ARTS IN

THE
PHILIPINES
 What are the arts in the Philippines?
Arts in the Philippines refer to all the various forms of the arts
that have developed and accumulated in the Philippines from
the beginning of civilization in the country up to the present
era. They reflect the range of artistic influences on the
country's culture, including indigenous forms of the arts, and
how these influences have honed the country's arts.
EVENTS
Pre-Colonial Period 900 - 1565
During pre-colonial time there was already indigenous
spiritual tradition practiced by the people in the Philippines.
Their practice were beliefs and cultural mores that the world
is inhabited by spirits and supernatural entities.
Historians have found out that the "Barong Tagalog"
already existed in this era. The earliest Baro or Baro
ng Tagalog was worn by the natives of Ma-I (the
Philippines name before).
Some worship specific dieties like Bathala
(supreme God for tagalog), Idialao as God of
farming, Lalaon as God of harvest, Balangay as
God of rainbow. Others also worship the moon,
star, mountains, plants and trees.
 Historical Background
The Arrival of the Negritos
*Arrived during the Old Stone Age
(Paleolithic period)
*Walked dry-shod through Malay Peninsula,
Borneo, and the land bridges
*First inhabitants
 The Indonesians
*First sea-immigrants
*Maritime Indonesians belonged to the
Mongoloid race with Caucasian
affinities
*Belonged to the New Stone Age
(Neolithic period)
 The Malays
*Belong to Iron Age culture
*Daring and liberty-loving; belonged to
the Brown race
Prominent Contributions
*Ati- atihan festivals
*Maragtas chronicle
*Code of Kalantiaw
 Tabon Skull
• Oldest human fossil
• skull cap of a “Stone Age Filipino”,
found inside Tabon Cave Palawan
on May 28, 1962.
• about 22, 000 years old, discovered
by Dr. Robert B. Fox, American
anthropologist of the National
Museum.
 Pre Colonial Art
Through Migration and Trade during Pre-Colonial
Period, there was a lively cultural interchange
between the Philippines and other Asian countries.
This helped Philippines to develop their own way
of living, their own culture such as pottery,
weaving, wood carving, jewelry, etc. that they
could us for their everyday living.
 1. Pottery
Pottery become more
associated with objects for
daily use, such as the palayok
for cooking, and the banga
and tapayan for storing
liquids. In the Ilocos, the
making of burnay pottery
continues as a lively
tradition.
 2. Weaving
The Cordillera groups of the north are
well-known for the art of weaving.
With a backstrap loom, they produce
blanket and articles of clothing that
fullfil a practical function and also a
play in religion and ritual. This
tradition is also found in the adjacent
Ilocos provinces which take pride in
their sturdy abel (weave). In Mindanao,
the Tboli of Cotabato weave abaca
cloth, called tnalak in difficult tie-dye
process.
EVENTS
Islamic Period 1201
In the 13th century,
traders and
missionaries have
introduced the religon
of Islam in the
Philippines.
 EVENTS
Islamic Period 1201
Islamic art is characterized
by the design of flower,
plant forms and geometric
design. It is used in
calligraphy, architecture
painting, and other forms
of fine art.
EVENTS
Islamic Period 1201
Mosques in the Philippines
have common architectural
features that is similar with its
Southeast Asian Neighbors.
Today's mosques are now
structural patterned after the
design of its Middle Eastern
Counterpart.
Islamic art in the Philippines is found
predominantly in Muslim ethnic
groups where every group offers their
own distinct flavor of Islamic art.
This distinct art is commonly seen in
homes, clothing and places of
worship of Filipino Muslims.
 Sayyid Quran
Abbubakar

Mosque
Islamic art in the Philippines have two main artistic styles.
One is a curved-line woodcarving and metalworking called
okir, similar to the Middle Eastern Islamic art. This style is
associated with men. The other style is geometric
tapestries, and is associated with women. The Tausug and
Sama–Bajau exhibit their okir on elaborate markings with
boat-like imagery. The Maranaos make similar carvings on
housings called torogan. Weapons made by Muslim
Filipinos such as the kampilan are skillfully carved.
EVENTS
Spanish Colonial Period 1521- 1898

First book to be printed

in the Philippines, was
a prayer book written
in spanish with an
accompanying Tagalog
translation
EVENTS
Spanish Colonial Period 1521- 1898
Spaniards ruled the
country, brought the
Christian religion and
was responsible for a
lot of colonial and
religious buildings
throughout the country.
EVENTS
Spanish Colonial Period 1521- 1898

Spaniards is the reason

of mass baptism, it is
the initial practice of
baptizing large
numbers of Filipino at
one time.
When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines in 1521, the
colonizers used art as a tool to propagate the Catholic faith
through beautiful images. With communication as problem, the
friars used images to explain the concepts behind Catholicism,
and to tell the stories of Christ’s life and passion. Images of the
Holy Family and the saints were introduced to the Filipino
psyche through carved santos, the via crucis (Stations of the
Cross), engravings on estampas and estampitas, and through
paintings on church walls.
Though the ethnic art forms such as pottery, weaving and
metalwork were retained, the Spanish friars and the
Chinese, the colony’s primary trading partner, were slowly
introducing newer art forms. Icons brought by the friars
were used as models for sculpture. Filipino artisans were
taught the Chinese brushwork technique in painting.
Engraving was also introduced. The concept of patronage
emerged.
Artisans were commissioned and paid to carve, engrave, and paint.
They replaced the arts that were once done in a communal spirit and
community setting for rituals. The church, particularly the friars,
became the new patron of the arts. Since most art produced during
the first two centuries of Spanish occupation were for the church, the
friars enforced strict supervision over their production. Until the 19th
century, art was only for the church and religious use. Early in the
19th century, with the opening of the Suez canal in 1869 and the
development of the agricultural export economy, native indios
acquired economic wealth and became what was to be called the
“ilustrados,”meaning enlightened and educated.
These developments paved the way for Filipinos ilustrados to send
their children to universities in Europe. The rise of the “ilustrado”
(Filipinos with money and education) class was inevitable. The
ilustrados became the new patron of the arts. These events paved
the way for the secularization of art in the 19th century.
EVENTS
American Occupation 1898- 1946

Public schools were

built and Thomasite
teachers taught the
American way of life.
EVENTS
American Occupation 1898- 1946

Filipinos became
dependent and sought
out American Imported
goods.
 EVENTS
American Occupation 1898- 1946

Established civil
government in the
Philippines, is to train
Filipinos in self
government.
 After winning from being the colony of Spain,
Americans took over. Most architectures were
modernized and cities had a major development in this
era.
A theater show which focuses in comedy was released
and they called it Vaudeville.
A man named Daniel Burnham commisioned to develop
and design Manila and Baguio.
Painting specifically by Fernando Amorsolo was
emerged perhaps because it reflects the Filipino
culture. The sculpture of the Oblation that was made
by Guillermo Tolentino in 1935 and the Bonifaio
Monument were also appreciated.
 EVENTS
Japanese Occupation 1946- 1969

Japan attacks the

Philippines. Manila
was declared an open
city.
 EVENTS
Japanese Occupation 1946- 1969

10,000 prisoners of
war were forced to
march camps at Capas
Tarlac.
 EVENTS
Japanese Occupation 1946- 1969
Americans lost 60,628
men. Japanese lost
300,000 men. Filipinos
lost 1 million men and
women.
The Japanese occupation of the Philippines occurred
between 1942 and 1945, when Imperial Japan occupied
the Commonwealth of the Philippines during World War
II. The invasion of the Philippines started on 8 December
1941, ten hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The Japanese attacked the Philippines in 1941 because
they wanted, and needed it. Japan wanted to set up
something called the “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity
Sphere”. It was an attempt to create something of an
Asian superpower, free from western colonization.
 EVENTS
Post War 1946- 1972
Various art like abstract, public painting,
modern and, conservative arts were
introduced.
•The traditional arts in the Philippines
encompass folk architecture, maritime
transport, weaving, carving, folk performing
arts, folk (oral) literature, folk graphic and
plastic arts, ornament, textile, or fiber art,
pottery, and other artistic expressions of
traditional culture.
 EVENTS
70s to Contemporary 1970- present

An art by Ernest
Concepcion-a filipino
contemporary artist
 EVENTS
70s to Contemporary 1970- present

Contemporary Philippine art

is the art produced in the
present period of time.
 EVENTS
70s to Contemporary 1970- present
The art of the Philippines had
been influenced by almost all
spheres of the globe. It had the
taste of Renaissance, Baroque
and Modern Periods through
the colonizers who arrived in
the country.
Contemporary art refers to work made by living artists. By this
definition, all art has been contemporary at the moment of its
creation. However, the art world often narrowly limits the use
of this term to artwork made after 1970 as a successor to
modern art. Distinguished by a lack of medium specificity and
ideological “-isms,” contemporary art reflects the diversity of
our current culture and society.
Today’s artists are responding to complex concepts such as
identity politics, institutional critique, and globalization,
often through artwork with challenging aesthetics. Defying
the status quo, contemporaries like Tania Bruguera, Kara
Walker, and Ai Weiwei are forging paths for emerging
talents and future provocateurs.
The 1970s also laid the groundwork for explorations into the
mediated image, especially with Photorealism, an offshoot
of Pop Art that birthed the Pictures Generation, pushing
further away from a brush-and-canvas-centered art history.
Example:

Land art
Femenist art
Performance art
 Importance of art in the Philippines
Contemporary art is important in Filipino lives.
It is so important because every contemporary art reflects someone's
feelings,ideas or perspectives.Through contemporary art,Filipinos can
express themselves in a way that will be safely observable for others.It
is a means of personal expression.Every art has their own stories to tell.

Contemporary art is significant also because it reflects our society and

culture.It mirrors the many changes that we've had over the course of
our lifetimes.There are also well-knowned Filipinos that we should be
proud of because of their greatness in contemporary arts.
Thank you
for
listening!