Philippine Contemporary Art: Key Aspects

• This unit will discuss the Pambansang Alagad ng Sining ng Pilipinas (National Artist of the Philippines) and the Gawad sa Manlilika ng Bayan (National Living Treasures award), the highest distinctions for artists in the Philippines.
• Also included are discussions on the Outstanding Young Men Award and Thirteen Artists Award.
• Artists are recognized for enriching Philippine culture and arts, influencing others and honing their craft.

Contemporary Arts

• Contemporary arts are defined as the "art of the NOW" or artworks produced in the present.
• The definition of contemporary art changes as the present is in constant motion.

Art

• Art is a tangible expression of human creativity and skill used to express oneself.
• It provides a venue to express thoughts and feelings.
• Art is the manifestation of creative disciplines and a tool for communication.
• Every artwork reflects the artist and their society.
• Art is a basic form of communication seen in prehistoric visual artworks like cave drawings.

Philippine Contemporary Art

• Philippine art reflects the country's society and cultural influences.
• It is divided into traditional and non-traditional arts.

Visual Arts

• Visual arts include Fine Arts, Decorative Arts, and Contemporary Art Forms.
• These are appreciated through sight.

Fine Arts

• Fine arts are created primarily for their appearance.
• This includes artworks that came about from emerging technology and artistic innovations.
• Examples include drawing, painting, sculpture, graphic art, calligraphy, and architecture.

Drawing

• Drawing represents an object by outlining a figure or sketch using lines, typically without paint, using a pencil, pen, or marker.

Painting

• Painting is a 2D art form that showcases artistic expression on a flat surface, by applying pigment on a prepared surface.

Painting Tools

• Brush
• Palette knife
• Spray

Painting Mediums

• Oil
• Acrylic
• Watercolor
• Poster color
• Pastel
• Ink

Painting Materials

• Canvas
• Paper
• Wood
• Cardboard

Painting Themes

• Religious themes were the primary subject during the Spanish colonial times.
• Joey Velasco often depicted Jesus Christ in his paintings.
• Renato Habulan's series shows similarities between human suffering and the Passion of Christ through Christian iconography.
• Historical themes can be seen in the works of Carlos V. Francisco, such as "Filipino Struggles through History."
• Portraiture paintings are used to commemorate personalities.
• Still life portrays inanimate objects, traditionally fruits and flowers in vases.
• Paz Paterno was one of the most notable and earliest still-life artists.
• "Ang Kiukok", "Vicente Manansala" created still-life paintings that feature items and that one would find in a typical Filipino Kitchen
• Landscapes depict the beauty of the outdoors and the natural environment.
• Nude painting depicts the naked human body.
• Fernando Amorsolo is known for his Dalagang Bukid.
• Genres are paintings whose themes showcase people doing everyday activities and chores.

Graphic Art

• Graphic art involves representation, decoration, writing, and printing on flat surfaces.

Calligraphy

• Calligraphy is the art of making beautiful handwriting and lettering.

Sculpture

• Sculpture is a three-dimensional artworks made by adding or subtracting materials.
• Subtraction is used in carving, while addition is seen in sculpting techniques like molding casting, and welding.

Sculpture Classifications

• Free standing or "in the round" sculptures are raised independently and can be viewed from all points.
• Relief sculptures are raised from a background.

Architecture

• Architecture is the art or science of designing and creating buildings, some structures are shelters.

Decorative Arts

• These artworks are both aesthetically pleasing and functional, not only beautiful but useful.
• These were considered a lower version of art.
• Forms include pottery, carving, weaving, and metalwork.

Pottery

• Pottery is the art and craft of making pots and other wares using clay or mud.
• High-temperature pottery is called Burnay.
• Giant Kilns heat earthenware.
• Ugu Bigyan is a notable artist of studio pottery.

Carving

• Carving manipulates and creates objects by subtracting and shaping solid materials like wood and stone.
• The Ifugao represents Rice God or the “Bulul” through carved wood.
• Muslims of Western Mindanao carve geometric patterns and stylized images of plants and animals called "Okir”.

Weaving

• Weaving interlaces threads or fibers to create fabric, textile, or similar products.
• Traditional weaving methods include Binakol and Pinilian.
• Ikat dyeing process involves resisting dyeing to achieve a desired pattern, after which the fibers are then woven.

Metalwork

• Metalwork creates and manipulate materials to create various items such as jewelry and weapons.
• The Maranaos from Tugaya, Lanao Del Sur are the largest manufacturer of brassware in the Philippines.
• They are known for Gador, decorated brass urns made using the lost-wax process.

Contemporary Art Forms

• Contemporary art cannot be easily classified using traditional definitions. Some contemporary art forms blur the distinctions between the disciplines and genres.

Collage

• Collage combines printed images with other flat media and pasting them on canvas.

Assemblage

• Assemblage uses paper collages, wood scraps, and other found objects.
• Lao Lianben used indigenous materials.
• Roberto Feleo creates Sapin-sapin combining found and made pieces symbolizing traditional, historical, iconic, and popular images.

Mobile

• Mobile is a sculptural work suspended from the ceiling. The mobile is an example of a kinetic sculpture.

Performance Art

• Performance art mixes visual and performing arts, the artist himself, and the artwork is their acting and movements.
• Artists often include digital art, videos, and fashions
• Performance art can be spontaneous or rehearsed.

Installation Art

• Installation art arranges objects in a given space as a temporary work of art.
• It incorporates materials like wood, metal, light, sound, videos, and digital elements.

Contemporary Performing Arts

• Performing arts communicates artistic expression through voices or body movements, and enacted in front of a live audience.
• This includes music, dance, and theater.

Music

• Music is universal and defined as the manipulation of sound and silence.
• "Mousike" in Greek means "art of Muses".

Forms of Music

• Kundiman and Harana
• Ballad
• Chamber Music
• Choral Music
• Liturgical Music
• Opera
• Pop Music
• Protest Song

Harana and Kundiman

• Kundiman is a product of Spanish colonization and a Filipino love song with lyrics in Tagalog and a smooth, flowing melody.
• Harana is traditional courtship where men serenade women at night.

Ballad

• Ballad narrates an event in a community.

Types of Ballads

• Traditional ballad.
• Broadside ballad is also known as broadsheet.
• Literary ballad.

Chamber Music

• Chamber music is an instrumental music performed by a small ensemble of three to eight musicians in an intimate setting.
• "Chambre" French meaning is "Chamber"- room in English.

Choral Music

• Choral music intended for a group of singers called a choir.
• Choirs are arranged according to voice categories such as soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.

Liturgical Music

• Liturgical Music intended for Christian church services and written for performance in a religious rite of worship.

Opera

• Opera is sung drama that combines music and theatre with singers, dancers, composers, and choreographers.
• One type of song found in the opera is the Aria.
• The English word opera is an abbreviation of the Italian phrase opera in music (“work in music").

Types of Opera

• Opera Seria.
• Opera buffa.

Pop Music

• Pop Music is readily avaliable to the broad populace.

Protest Music

• Protest Music brings to light injustices and inequality in society and inspire nationalism and heroism.

Dance

• Dancing, much like music, is very popular in the Philippines.
• Indigenous dances are influenced by the events in the community.

Contemporary Dance Forms Found in the Philippines

• Aerobic Dance.
• Ballet.

Aerobic Dance

• Aerobic Dance is a dance routine made into an exercise program.

Ballet

• Ballet is both a dance and theatre art that follows a strict set of moves and performances.
• Originated from the European court spectacles and was later brought to the Philippines by the Americans.

Different contemporary reiterations of ballet form

• Modern ballet.
• Opera ballet.
• Folkloric ballet.

Folk Dance

• Folk Dance are the different dances performed by various cultural groups throughout the country.

Mimetic Dances

• Mimetic Dances are dance movements imitating animals.

Theater

• Known to theater is the ultimate art since it is a collaborative art form that combines the various disciplines of art such as literature, visual art, music, and dance.
• The Philippines is known to produce world-class theater artists and playwrights.
• Lea Salonga
• Audie Gemora
• Tony Perez
• Rene Villanueva
• Theater, as Filipinos know it today, came during the Spanish colonization.
• Theater form tells stories about the struggles of everyday life.
• The sarswela and the drama were important to the development of Philippine theater since they depicted a more realistic view of the lives of Filipinos.

Explore Philippine contemporary art's characteristics, socio-historical context, and its role in communication and societal impact. Understand the influence of awards like 'National Artist' and the distinctions between traditional and non-traditional arts. Learn about art's ability to spark debate.