Arts in the Philippines PDF

# Arts in the Philippines Art or "Sining” is defined as the different manners of expressing human skills and imagination in the creation of aesthetic conditions, objects and presentations. Art is not confined only to what is seen. Art involves the use of all the physical senses in order to apprecia...

# Arts in the Philippines Art or "Sining” is defined as the different manners of expressing human skills and imagination in the creation of aesthetic conditions, objects and presentations. Art is not confined only to what is seen. Art involves the use of all the physical senses in order to appreciate it. Arts play a significant role in the abundant cultural identity of the Philippines. It reflects the people, history, and traditions of the Philippines as a whole. ## Arts in the Philippines Philippines has diverse art forms from its different regions. These diverse art forms, when integrated, give a clear picture of how abundant the culture and tradition of the Philippines is. It continues to evolve up to the present and progress to contemporary art tradition. The development of the Philippine arts comes in three major traditions. These are the Ethnic Tradition, Spanish Colonial Tradition, and American Colonial and Contemporary Arts Traditions. ### Ethnic Tradition **Characteristics/Features:** Art forms are primarily influenced by the geographical location and the experiences of the Filipinos. In this time, the purpose of arts is integral to life. Arts reflected the pagan beliefs and practices, everyday activity such as fishing and farming, and specific decorative art pattern to the community. #### Angono Petroglyphs The Angono Petroglyphs is situated in Binangonan, Rizal. It was discovered by the National Artist, Carlos "Botong" Francisco, in 1965. There are 127 human and animal figures engraved on the rock wall and dated back to circa late Neolithic. #### Manunggul Jar Manunggul jar is found in Manunggul Cave, Lipuun Point, Palawan in the early 1960s. Manunggul jar is a burial jar which signifies the belief of early Filipino in life after death. #### Banga Banga literally means pots. The Banga or pot dance is a performance of Kalinga of the Mountain Province of the Philippines. This dance shows the elegant grace of Igorot tribe and the skill and strength of women. ### Spanish Colonial Tradition **Characteristics/Features:** Art forms were primarily influenced by religion and secularization. In this time, Spaniards used arts to propagate the Catholic faith. #### Langit, Lupa, at Impyerno This wall painting by Josef Luciano Dans will be found in St. James the Apostle Church in Paete, Laguna. This painting was dated 1850 and depicts the heaven, crucifixion of Christ; earth, Adan and Eve; and hell, sinners with different transgressions. #### St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral is located in Burgos, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. The original structure was built in 1574 and replaced as a church in 1641. The cathedral follows a Baroque architectural design. ### American Colonial and Contemporary Arts Traditions **Characteristics/Features:** #### Modern Art Modern art refers to the practice of art from 1860s to 1960s. The main theme of art works in this time is national identity. #### The Making of the Philippine Flag This painting was made by Fernando Amorsolo, “Grand Old Man of Philippine Art" and born in Manila. It shows a reminder of the traditions and customs of the Filipino. #### Bayanihan Carlos “Botong” Francisco was born in Ango, Rizal. This painting by him was dated in 1962. This mural painting of Carlos “Botong” Francisco shows the Filipino's bayanihan tradition. This also shows the distinctive style of Francisco's painting that showcased his mastery in arts. #### Contemporary Arts **Characteristics/Features:** Contemporary art refers to the practice of art from 1970s to the present. Contemporary arts mirror contemporary culture and society. Diverse and emerging art practices were being introduced in this era. #### Cinco Marias (Tres Marias Series) Federico Aguilas Alcuaz was born in Santa Cruz, Manila. Cinco Marias (Tres Marias Series) depicts the variety of domestic activities. #### Art Installation in Sand Dunes of Paoay Leeroy New is one of the Philippines contemporary artists. He is born in General SANTOS City. This art installation of Leeroy New was made for the La Milagrosa Festival in Ilocos Norte. According to Leeroy New, the art installation symbolizes the great festivals, feasts and celebrations. ## Elements of Art - **Space:** In visual arts, space pertains to emptiness which may either be positive space or negative space. Positive space refers to a part which is enclosed in a shape, while negative space refers to the opposite part which the shape is enclosing. - **Line:** In visual arts, a line is a series of connected points. - **Form:** curved, dotted, or broken lines. - **Direction:** vertical, horizontal, or diagonal lines. - Different types of lines imply different meanings. For example, a horizontal line usually suggests calmness, vertical lines may convey strength, diagonal lines create an impression of action, curved lines create an expression of gradual change of direction, and circular line may pertain an abrupt change of direction. - **Shape and Form:** - **Shape:** An area that is enclosed by a line or lines. Shapes are two dimensional with height and width. - **Geometric shapes:** triangle, squares, rectangle, etc. - **Organic shapes:** shapes found in nature, e.g. shape of a leaf or cloud. - **Abstract shapes:** asymmetrical and free flowing shapes - **Form:** Three dimensional figures. Its dimensions are height, width, and volume. Unlike shapes, it has depth. - **Color:** In visual arts, color is associated with the natural phenomenon in our environment. Scientifically, when a light passes through a prism, it will produce different hues of different wavelengths. These colors may pertain to lightness, darkness, coolness, or warmth. - **Value:** In visual arts, value is considered a property of a color which pertains to its lightness or darkness. - **Texture:** In visual arts, texture is the element that appeals to our sense of feel on things, rough, smooth, bumpy, or slippery. It pertains to the surface of an art piece. ## Principles of Art - **Proportion:** Proportion refers to the relationship of the size of elements in a body of art. For example, when drawing a human standing beside a house, it is important to ensure that the size of the human is proportional to the size of the house. - **Harmony:** In visual arts, harmony is the unity of the artwork, specifically about the arrangement of the related elements. - **Variety:** In other terms, variety may be referred to as diversity. This means adding multiple, different elements to break the monotony of an artwork and make it more interesting. - **Movement:** In arts, movement is the illusion of motion in a painting, sculpture design, or in a piece of art. - **Rhythm:** This refers to the repetition of certain elements to produce a pattern. In visual arts, repeated design elements may create a certain flow and may lead the viewer's eyes. - **Balance:** Balance refers to the even and equal distribution of elements. - **Emphasis:** Emphasis is a principle which may refer to the greater impact given on a certain element. These elements and principles of arts are essential to understand the meaning of a piece of art clearly and deeply. In relation to that, diverse art forms in the Philippines convey its meanings through the elements and principles present to them. So, as we described some art forms from the various regions through the development of Philippine arts, let's use the elements and principles of arts to understand it.