common property are likewise shared with other unit owner.

Symmetry art of okir/ukill

Are you familiar with sarimanok? What does it remind you of? How about the colorful
vinta sailboat in Zamboanga City? These are a few of the common objects that can be allude to
our Filipino symbolism. These colorful exquisite figures are greatly influenced by the unique
craft called okir. The origins of okir can be traced back before Islam flourished in Mindanao
(National Museum of Anthropology). They are believed to have originated from the much earlier
okil or okil-okil decorative carving traditions of the Sama Badjao people, which are often highly
individualistic and geometric.

The Sama are master carvers and they made lavish decorations on ritual animistic
objects, grave markers (both in wood and stone) and their houseboats. These precursor form of
the okir designs can still be found in the art traditions of the Maranao in the basak (lowland)
regions of Lake Lanao, and they contrast markedly from the later flowing okir designs
(Wikipedia.org).

The older Sama carving traditions (okil or okil-okil), sometimes spelled ukkil among
Malaysian Sama differ markedly from the okir of the Maranao. Although elements on the okir
wre incorporated into later Sama carvings. Sama okil are not bound to rules like the okir and
thus tend to be highly variable. Maranao okir motifs are so stylized that it is often easy to tell
whether a carving is Maranao or not. Other ethnic groups usually introduce other elements or
motifs that are non-traditional to the original Maranao okir designs. In the past, okir designs,
particularly for textiles, are distinctive enough that a Maranao can usually distinguish which
region someone is from based only on the patterns of their malong and their woven decorative
strips.

Philippine Indigenous Arts

Indigenous communities can be found in various regions in the Philippines. These

communities have their own unique arts and crafts. Whether it be visual arts, song and dance,
handicrafts, tapestries and clothing or pottery, each region boasts of exceptional talent, skill
and creativity. Unfortunately, these masterpieces have been “downgraded” by outsiders to
merely crafts or handicrafts that are only worthy of being sold in tourist shops. This is also
known as the art vs. crafts controversy (Racette and Robertson, 2009). It is sad to note that
indigenous artists are not recognized or appreciated.
 Indigenous visual arts provide a means of cultural expression and are a vehicle for the
maintenance and transmission of culture. The visual arts are used to promote health and well-
being. They improve the lives of indigenous women and provide self-esteem to young
indigenous people.

 The Arts of the Aeta

A traditional form of visual art is body scarification. The Aetas intentionally wound the
skin on their back, arms, breast, legs, hands, calves and abdomen and then they irritate the
wounds with fire, lime and other means to form scars. Other “decorative disfigurements”
include chipping of the teeth. With the use of a file, the Dumagat, a sub-group of Aetas,
modify their teeth during late puberty. The teeth are dyed black a few years afterwards.
The Aetas generally use ornaments typical of people living in subsistence economies.
Flowers and leaves are used as earplugs for certain occasions. Girdles, necklaces and
neckbands of braided rattan incorporated with wild pig bristles are frequently worn.

 The Arts of the Bagobo

The Bagobos wear distinct ceremonial attire made of ikat textiles, which are likely worn
as either a costume or dress. For the Bagobo, however. Which ever word is used made a
difference. For example, they tend to use kostyom (costume) when speaking to non-
Bagobo; amongst themselves, they use ompak (garment or clothing. Kostyom is not just
“costume” pronounced with a local accent, it refers to something more exact.

 The Arts of the badjau

The most commonly used material is the pandanus plant which grows abundantly in the
limestone-based island of Tawi-Tawi. The pandanus grow wild and untended in the shore
beaches. The techniques for preparing the pandan and weaving the mats are generally
similar throughout Sulu.

 The Arts of the Bontoc

The Bontocs have a tradition of cloth weaving. The background colors are dark, the
favorite being blue. Geometric designs are diamonds, triangles, hexagons and zigzags.
Representational designs are the dancing man or woman, stars, leaves and rice paddies.

 The Arts of the Gaddang

The Gaddang is a tribal group of the north-east of Manila, in the provinces of Isabela
and Cagayan. This is a modern reproduction of the traditional striped Gaddang textiles
embroidered with small white beads.

 The Arts of the Ibanag

Textiles are embellished with knotted selvages and seams, floating warps and
complimentary wefts.

 The Arts of the Ifugao

Traditional costumes are characterized as short, tight-fitting, hand-woven skirts with

colorful horizontal stripes, with a white-sleeve blouse and a loose striped jacket.

 The Arts of the Ilongot

A headdress made of horn bill, shell, wire, rattan and hair.

 The Arts of the Ivatan

A vakul is a headgear designed to protect the wearer from sun and rain. It is made from
vuyavuy palm fiber.
 The Arts of the Mangyan

The embroidered pakudos is always of two color. On a white blouse, it is predominantly

red and is highlighted by a fine black or dark blue outline. On a blue blouse, it is also
predominantly red, but the outline stitchery is white. The design is started from the center
with only hand measurements and the wrap and weft threads as guide.

 The Arts of the Manobo

Traditional fabric for clothes was made of abaca fiber or hemp, woven by that ikat
process. But now it is made of cotton clothe obtained through trade. Dyes were acquired
from plants and tress: the tagum plant and the bark of the lamud tree produce lack, the
turmeric root yellow and the keleluza plant, red. Ginuwatan are woven representational
designs such a flowers. If cotton trade cloth is bought, big floral designs are preferred.
Typical colors are red, black, yellow, green, blue and white.

 The Arts of the Maranao

We have several stylized decorative motifs in Muslim art. Sarimanok is one of these, a
stylized representation of an open-winged legendary bird whose claws clutch a fish. It is a
bird-form symbol of the Maranao. A sarimanok can be seen on top of bamboo poles placed
at the center of Muslim villages. The Maranaos are also known for their gold and purple
malong. Malong is the traditional tube garment, which is commonly colored into
combinations of green, yellow, red, violet and blue.

 The Arts of the Subanun

The traditional costumes worn by the Subanen men and women consist of upper and
lower garments with headdress and other accessories. The tightfitting garment that is
generally black made up the men>s upper garment called as Sub’.

 The Arts of the T’boli

The T’bolis are famous for their dream-inspired and spirit-infused T’nalak weavings, but
also for their embroidery, brass casting and other crafts. T’nalak weaving is an artform
perfected over decades of practice by T’boli women, and only a handful of master weavers
can be considered true ‘dream weaver’, the works of whom are highly valued.

 The Arts of the Tingguian

The Tingguian or Isnegs, are engaged in bamboo crafts production. This is the reason
why Abra is positioning as the “Bamboo Capital of the Philippines”.

The Muslim Arts

Muslim art is often characterized by recurrent motifs, such as the use of geometrical
floral or organic vegetative fashion known as Arabesque. Such is an Islamic art often used
to symbolize the transcendent, indivisible and infinite nature of God. With this monotheistic
group of believers, they emphasize the omnipotent presence of Allah in their multifarious art
forms.

The Christian Arts

Our faith is expressed in different art forms. It can be seen in various visual in the
church: altars, bell towers, minaret, dome, façade, rebolto, ceilings, floors and windows.
The motifs of Christian churches are influenced basically by the Spanish and western
architectures while some are influenced by Americans. There are interior and exterior
designs that also depict the common story taken from the bible (Wisley, 2006). Let us see
how faith is manifested differently as regards the different types of churches we have. In
 fact, the variation of church designs in the Philippines manifest the various cultural
traditions that have marked and carved our history and heritage.

 Born Again Christians

It is a phrase used by many Protestants to describe the phenomenon of gaining faith in

Jesus Christ. This is composed of many sects and subjects which originated from the USA.
Their architectural designs usually contain emphasis on illumination that mimic the natural
lighting that add different layers of lighting with different wattages. Some lights are for
boisterous events and calmer lighting for worship. There is usually a cross in the middle and
musical instruments on the platform for worship purposes.

 Iglesia Ni Cristo Church

Another monotheist religion which is an independent nontrinitarian Christian church is

the Iglesia Ni Cristo. It was founded and registered by Felix Y. Manalo in 1914 as a
unipersonal religious corporation. Its church building (chapels) serve as places of worship
and other religious functions, as “vehicles for glorifying God”. These are described by
Culture and customs of the Philippines, (Grenwood Publishing Group), as structures “which
employ exterior neo-Gothic’ vertical support columns with tall narrow windows between,
interlocking trapezoids and rosette motifs, as well as tower and spires.”

 The Church of the Mormons

The first contact the church had with the Philippines was 1898 during the Spanish-
American War. It was led by Willard Call and George Seaman, who were part of the United
State artillery battery. They were set apart as missionaries and began to proselytize after
being deployed to the Philippines. Its church structural design doesn’t boast of any medieval
mosaics or Renaissance frescoes. But it’s sumptuous by 21 st-Century standards, with high,
curved walls of white granite, two spires, inlaid marble floors and a grand staircase
surmounted by a huge crystal chandelier (Hurley, 2019).

 The Roman Catholic Church

Since the colonial period, Catholicism has been the cornerstone of Filipino identity for
millions in the Philippines. It rapidly spread during the Spanish era, in part due to a lack of
otherwise centralized religious institutions (Harvard Divinity School). Though its architectural
design varies from time to time and place to place, the most significant objects of
transformation for Christian architecture and design were the great churches of Byzantium,
the Romanesque, Gothic cathedrals and Renaissance basilicas with its emphasis on
harmony. These large, often ornate and architecturally prestigious buildings were dominant
features of the towns and countryside in which they stood.

 The Seventh-Day Adventist Church

After the Philippine American War, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church sent its first
mission to the Philippines in 1905. the following year Adventists J. L. McElhany and his wife
arrived and worked among the American soldiers, businessmen and teachers who were sent
to Manila (Asia Pacific: Perspective, volume II number 1, 2002). The motif of its church
design is based on the foundation of the bible. Its design elements underscore the bible as
the focal point; the cross, which is also a central feature of its encapsulated motif; and the
burning flame that represents the Holy Spirit and the truth.

The Contemporary Arts and the Filipino Artists

Contemporary art is the art of today, produced by artists who are living in our time. It
provides opportunities to reflect on society and the issues that are important to us and the
world. It is part of a cultural dialogue that concerns larger contextual frameworks such as
identity, family, community and nationality. Visiting contemporary art exhibitions and talking
about living artists are important aspects of our program (Steinhardt School of Culture, 2020).

Our country produces number of contemporary artists. They usually aim at playing a
role in presenting and educating the public about history, identity and problems at present.

Here are the ten contemporary artists and their works characterized by collectives which
are thriving and the market is strong while the discourse is higher. Let us find out how these
contemporary artists paint their minds and execute their dexterity which reflect the status of
our country and the world as well.

Contemporary Artist and their Masterpieces

1. Ernest Concepcion

Artwork: O.M.G. Christ Light and Space Contemporary

2. Ronald Ventura

Artwork: Humanime, 2012

3. Leeroy New

Artwork: Manila’s Master of Monster

4. Oscar Villamiel

Artwork: Payatas, 2012

5. Dex Fernandez

Artwork: Beautifully Strage IV

6. Neil Pasilan

Artwork: Still life

7. Kawayan de Guia

Artwork: Fuck You City, Philippines 2017

8. Patricia Perez Eustaquio

Artwork: Black Dust

9. Martha Atienza

Artwork: Endless Hours at Sea

10. Elmer Borlongan

Artwork: Kapit Bisig

Key Movements in Philippine Arts

The motif and craft of visual arts are affected by time (Church, 2010). Thus, the
Philippine visuals have their motifs reflecting the new generation. In aesthetic parlance, the
styles of arts change with time. These are called Key Movements. Styles in arts are shaped by
artists with a common philosophy or goal. These movements are born out of the popular social
climate. Most of the key art movements found in the Philippines have western origin. The trails
of American and Spanish tints are embedded in the core of Filipino art.

Arts can be classified according to the key movements. Let us study them and spot the
difference based on the visual interspersed.
1. Baroque is a grandeur, sensuous richness, drama, dynamism, movement, tension,
emotional exuberance that gives off a tendency to blur distinctions between the various art.

2. Neoclassicism is characterized by the use of straight lines, a smooth paint surface, the
depiction of light, a minimal use of color and the clear, crisp definition of forms.

3. Romanticism is focused primarily on emotions, feelings and moods of all sorts including
spirituality, imagination, mystery and fervor. The subject matter is verified widely including
landscapes, revolution and tranquil beauty. The brushwork for romantic art became looser and
less precise.

4. Realism is the accurate, detailed, unembellished depiction of nature or of contemporary life.

It rejects imaginative idealization in favor of a close observation of outward appearances.

5. Expressionism from the word itself convey emotion and meaning rather than reality.
However, each artist under this movements has his/her own unique way of “expressing”
emotions. In order to express emotion, the subjects are often distorted or exaggerated

6. Cubism objects and figures are broken down into distinct planes and reassembled into
abstracted forms. Rather than creating the illusion of depth, these dynamic arrangements
merge foreground and background to emphasize the flatness of the artist’s canvas.

7. Impressionism is 19th-Century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet

visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing
qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage of time), ordinary subject matter and
inclusion of movement as a crucial portrayal of its entirely.

8. Surrealism is an artwork that uses juxtaposition or surprising shifts in scale to question the
nature of reality, perception and language in abstract fashions and scenes.

9. Abstract expressionism is an expression of reality portrayed in a non-representational

statement with line, color and size as well as the aggressive mingling of colors, shapes and
forms crating a painting of pure thought and emotion.

10. Social Realism is an artwork that gives accurate portrayal of the scene and characters
without embellishments. This points out political and economic corruption that shows candid
portraits. It actually assertively shows flaws in human nature – underscoring nature as powerful
tool.

11. Figurativism is dependent artwork that includes lines, shapes, color, light and dark, mass,
volume, texture and perspective in harmonious synergy. The elements of design could also play
a role in creating other types of imagery

11. Conceptualism is all about “ideas and meanings” rather than “works of art” (paintings,
sculptures, other precious objects). It is characterized by its use of text, as well as imagery,
along with a variety of ephemeral, typically everyday materials and “found objects”.

11. Pop Surrealism/Lowbrow Art often emphasizes a sense of humor – something that is
gleeful, impish and sarcastic. Most lowbrow artworks are paintings, but there are also toys,
digital art and sculpture.