LESSON 1: Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions Characteristics of Philippine Contemporary Arts (by classification)

ARTS 1. Dominant/Mainstream
 an imitation of reality foreign influenced, industry-driven, technology assisted, oriented
 imitative or representational for mass-consumption
 it copies something in the real world - ex. Ogie Alcasid, Sarah Geronimo, etc.

Contemporary Arts 2. Alternative

usually social realist and/or advocacy-oriented
 art made and produced by artists living today. Today's artists Individuals
work in and respond to a global environment that is culturally -ex. Joey Ayala, Grace Nono, Kidlat Tahimik, etc.
diverse, technologically advancing, and multifaceted. Working  Artist Groups/Collectives
in a wide range of mediums, contemporary artists often (practices are collaborative and interdisciplinary)
reflect and comment on modern-day society.  ex. 98B COLLABoratory, Ugatlahi Artist Collective,
 Contemporary art is the art of today, produced by artists who Sipat Lawin Ensemble, Neo-Angono Artists
are living in the twenty-first century. Contemporary art Collective, Anino Shadowplay Collective, Gerilya,
provides an opportunity to reflect on contemporary society Pinikpikan, etc.)
and the issues relevant to ourselves, and the world around us.
Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally 3. Traditional/Indigenous
diverse, and technologically advancing world. (preserves local traditions)
 Their art is a dynamic combination of materials, methods, - ex. GAMABA awardees – Samaon Sulaiman, Lang Dulay, etc.
concepts, and subjects that challenge traditional boundaries
and defy easy definition.  EXAMPLES OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN THE COMMUNITY
 The work of artists who are living in the twenty-first century.  Face painting
Contemporary art mirrors contemporary culture and society,  Murals and graffiti
offering teachers, students, and general audiences a rich  Moss graffiti
resource through which to consider current ideas and rethink  Festival of Colours
the familiar. Diverse and eclectic, contemporary art is  Street décor
distinguished by the very lack of a uniform organizing
principle, ideology, or -ism. Humanities

Contemporary Performance  Latin word “humanus” which means human, cultured, refined
 the study of humans in the individual, cultural, societal and
 Contemporary performance is hybrid work that integrates text, experiential sense
dance, objects, music, costumes, lighting, image, sound, sets,  help us understand ourselves, others, and the world.
and vocal expression into complex interactive systems.
 Contemporary performance collages are often non-narrative, SUBJECTS UNDER HUMANITIES COURSES:
technically rigorous, and carefully orchestrated anarchic  Painting
chaos. They unsettle perception, demand critical engagement  Sculpture
from audiences, address conceptual debates within  Architecture
aesthetics, draw on a diverse range of cultural interests, and  Photography
bring pleasure to populations across the globe.” (Morgan v. P.  Literature
Pecelli)  Music
 Theatre
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART  Dance
 Film
 Modern and contemporary art are of two different time periods.
Modern art refers to art created from the 1880s up to the
1970s. While modern art is more recent than the Renaissance
or classical art periods, it is by no means current.
Contemporary art describes current works of art.

Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions

 Contemporary Philippine Art is art produced by Filipino artists
coming from the different regions in the Philippines in the
21st century*. The works reflect cultural diversity,
technological advancement, and make use of a wide range of
mediums.

 21st century refers to the year 2000 to the present

LESSON 2: Contemporary Philippine Arts in the Regions
Contemporary Art
 Contemporary art generally refers to art being created
now.
 It is the catch-all phrase ascribed to the art of recent times
and of today.
 “Contemporary” is derived from the Latin prefix
con, which means “together” or “with”, plus
tempus, which means “time”.
 chronological view
 Defines contemporary art as art related to this current
period in art history and refers to art that is new, current,
modern or pertains to the present moment.
 This usage defines contemporary art as “art produced in
our era or lifetime”
 Historical
 With regards to contemporary art as specific episode or
stage in the story of evolution of art, referring to a specific
location in space and time.
 This view establishes a timeline in which works of art
belong to a particular historical period.
In the standard periodization of art history across the globe,
contemporary art is placed in the following years
 Art produced after 1945.
This is adhered to by most museums when defining their
collections of contemporary artworks. The year 1945 was
taken as a key turning point in Euro-American history, when
after World War II there was a shift of political, cultural and
economic power from Europe to the United States which marked the
end of European colonialism.
 Art produced since the 1960s.
This is the one most commonly used by art critics due to the
emergence at this time of a new generation of artists who were
overturning the Modernist practice.
Contemporary Art and Local Heritage
 Contemporary art professes an awareness of local heritage.
 Heritage is something that can be passed from one
generation to the next, can be conserved or inherited, and
has historic or cultural value.
 These are physical objects and places of heritage (old
buildings, paintings, public art., etc.) and various practices
of heritage (oral traditions, dance, fiestas, etc.) unique to
the region or locality that are conserved or handed down
from one generation to the next.
 Regional heritage may be reverberated in the creation of
new art forms by juxtaposing images of traditions and
history with the present to couch contemporary issues,
thus, creating a lively dialogue that fosters cross-
fertilizations.
 For example
Abandoned heritage structures are given new life
through modern interventions of contemporary
architectural approaches like adaptive reuse.
 In the town of Baclayon in Bohol, an old
sabungan or cockpit arena is repurposed to
become a community theater in 2015.
Initiated by theater director Lutgardo Labad, the
staging of Timothy Dacanay’s Teatro Porvenir in the
cockpit arena breathes new life to the dilapidated
structure and showcases
experimental and musical theater in Bohol.
 The Carabao, which is integral in traditional
Central Luzon agriculture, becomes the focal
point of art making in Mandala Art Festival held
every May since 2012 in Pulilan, Bulacan
The festival is a gathering of visual artists from all over
Central Luzon and takes off the tradition of the
carabao kneeling, which honors the carabao in a
competition on the making of painted miniature,
papier mache carabaos, carabao painting, and wall
mural painting
Functions of Contemporary Art
1. Contemporary Art for Pleasure
 Art can provide escape from everyday concerns and satisfy
the yearning for pleasurable experiences.
 We need delight, enjoyment, pleasure, and decoration in
our lives to elevate our everyday existence.
2. Contemporary Art as Profession
 Artists earn a living through their art.
 Art has economic value and gains currency in a network of
exchange.
 Art and creative ideas are NEVER free.
 They possess value in the complex web of the creative
industries.
 “creative industries” refer to industries which combine the
creation, production, and commercialization of creative
contents which are intangible and cultural in nature.
3. Contemporary Art as Commentary
 Art has often been used to answer our need for
information.
 Before advent of photography in the 19th century, artists
and illustrators were only source of information about
visual appearance of anything.
4. Contemporary Art in Spirituality
 Artists may create art to express spiritual beliefs about the
destiny of life controlled by the force of a higher power.
 Art produced for this purpose may reinforce the shared
beliefs of an individual or a community finding its way
through sacred rituals, places, and ceremonies.
5. Contemporary Art as Remembrance
 Remembrance is something done as an aid to memory.
 We all have a profound need to commemorate important
events and people that have shaped our history and show
reverence for those who have gone before us.
6. Contemporary Art for Persuasion
 Art that is used to spur political change or modify the
behavior and thinking of large groups of people have
political and persuasive functions.
 Government buildings, public monuments, television
commercials, and music videos all harness the power of art
to influence action and opinion.
7. Art as Self-Expression
 Art fulfills an expressive function when an artist conveys
information about his or her personality, feelings, or
worldview.
 Such art becomes a meeting site between artist and
viewer, where the viewer feels empathy for the creator
and gains an understanding of his or her personality .
LESSON 3: COLONIAL MODERNITY AND EARLY PERIOD OF PHILIPPINE
CONTEMPORARY ART (1900-1945)
Contemporary art
-traces its root to the developments in the 1900s, with social and
economic developments brought about by American colonialism, as
well as the entry of new technology into the country. These changes
gave rise to the new ways of expression as well as the
transformation of traditional art.
the regions also flourished, giving the rise to local versions of the
dula or drama.
The early 20th cemtury saw the continuation of traditional Filipino
musica styles which consisted Kundimans and music made for the
sarsuwela. The introduction of classical music, jazz, music, and the
band music gave rise to new musical works which adopted these
styles.
In literature, the 20th century saw the publications of magazines in
english, tagalog, and regional langugaes. Komiks art, likewise,
flourished with the local publications.
The Philippine art would experienced significant changes with the
pioneering works of Victorio Edades, Carlos “Botong” Fancisco and
Galo B. Ocampo. These artists veered away from the classical visual
style and embraced more expeimental modes based on modern and
avant-garde art.
During the second world war, Philippine art was cimcuscribed by the
strict control of the Japanese occupation Government and the
prevailing atmosphere of suffering and fear. Majority of the artwokrs
during this period were commissioned by the government and
subject to censorship. However, certain art forms such as theater
and music were utilized to support the resistance.

Architecture was used to proliferate the American ideal of progress

and democracy. This was seen in the Neoclassical design in public
buildings, as well as the Gabaldon schoolhouses built througout the
country.

A number of Filipino classical virtual artists continued to produce

artworks as the country transitioned from Spanish to American
colonial rule. Fernando Amorsolo became a celebrated painte and
established the visual ideal of the Filipino human form and
proportion. In sculpture Guillermo Tolentino was recognized as the
classical master of the art form.

 PLANTING RICE
 THE FRUIT PICKERS UNDER THE MANGO TREE

GUILLERMO TOLENTINO
- NATIONAL ARTIST FOR SCULPTURE
- THE BONIFACIO MONUMENT in caloocan stands as an enduing
symbol of the Filipino’s cry for freedom.

Beginning in the late 1920s, the art deco was an artistic movement
which influenced Philippine architecture. This artistic direction
emphasized simplified forms, functionality, and mass production

Philippine musical traditions such as kundiman continued and

prospered during the American period. Philippine dance was
primarily influenced by ballet and later on by modern dance in the
1920s. Philippine folk dances were also recognized and were taught
in the Philippine school system due to the efforts of Francisca Reyes
Tolentino and her colleagues.

FRANCISCA REYES TOLENTINO

- NATIONAL ARTIST FOR DANCE

New theater forms such as zarzuela and vaudeville emerged during

the late 19th century. Duirng the American occupation, a number of
Filipino playwrights used theater as means to oppose colonialism
and the suppression of Filipino nationalism. Drama and theater in LESSON 4: CONTEMPORARY ARTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
 The Philippines is a gold mine of ART.
 The Philippines has a variety of many other at forms.
FOUR COLONIAL PEIODS IN OUR HISTORY
 Spanish
 Bitish
 American
 Japanese
 The art of the Philippines had been influenced by almost all
spheres of the globe.
 It had the taste of Renaissance, Barouque and Modern Periods
through the colonizers who arrived in the country.
Philippines welcome the birth of contemporary art when the world
opened up the idea of postmodernism in the late 1900’s.
 First appearance:
 Afte the WW2 and during martial law era (1970).
 Writers broke the laws by writing screams of protet
againts the government.
 Filmmakers used their expertise in joining the
bandwagon of nationalistic artistic.
 Modernism in all art forms evolved into a variety of
expressions and media that turned the entire world into
a “CREATIVE UPHEAVAL”.
 Composition No. 2 by Lee Aguinaldo 1956. Oil
on lawinit board.
 Many Filipino artists and architechs became adherents
of the modenist style.
 Abstract empressionism by national artist Jose
Joya.
Art style of the modenist period in the 1950’s.
Late 1980’s
 Postmodernism appearde in the Philippines.
 Postmodernism sought to contradict several aspects and
ideas of modernism that had emerged earlier.
 They believe thet artist should no longer try to create
something new.
 All they needed to do was to borow, combine, explore
what was already exixting to produce something new.
 This gave birth to integrative art, which is being practiced in
the regions at present.
 Meta ii by Louie Cordero (2011)
Acrylic on fiberglass
Several features of POSTMODERNISM
 Pastiche
 Most common feature in which refers to the blurring of
divisions between fine art and commercial art, high culture
and low culture. It also means artistic, musical, and literary
works that comes from diverse sources (a mixture, medley
of different ideas
 There is a sense of fragmentation
 For instance, a narrative does not have to be
complete, it can be open-ended.
Pastiche of Leonardo da Vinci’s (Vitruvian Man)
1) Bricolage o Assemblage
 Popularly used in visual arts.
 It refers to a creation or construction that uses a diverse
range of materials (from mass-produced to recoveed
objects).
 A simplification of collage, bricolage can also pertain to the
use of words as the central artistic element. In literary arts,
it is the use of varied sources of writing.
 Educated by Rocky Cajigan 2015 Box Construction
2) Appropriation or borrowing
  Use of the style and content of another culture for
performance (the music of Bach being played by Filipino
rock band).

3) Installation

 At made indoors or outdoors where a particulat space is

transformed into a three-dimentional artwork.
 It is made of diverse materials, using a realistic or abstract
style.
 It is conceptual art that presents diverse themes, but it is
usually temporary.

Other features of postmodernism:

 Recycling of past styles and themes, putting them in a

modern-day context
 Breaking up barriers between low and pop cultures, fine
and high arts.

New theme in all the art forms: