Philippine Contemporary Arts: Techniques, Artists, and Cultural Heritage PDF

GROUP 1 The following are some of the significant contributions of the artists through their arts. 1. Unique Identity. Traditional arts reflect our diverse heritage and cultural traditions. This is evident in all arts created by the artists who receive the GAMABA award. One of these arts is weaving....

GROUP 1 The following are some of the significant contributions of the artists through their arts. 1. Unique Identity. Traditional arts reflect our diverse heritage and cultural traditions. This is evident in all arts created by the artists who receive the GAMABA award. One of these arts is weaving. Though weaving has long been part of our traditions, the use of different materials and the different tedious process make each art unique. Haja Amina Appi of Ungos Matata, Tawi-Tawi shows how pandan can be weaved into mats with vibrant colors, beautiful geometric designs and fine symmetry. These mats are usually used by their people for prayer or as a gift to the newly-weds. In Luzon, weaving is preserved through Magdalena Gamayo who used traditional patterns. Her work is marked by her ability to replicate designs with excellence and consistency. Another artwork of the same kind is t’nalak (a fine abaca cloth) by Lang Dulay of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. She worked on traditional designs like bulinglangit (clouds), kabangi (butterfly), crocodiles, and flowers. As you can see, though these artists worked on the same art (weaving), their artworks in their community is still uniquely created showing the identity of their community (Estrella, 2020). 2. Exemplary Skills. The artwork of Eduardo Mutuc from Pampanga shows how his skills developed from being a farmer to one of the furniture carvers. To earn an income, he really practiced his skills and became one of the most respected creators of religious and secular arts today. He was awarded in 2004 for his detailed and lifelike pieces of varying sizes: altars, mirrors, retablos, and carosas made with wood, silver, and bronze. Uwang Ahadas, on the other hand, shows his exemplary skill in music. At a young age, he learned to play music with his siblings. Though kwintangan was usually played by a woman, he mastered playing it. It is made of logs used to call abundant harvest of grains. Another musician who has shown superb skills is musician Samaon Sulaiman who was a master of the kutyapi, a two-stringed lute. He was also proficient in playing other instruments such as the kulintang, agong (a suspended gong with a wide rim), gandingan (agong with a narrow rim), and tambul. 3. Way of Life Alonzo Saclag of Lubuagan, Kalinga mastered local musical instruments, along with dance patterns associated with rituals. These performances are performed during celebrations or communal agreement such as peace pacts. To pass this tradition, Saclag took a formal education reaching radio stations and creating Kalinga Budong Dance Troupe. Hearing the tales as told by his mother, epic chanter Federico Caballero of Calinog, Iloilo learned Suguidanon, a Central Panay epic. Though Central Panay is located in the mountains, the epic tells about characters and settings that reflect that his people might have lived once in seashores in the past. Also, this epic was usually chanted by a binukot, a woman of high status. Regardless of education and social status, women were not given authority. Instead, they were trained for embroidery and memorization of epic. Caballero is known to keep the local oral traditions through his chants (Gowey, 2016). 4. Enduring Values Values are usually reflected in literary arts such as poem. Thus, the Mangyan script is one of the four remaining syllabic scripts in the country which was preserved through Ginaw Bilog of Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro. He was most popular in writing ambahan (a metaphoric poem comprising seven-syllable lines) on traditionally used bamboo tubes. His poems about advising the young, bidding a friend goodbye, and asking for a place to stay show how Filipinos express their affection to their family and friends. Values is not only reflected in the art product but also on the process in which it is created. In textile weaving, we can see the artists’ dedication to their work as they intricately put different elements of arts such as color, harmony and shape to create a distinct and vibrant 3 design. Spirituality is also evident among Filipino artists as they use subjects related to their faith such as the textile designs by Darhata Sawabi of Sulu and carvings by Eduardo Mutuc. There are countless values that are reflected on the artists’ work but one thing that is evident to their works is their unselfish desire to share their knowledge and skills to the next generations to enjoy and to see as part of their beings as Filipinos. 5. Vision. The traditional art shows the artist’s vision. Moreover, it also inspires us to make the existing art as an inspiration to enhance the art or create our own artwork. Teofilo Garcia is a gourd hatmaker from San Quintin, Abra. Since he is a farmer, he sees the need of gourd casques. He used the tabungaw (gourd) plant for useful protective hats to help the farmers overcome heat during farming. Because the hat was made creatively and finely, he joined a festival to show his artwork. Who would have thought that a simple hat to help our farmers would soon become a recognized art? He did. Also, Salinta Monon, a respected textile weaver from Davao Del Sur, isolated herself from her family for months to finish her art. She once dreamt of establishing the art through teaching new would-be weavers. In conclusion, the artworks of our GAMABA awardees are indeed living treasures. Their arts do not only express an idea or feelings but they also carry significant contributions that are imbibed through generations. and inspired the contemporary arts that we use and see today. What I Have Learned 1. The Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) means that these artists have contributed significant art forms that are timeless amidst our fast-faced environment and multifaceted culture. 2. Contemporary arts reflect our unique identity since they show the diverse heritage and cultural traditions. This is evident in art works of Haja Amina Appi, Magdalena Gamayo and Lang Dulay who made unique weaving patterns. 3. The artwork of shows the exemplary skills of the artists like Eduardo Mutuc, Uwang Ahadas and Samaon Sulaiman who mastered their skills an arts. 4. Art forms show the ways of life of the Filipinos: the communal agreements in Kalinga as shown by the musical instruments and dance patterns as mastered by Alonzo Saclag and the ways of life of the people in Panay and the status of women through Suguidanon by Federico Caballero. 5. Values are usually reflected in literary arts themselves and and the processes that artists have to go through to produce such arts. 5. The traditional art shows the artist’s vision for it inspires us to make the existing art as an inspiration to enhance the art or create our own artwork as evident in the works of Teofilo Garcia as a gourd hatmaker and Salinta Monon as a respected textile weaver. 6. The arts do not only express an idea or feelings, but they also carry significant contributions that are imbibed through generations. and inspired the contemporary arts that we use and see today. GROUP 2 NCCA Chairman Arsenio “Nick “Lizaso said that people should be proud of and nourish Filipino Arts and culture. Indeed, Philippines is very rich in culture. We often heard or see the phrase “Only in the Philippines”. It is an expression of pride in what we feel in the activities that are uniquely Filipino. Arts provides a shared experience for the community. Values and beliefs systems are often deep-seated in art forms and passed down through generations. People participate in country’s nationhood by means of singing the national anthem or by merely looking the monument of Rizal in Luneta. It is when an individual became aware and proud of their cultural heritage, they became an active instrument in nation building. The Executive Order No.118 created the Presidential Commission on Culture and the Arts in 1987. By means of history, it makes the an individual appreciative of the country’s struggles and triumphs. 1. Why do we need to preserve our arts and culture in the modern world? 2. In your opinion, why is it important to have natural art center in the Philippines? contemporary artist’s production process. THE PRODUCTION PROCESS AND THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT 1) Tourism Land areas are converted into sites for tourist consumption. In this situation, ecological domains may become more vulnerable to damage with the combined forces of natural disasters and tourist mobility. Moreover, tourist mobility might influence the community’s observance of tradition and tend to diminish the quality of native art forms. Removed from their original context, the works are transformed into mass produced souvenirs in order to meet the demands of the tourist trade. Neon colors and designs woven from synthetic fibers have been made available in recent years to create appropriations of traditional textile designs for commercial purposes. 2) Militarization The insecurity and tensions brought about by militarized zones apprehend the people’s ability to create art. It prevents people from having communal gatherings, where exchanges and passing of knowledge can take place. 3) Christianization The influence of Christianity and the conversion of the natives to a foreign religion have affect the preservation of their indigenous rituals and traditions. However, in some cases, the community finds a way to harmonize their indigenous ways with traditions of Christianity. For example, the Manobo community of Mt. Apo initiated a “culture regeneration movement.” As Christian converts, they sought the revival of their traditions by holding clan reunions, employing native wedding rites, and recalling narratives of their culture through painting. These factors that affect the tradition and contemporary art production process of Philippine artists are given an effort to solve and address by the different institutions that support and promote art. It is important to know these institutions, museums, galleries, and organizations in order to know the authorities of art in the Philippines that we can look to when intending to learn more about our country’s rich culture and art SUPPORT SYSTEMS OF PHILIPPINE ART There are several established authorities, institutions, markets, galleries, and award-giving bodies that supervise the protection, promotion and nurturing of culture and art and that establish the support systems of arts in the Philippines. These authorities, institutions, markets, galleries, and award-giving bodies make sure that traditions involving art and culture are kept alive despite of modernization and technological advancements, set the standards for the different forms of arts, exhibit objects of cultural and artistic interest, financially supported visual artists, recognizing outstanding art making, and teach and nurture artistic skills and knowledge of Filipino about culture and art. Hence, below are some authorities, institutions, markets, galleries, and award-giving bodies in the promotion of Philippine arts: 1) National Commission for Culture and the Arts The National Commission for Culture and the Arts is the overall policy making body, coordinating, and grants giving agency for the preservation, development and promotion of Philippine arts and culture; and an executing agency for the policies it formulates (Dumandan, 2019). 2) Cultural Center of the Philippines The mission of the Cultural Center of the Philippines is the leading institution for the arts and culture in the Philippines by promoting artistic excellence and nurturing the broadest publics to participate in art making and appreciation (Dumandan, 2019). 3) National Museum The National Museum is an educational, scientific, and cultural institution that acquires, documents, preserves, exhibits, and fosters scholarly study and public appreciation of works of art, specimens, and cultural and historical artifacts representative of the unique cultural heritage of the Filipino people and the natural history of the Philippines (Dumandan, 2019). 4) Metropolitan Museum of the Philippines The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is one of the major museums in the Philippines. The museum was among the first to develop and extend its audience by embracing the philosophy of art for all, adopt a bilingual approach in exhibition texts, and implement a vigorous education and community outreach program. The museum seeks to amplify the Filipinos' sense of artistic and cultural heritage from the past and in contemporary global contexts and experiences (Dumandan, 2019). 5) Ben Cab Museum The BenCab Museum houses the permanent collection of Philippine National Artist Benedicto Cabrera (BenCab) in several galleries, as well as venues for art shows and exhibitions. The Bencab Museum is committed to the promotion of arts, and the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment and culture and traditions of the Cordilleras. This commitment of the museum is an expression of the artist’s gratitude to the country that nurtured and inspired an artistic career that continues to grow, mature, and fascinate (Dumandan, 2019). 6) Art Fair Philippines Art Fair Philippines is the premier platform for exhibiting and selling the best in modern and contemporary Philippine visual art. The fair aims to mirror the vibrant local art scene and continue to generate support for Filipino art practitioners (Dumandan, 2019). 7) ManilART ManilART is the Philippines' premier international art fair. It showcases the best in contemporary visual arts for the development and promotion of Filipino art and culture locally and internationally. ManilART elevates the standards and celebrates the dynamic Philippine art scene through various art exhibitions connecting world class artists, institutions, and the community. It reinforces the awareness of and the appreciation for Philippine visual arts by merging it with other disciplines through lectures, workshops, demonstrations, and other activities with the support from both local and foreign exhibitors (Dumandan, 2019). 8) Finale Art File Finale Art File is considered as a premier gallery institution in the Philippines. It showcased hundreds of exhibits by some of the most talented names in contemporary visual arts. It has successfully balanced the demands of a commercial establishment and an artistic venue. This gallery occasionally features experimental works that push artistic boundaries and challenge audience expectation (Dumandan, 2019). 9) Kublai Art Gallery and Davao Contemporary Art Gallery The Kublai Art Gallery and Davao Contemporary Art Gallery is a unique cultural expression of Davao’s visual artists. The gallery showcases various works by Mindanao’s famed artist Kublai Ponce-Millan, as well as different artists from the city (Dumandan, 2019). 10) Thirteen Artists Awards The Thirteen Artists Awards mark the turnings in and of Philippine contemporary art, to update its modernizing potential and to assess how artists today engage with other forces in the art world (Dumandan, 2019). GROUP 3 An art is always created with a technique. A technique is the way the artist uses and manipulates the materials to express an idea or feeling through an art. This lesson will discuss the traditional art techniques, their descriptions, and applications to contemporary arts. This lesson will guide you to easily identify the evident techniques used in the contemporary artwork. II. Techniques Used in Contemporary Arts A. Application of Traditional Techniques to Contemporary Arts The table shows how traditional techniques are applied to contemporary arts. In these examples you will see how the techniques are modified to create another artwork. B. Common Techniques in Contemporary Arts There are three techniques that are commonly used today in contemporary arts today. 1. Minimalism. This is an artistic movement that seeks to take away unnecessary and leaving only the essential. The artworks that usually use this technique use a well selected material that is indispensable in art production. 2. Found Objects. This means taking something that people seem to find useless and use it in a unique way in order to make an artwork. When people seem to think that something must be thrown away as junk, it is used to tell a story and create a diverse perspective that we are looking for. 3. Large-Scale Art. This is an art that accounts for the creation of something huge to express diverse perspectives in artwork. This art is created for public view. II. Medium Used in Contemporary Art Forms Often, artists will most likely use materials available to them. This means that the resources their locality have is important for their art. The “local” can refer to material that is easily available in the community. It can be any materials such as woods, materials, paper that are easily produced and available in the community. The local can also refer to wherever the artist finds himself or herself. In discussing the use of materials, it is important to discuss medium. A medium is defined as the material or substance used to create an artwork. Using these materials, the artists express his feelings or thoughts. The medium used in each artwork varies based on the artists and their art forms. A. CLASSIFICATION OF ART FORMS ACCORDING TO MEDIUM