How Well Do You Know Philippine Art Forms?

A Brief History of Art Forms in the Philippines

• Ethnic minorities in the Philippines used art for daily activities and religious rituals before colonizers arrived.
• Pottery was one of the earliest art forms in the Philippines, with the Manunggol Jar as a prominent artifact.
• Weaving was also an early form of artistic expression, with the Cordilleras known for their colorful woven cloth.
• Woodcarvings from Palawan depicted animals like birds, which were representations of religious beliefs.
• The sarimanok and naga were common symbols used in ornamental designs for the houses of sultans.
• The Spanish introduced their religion and used art to propagate their Christian faith, becoming the sole patron of the arts.
• Juan Luna's "Spoliarium" symbolized Filipino nationalism and the call for equality during Spanish colonial rule.
• American colonial rule introduced public-school systems and used art for advertising American-controlled markets.
• After World War II, artists focused on modern takes of content, form, and subject matter to form a national identity.
• The 1960s were a period of modernism and dynamism, with a lot of styles, techniques, and methods emerging.
• During the Marcos administration, social realism became the norm in art as a form of protest against the government's suppression of freedom of speech and expression.
• Photography has evolved into an art form, highlighting various artistic expressions in various events, scenes, and activities.