Philippine Artists and their Contributions to Contemporary Arts

The Filipino Artists

In every work of art, the artist himself is present

--CHRISTIAN MORGENSTERN

ARTIST- one who professes and practices an imaginative art.

• In the past, the artist’s role was well- defined- and that is to create
something that uplifted the spirit, something aesthetically pleasing and
entertaining.

•In the kind of arts that we have today, the Filipino artists’ role is four-fold:

1. The PERSONAL. 2. The SOCIAL

3.The PHYSICAL. 4. The IMMATERIAL

The Personal

• The artist expresses what he or she feels.

The Social

• The artist expresses what he or she sees around him/her.

The Physical

• The artist finds a need to create something not only pleasing to look at but
something useful as well.

The Immaterial

The artist gives form to the immaterial, the hidden truth of the universe, and
the spiritual force that inhabits the world.

Role of Filipino Contemporary Artists

• The Filipino artist gives his opinion about the culture of his time.

The Filipino artist is a crusader, attempting to sway the viewer to his or her
side.

• The Filipino artist has become a social critic.

The Filipino artist has also become an advocate for what she believes in.

◆ The Filipino is versatile.

Artworks created by famous artists all over the world

UP OBLATION Statue by Guillermo Tolentino (National Artist for Sculpture in

1973

THE LAST SUPPER by Leonardo da Vinci

ThE LAST SUPPER of Jesus with His apostles, depicting the consternation that
occurred among the Twelve Apostles when Jesus announced that one of them
would betray Him.

CCP(CULTURAL CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES)

A government owned and controlled corporation established to preserve,

develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines.

SARIMANOK

Legendary bird of the Maranao people; usually standing on a fish or hanging

from its beak

Order of National Artist

The Republic of the Philippines, through the National Commission for Culture
and the Arts (NCCA), established the Order of the National Artist Award or
the Orden ng Pambansang Alagad ng Sining on April 27, 1972 under
Proclamation No. 1001.

National Artists (MUSIC)

Antonino Buenaventura

► National Artist for Music (1988)

► Popularized folk songs in 1935 together with Francisca Reyes Aquino,

National Artist for Dance

► Conductor of Philippine Army Band (the only band that can sound like a
symphony or orchestra)

Jose Maceda (January 31, 1917-May 5, 2004)

►National Artist for Music (1997)

►Popularized traditional music

►Ugma-ugma (music for bamboos, mixed instruments, voices)

Lucrecia Kasilag (August 31, 1918-August 16, 2008)

► National Artist for Music (1989)

► Combined Western influences to Philippine ethnic music

► Music director of Bayanihan Dance Company

Ernani Cuenco (May 10, 1956 – June 11, 1988)

► National Artist for Music (1999)

► Incorporated Kundiman elements in ballad love songs

► Singer, composer, film scorer, musician

Lucio San Pedro (February 11, 1913-March 31, 2002)

►National Artist for Music (1991)

► Used folk idioms in his musical compositions (the essence and style of folk
songs only)

Antonio Molina (December 26, 1894-January 29, 1980)

►National Artist for Music (1973)

►Philippine music using folk instruments like kulintangan and gabbang

►Last musical triumvirate who set the bar of folk music (Nicanor Abelardo
and Francisco Santiago)

Francisco Feliciano (February 19, 1941- September 19, 2014)

►National Artist for Music (2014)

►Incorporated “Asianess” in his music

► Used musical lines from ethnic songs

Levi Celerio (April 30, 1910 – April 2, 2002)

► National Artist for Music and Literature (1997)

▸ Made music using leaf (Guinness Book of World Records)

► Ang Pasko ay Sumapit

► OPM songs like “Ikaw”, “Kahit Konting Pagtingin”, “Saan Ka Man

Naroroon?”

▸ folk songs like “Ang Pipit”, “Dungawin Mo Hirang” “Itik-Itik”, “Pitong

Gatang”, and “Waray-Waray”
► having an estimate of 4000 musical works

Ramon Santos (Born February 25, 1941 – Present)

►National Artist for Music (2014)

►Highlighted rich artistic traditions of Asia and Philippines

►Organized international festival for rondalla and forum for traditional music
for composer

Jovita Fuentes (February 15, 1895-August 7, 1978)

► National Artist for Music (1976)

► Known for her portrayal of Cio-cio san in Madame Butterfly

► Founder of Artists’ Guild of the Philippines

► Educator of music at UP Conservatory of Music

Felipe de Leon (May 1, 1912-December 5, 1992)

►National Artist for Music (1997)

►Known as “people’s musician”

► Ako ay Pilipino

► Payapang Daigdig

National Artists (DANCE)

Francisca Aquino

►National Artist for Dance (1973)

► Folk dance pioneer

► Supervisor of PE

► Philippines Dances and Games (served as a way to promote folk dance in

schools

Ramon Obusan (June 16, 1938- December 21, 2006)

►National Artist for Dance (2006)

►Promoted ethnic dances

►Demonstrated original routine and music of ethnic dances

Alice Reyes

►National Artist for Dance (2014)

►Developed unique Filipino modern dance idiom (ethnic dance, modern

dance, ballet

Leonor Orosa Goquingco

► National Artist for Dance (1976)

► Used balletic folkloric and Asian style

►For over 50 years, she produced unique and original choreographies

► “Trailblazer”

► “Mother of Philippine Theater Dance

► “Dean of Filipino Performing Arts Critics”

Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula

► National Artist for Dance (1988)

► Studied folk and ethnic dances for 4 decades (choreographies)

► Director of Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company

► Singkil

June 29, 1929-Angun 24, 1999

National Artists THEATER

Daisy Avellana (January 26, 1917-May 12, 2013)

► National Artist for Theater (1999)

► “First Lady of the Philippine Theater”

► Part of productions of Othello, Diego Silang, Walang Sugat, etc.

► Utilized radio and tv to make theater and dramatic arts known to Filipinos

Rolando Tinio

►National Artist for Theater and Literature (1997)

►Established Ateneo Experimental Theater

►Handled Teatro Pilipino

►National Artist for Literature aside from Theater

Wilfrido Ma. Guererro

►National Artist for Theater (1997)

►Established UP Mobile Theater

►Mentored many performing artists for 35 years

►Wanted: A Chaperon

Honorata “Atang” Dela Rama

► National Artist for Theater and Music (1987)

► “Queen of Kundiman”

► Performed kundiman and Filipino songs for indigenous communities

► Became part of Dalagang Bukid

Salvador Bernal

► National Artist for Theater and Design (2003)

► Exceptional theater designer (local materials in sets and costumes)

► Established PATDAT (Philippine Association of Theater Designers and

Technicians)

Severino Montano

► National Artist for Theater (2001)

► “Titan of the Philippine Theater”

► Promoted legitimate theater

►Founded Arena Theater

▸ Developed graduate programs for theater arts in Philippine Normal College

(Lino Brocka and Rolando Tinio)

National Artists (VISUAL ARTS)

Fernando Amorsolo (May 30, 1892 – April 24, 1972)

►first National Artist in Painting in 1972

► “Grand Old Man of the Philippine Art”

►First National Artist of the Country

►Lighting in painting

►Planting Rice, Dalagang Bukid

Hernando Ocampo (April 28, 1911-December 28, 1978)

► National Artist for Visual Arts (1991)

► One of Thirteen Moderns

► Abstraction

• Pieces showing the kind of society after World War II

► Genesis, Calvary

Benedicto Cabrera (born April 10, 1942-Present)

►National Artist for Visual Arts (Painting) in 2006

► “Master of Philippine contemporary art”

►Sabel (scavenger-most popular subject)

►Europe, USA, Asia (art exhibition)

Carlos “Botong” Francisco (November 4, 1912-March 31, 1969)

►National Artist for Painting (1973)

►Muralist

►His subjects depicting lives of farmers and fishermen

►Blood Compact

►The Martyrdom of Rizal

Cesar Legaspi

►National Artist for Visual Arts (1990)

►One of Thirteen Moderns

►Cubism

►The Beggars

►The Survivor

►Gadgets
Abdulmari Asia Imao (January 14, 1936 December 16, 2014)

►National Artist of the Philippines for Sculpture in 2006 ►Indigenous art

using ethnic themes like sarimanok

►muralist

Guillermo Tolentino (July 24, 1890 – July 12, 1976)

► National Artist for Sculpture (1973)

► Master sculptor (classical sculpture)

► One of the creators of the UP Oblation

► Created monuments of Rizal, Bonifacio, Manuel Quezon, Ramon

Magsaysay

Vicente Manansala (January 22, 1910-August 22, 1981)

►National Artist for Painting (1981)

►Cubist painter

►Influenced by the art of Botong Francisco

►Market Vendors

Ang Kiukok (March 1, 1931-May 9, 2005)

►National Artist for Visual Arts (2001)

►Cubism

►Emotions like angst, anguish, anger

► Pieta

Napoleon Abueva

►National Artist for Sculpture (1976)

► “Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture”

►Hardwood, stones, metals

•The nine muses represent architecture, dance, film, literature, music,

painting, photography, sculpture, and theater.

Francisco Coching

(January 29, 1919-September 1, 1998)

►National Artist for Visual Arts (2014)

► “King of Komiks”

► “Dean of Filipino Illustrators”

►Komiks

►Pedro Penduko

•••lesyeuxdeluna:)•••