CONTEMPORARY

VISUAL ARTS
LESSON II
CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTS
The Philippine is home to many
contemporary arts. Its arts is as rich
as diverse as its culture. It would be
difficult to categorized all the
different art forms found in the
archipelago due to its sheer number
and variety.
Artists would often look at their
surroundings for inspiration for their art.
Their art would reflect the traits of their
city and showcase the cultural traits of
their province. The celebrations in their
town or the history of their city would, in
one way or another, mold their
psyche and techniques.
Artists, including contemporary
artists are influenced by many
factors such as religion, education,
and environment. The way they were
brought up and the culture they
were raised in would indisputably
have an effect, whether consciously
or not, in their art.
Filipino artists are more connected
with each other. They share tips,
techniques and processes with
others through videos and tutorials.
Artists exhibit their works and create
groups and communities through
social media accounts to
communicate their advocacies.
FINE ARTS
Most contemporary visual artist in
the Philippines produce works that
fall into fine arts category. The
majority of the contemporary art
produced in the Philippines are
paintings, sculptures and drawings.
 PAINTINGS

•Defined as two-dimension form of art that

showcases artistic expression created on a flat
surface.
•Images are made by applying pigment on
prepared surface using typically one or a
combination of the following tools; brush,
palette knife, spray, finger, etc.
PAINTINGS
The beginnings of painting and
illustrations as we know it were the
There are number of media used for
result of the Spanish colonization.
painting and other two-dimensional
Early paintings and other fine arts
work. These include oil, acrylic,
were primarily religious in nature.
watercolor, poster color, pastel, ink,
They were used to evangelized and
etc.
spread Christianity throughtout the
archipelago.

Contemporary forms of paintings and

As time passed, paintings and
illustration in the Philippines generally
illustrations started to take on more
stem from our interaction with the
secular subjects and themes.
Americans.
PAINTING THEMES
RELIGIOUS THEMES

•The primary subject for the artworks

during the Spanish colonial times.
•In the present, ,many religious-themed
paintings can be seen in the murals of
many churches and in paintings with
social commentaries like that of Joey
Velasco (1967-2010) and Renato
Habulan (b.1953).
JOEY VELASCO

•Many of his paintings depict Jesus Christ in the present day.

JOEY VELASCO’S
“HAPAG NG PAG ASA”
RENATO HABULAN

•Pen and ink series shows the similarities of the

suffering of the human condition with that of the
passion of Christ through the use of Christian
iconography.
RENATO HABULAN
“BOCETO”
HISTORICAL THEMES

•Can be seen in the works of Angono, Rizal native Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco (1912-1969) whose
masterpiece Filipino Struggles through History depicts Manila’ Historical events.
•This mural is displayed in the Manila City Hall.
•Other historical-themed works include Blood Compact, First Mass at Limasawa.
PORTRAITURE
• Are used to commemorate personalities and are
seen in many formal institutions such as
government offices.
• It started with the rise of the illustrados during
the Spanish colonial times.
• It was and has been a symbolism of one’s rise to
power and wealth.
• One of the most ubiquitous portraiture paintings
seen in the Philippines are the official portraitures
of Philippine Presidents.
• The latest as of writing is the official portrait of
President Rodrigo Duterte of Davao artist Daryl de
Leon Descallar.
STILL LIFE
•A work of art that portrays inanimate objects.
•It was traditionally composed of basket or bowl
of fruits and flowers in vases on a table.
•One of the most notable and earliest still life
artist was Pas Paterno – was born in Sta. Cruz,
Manila in 1867 and died in 1914.
•More contemporary artists who were notable
still life artists were the Filipino-Chinese Ang
Kuikok (1931-2005) and the cubist and
Kapampangan artist Vincente Manansala (1910-
1981) who created still life paintings that feature
items and ingredients one would find in typical
Filipino Kitchen.
LANDSCAPES
•Depict the beauty of the outdoors.
•It can be that of the natural environment such as
the countryside and other rural scenery, including
seascapes that focus on the imagery of bodies of
water.
•Some landscape highlight the hustle and bustle of
the city streets and scenes through urban landscape.
•One such artist was Martino Abellana (1914-1968)
who also became a mentor to generations of visayan
artists and is referred to as the “Dean of Cebuano
Painters.”
NUDE PAINTINGS

•As s subject of painting in the Philippines, was

rare before the twentieth century but has since
been an accepted and popular subject in
Philippine contemporary visual artists.
•Early contemporary nudes can be seen in the
works of Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972) and his
Lavandera series of paintings.
 GENRES
•Are paintings whose themes showcase people doing everyday activities and chores.
•Earliest example of this type in the Philippine history is the Boxers Codex (1590), which
illustrates the different social classes and attires of the different inhabitants of the
country at the time.
•Some genre contemporary artist include the Manila-born Mauro Malang Santos (1928)
known for his collection of fiesta-inspired paintings.
•The artist from Nueva Ecija, Mario Parial (1944-2013), is praised for the colorful genre
paintings that features his distinct figurative style.
 SCULPTURES
ARTWORKS THAT ARE THREE-
DIMENSIONAL.
TWO CLASSIFICATION OF
SCULPTURE
 FREE
STANDING
ALSO KNOWN AS IN THE ROUND,
ARE SCULPTURES THAT ARE
RAISED INDEPENDENTLY IN THEIR
GIVEN SPACE.
 RELIEFS
• Are raised from a background.
• Depending on the figure’s distance from the
background, it can be also classified into bas-
relief and high relief.
BAS-RELIEF OR
LOW RELIEFS
SLIGHTLY PROTRUDING FROM THEIR
BACKGROUND.
 HIGH RELIEF
THAT PROMINENTLY RAISED AGAINST THEIR BACKGROUND, GIVING THE SCULPTURE
MORE DIMENSIONAL.
 FACT ABOUT PHILIPPINE SCULPTURE

• The Philippine has a sculptural tradition dating long before the arrival of the first colonizers.
• We have long been casting metal, molding clay, and carving stone and wood to create various
sculptural pieces.
• Examples of precolonial sculptural artworks include the panolong of the Torogan, the
Maranao royal house, the sunduk or the grave markers of the Badjao, and the many
interpretations of the Ifugao rice god, the BULUL.
 SUNDUK

PANOLONG

BULUL
 FACT ABOUT PHILIPPINE SCULPTURE

• Wood craving is found throughtout the different regions and communities of the country.
• It is used to create and decorate the items used in one’s daily life such as furniture, utensils, shelter and
transportation.
• This art form gas existed througtout the history of the Philippines and still alive in many cultural hubs in
the country such as Paete,Laguna and Betis, Pampanga.
• During the Spanish colonization, the most notable sculpture pieces were the SANTOS, which are
sculptural representations of Christ and the Christian Saints.
• Many of this religious iconographies can be seen in Spanish colonial churches in the Philippines. This is
specially true with the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, the Santo Nino in Cebu and Our Lady of Penafrancia in
Naga.
 FACT ABOUT PHILIPPINE SCULPTURE

• Contemporary sculpture in the Philippines can also depict the different

themes used in paintings and drawings. It can also be classified into two
styles; the academic/classical and modern.
• Classical Style follows the aesthetics of the ancient Greeks and Romans as
taught by the European art academies.
• Modern Style is often abstracted and is not particular about the realistic
portrayal or representation of figures compared to the classical style.
CLASSICAL STYLE MODERN STYLE
 FACT ABOUT PHILIPPINE SCULPTURE
• During the American colonial period, classical sculptures portrayed prominent people of society and politics.
• This was led by the Bulacan native Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976), whose sculpture masterpieces include the
Bonifacio Monument and the Oblation in UP Diliman.
• Tolentino was a professor at the said university and mentored other classical style sculptors such as Anastacio
Caedo (1907-1990) and Froilan Madrinan (1941-2008)
• Caedo was a Batangeno whose most recognizable work is the memoria at the MacArthur landing site in Leyte.
• Froilan Madrinan was a Paete artist who was a master in wood carving. He was a great influence to many
aspiring artist of Paete, mentoring contemporary sculptors like Luisito Ac-Ac, who is famous for his lifelike
wooden sculptures and Mario Dayo, who is known for his Baroque style relief murals.
• One of the Guillermo Tolentino’s most well-known students was Napoleon Abueva – was born in Tagbilaran,
Bohol. He is credited to be the pioneer of modern sculpture in the Philippines and is sometimes referred to as
the “Father of Modern Sculpture” in the Philippines.
• His masterpiece Allegorical Harpoon (molave, 1964) is considered to be one of his best abstract sculptural works.
 FACT ABOUT PHILIPPINE SCULPTURE

• Other contemporary sculptors that show evidence of Abueva’s influence are Renato Rocha (1937-2001) and
Ross Arcilla (1938)
• Renato Rocha was born in Uson, Masbate. He apprenticed under Anastacio Caedo and later with Napoleon
Abueva.
• His work are critically acclaimed, winning a streak of competitions in 1960-1965. his styled is described as
figurative abstraction, and like his mentor he prefers to work with wood.
• Ross Arcilla has worked with an array of materials such as wood, jade, aluminum, bronze and glass. He hails
from Caramoan, Camarines Sur.
• Many other figurative expressionist sculptors emerged in the late 1970s such as Julie Lluch, who was born in
Iligan City, Lanao Del Norte. Her early works were terra-cotta sculptural portraits of family and friends, which
further developed to her trademark expressive depiction of women.
• Another expressionist contemporary sculptor is Quezon City artist Agnes Arellano. A dramatic sculptures of
cast and modeled plaster and synthetic marble. She calls inscapes focus on the essential meaning of a figure
rather than just its surface appearance.
 FACT ABOUT PHILIPPINE SCULPTURE

• Other contemporary sculptors that follow the modernist philosophy include: Antique-born
painter, sculptor and graphic designer Jerry Navarro Elizalde (1924-1999) whose sculptural
work is evocative of indigenous tribal art, making use of woodcuts and other found materials;
Solomon Saprid (1917-2003) who is well-known for his bronze sculptural that make use of
welded pieces, giving them a rough impression, and for his series of sculptures entitled
TIKBALANG; and Conrado Mercado of Bustos, Bulacan who initially gained fame from his
beaten aluminum reliefs and open-cage construction.
DECORATIVE ARTS AND
CRAFTS
 POTTERY
•Is the art and craft of making pots and other wares using clay or mud.
•Early pottery artifacts have shown the skills and artistry of our pottery makers.
•They made everyday items such as food containers and water vessels, and some are
created for formal and ritualistic purposes as burial jars or figurative mementos.
•In Vigan, Ilocos Sur, the pottery tradition is still alive with their high-temperature pottery
called burnay. It is used as a container for a variety of things like water, salt, wine, etc.
These earthenware are heated in giant kilns that occupy an area as big as half of a city
block
•Studio Pottery is a handsome one-of-a-kind ceramic that is sought after by collectors.
Studio pottery come in many forms such as functional items like cookware and tableware.
•A notable artist of studio pottery is Ugu Bigyan of Tiaong, Quezon. His studio in Quezon
is a popular tourist attraction to those who visit the province.
BURNAY
UGU BIGYAN
STUDIO POTTERY
 CARVING

•Is the art of manipulating and creating objects by subtracting and shaping solid material such as
wood and stone.
•Filipinos are excellent cravers.
•Many traditional arts and crafts in the country are products of carving.
•The Ifugao’s rice God or the Bulul is
represented through carved wood and
is used as a decorative element through
out their daily wares.
•The Muslims of Western Mindanao
carved geometric patterns and stylized
images of plants and animals called
OKIR.
 SARIMANOK
-LEGENDARY BIRD FROM MINDANAO
 NAGA
-THESE ARE USED AS
DECORATIONS IN THEIR HOUSES,
BOATS, INSTRUMENT,
CONTAINERS, WEAPONS AND
UNTENSILS.
 WEAVING

•Is the art of interlacing threads or fibers to create textile,

fabrics, or other similar products.
•Philippine textiles are often made from indigenous plants
such as pina, abaca, maguey, and cotton.
•Traditional weaving methods can still be seen in different
towns in the Ilocos Region.
•Many of the woven products such as blankets called Binakol
and Pinilian are brought to Manila and abroad and sold as
handicrafts.
 IKAT

•Is a dyeing process that involves resist-

dyeing and dyeing to achieve a desired
pattern, after which the fibers are then
woven.
•The same dyeing process used by the
tribal groups of Mindanao like T’boli,
Bagobo, Mandaya, etc. Their ikats are
designed with stylized animal figures
such as birds, lizards, frogs and humans.
METALWORKS

•Is the art of creating and manipulating metal to

create various items such as jewelry, weapons, etc.
•Metal ornaments and jewelry are found in different
regions. Metalwork found in the country comes in
different forms.
•The Maranoas from Tugaya, Lanao del Sur are the
largest manufacturer of the brassware in the
Philippines. One of their most popular products is
the gador or decorated brass urns made using the
lost-wax process.
GADOR
CONTEMPORARY ART FORMS
COLLAGE
•Is the method of combining printed
images with other flat media and
pasting them on a canvass or board.
•This contemporary art method first
came about in the early 1900s as part
of the experimentation of the cubists
Picasco and Braque.
•Collages create a great variety of
texture and color not found
traditional painting.
•Contemporary artist Dina Gadia,
born in Anda, Pangasinan, uses
collages to highlight focal interest
while creating new results.
 ASSEMBLAGE
• IS A TERM USED BY FRENCH ARTIST JEAN DUBUFFET IN
1952 TO DESCRIBE A SERIES OF ARTWORK MADE FROM
PAPER COLLAGES, WOOD SCRAPS AND OTHER FOUND
OBJECTS.
LAO LIANBEN (BORN 1948)

•He was born in Manila on April 21,

1948
•He used indigenous found materials
for his artworks in the 1960s.
•He placed twigs and small branches on
top of craved wooden panels as
commentary on forest devastation.
ROBERT FELEO

•His works was called SAPIN-SAPIN showing a

combination of different pieces, both found and
made, that portray traditional, historical, iconic and
popular images.
SAPIN-SAPIN
 MOBILE

•Is a sculptural work that suspended from the ceiling or a

protruding base.
•It is typically made with a number of balancing rods dangling in
different lengths carrying one or more elements.
•This was pioneered by the American artist Alexander Calder.
•The mobile is an example of kinetic sculpture since it is moving
due to its interaction with the wind.
•Contemporary artists who have created mobiles include bronze
sculptor and designer Eduardo Castrillo (1942-2016) and premier
glass sculptor Ramon Orlina (born 1944).
 PERFORMANCE ART

•Is a mix of visual arts and performing arts.

•The medium used in performance art is the artist himself,
and the artwork is the acting and the movements of the
artist.
•Music and sound are often incorporated in the
performance.
•Artist would would often include various disciplines in
their art such as digital art, videos, fashion, etc.
•Performance can be done spontaneously or rehearsed.
 PERFORMANCE ART

• Some notable artists who have dabbled in the field of performance art is
international Filipino artist David Medaalla (born 1948) whose performance in
Brother of Isidora gained him recognition from other artists both here and abroad.
• Madella was born in Manil and has since based himself in cities such as London,
Paris, and New York.
• Danny C. Sillada (born 1963), like Medalla, is a multi-talented artist. Born in Davao
Oriental, Sillada is a printer, poet. Musician, installation artist and performance artist
• He combines music and art in his performance art.
 INSTALLATION
ART
•Is a form of contemporary art that involves the
arrangement of objects in a given space.
•It is associated with conceptual art and the
Dada movement.
•It is intentionally designed to be experienced
as a temporary work of art.
•It incorporates different materials that may
include traditional sculptural materials such as
wood, metal, and different objects as well as
technology-based media such as light, sound,
videos and digital media among many others.
LEEROY NEW

•A Filipino artist who gained

recognition for his installation art.
•Hails from General Santos City
•He uses the things around him as
inspiration for his different
artworks that range from fashion,
sculpture and other fields of
visual arts.
•One of his installation was
geared toward the awareness and
rehabilitation of the Pasig River.
AZE ONG

•Known for her trademark crocheted art pieces.

•Her art pieces consist of colorful, organic, and fluid crochet pieces inspired by
her stay with the ethnic group of Talaandings from Bukidnon.
•Her installations have been exhibited in many museums in the country such as
the Yuchengco Museum in Makati City where she exhibited an 8.83 meter high
crochet installation entitled Liwanag sa Kawalan ng Kulay and Liwanag at the
Cultural Center of the Philippines.