Contemporary

Arts
Lesson 6
CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTS
• Fine Arts ( Paintings and Illustrations,
Sculptures
• Decorative Arts and Crafts ( Pottery,
Carving, Weaving, Metal Work)
• Contemporary Art Forms ( Collage,
Assemblage, Mobile, Performance Art,
Installation Art)
 HISTORY
• Paintings are result of the Spanish
Colonization.
• Early paintings and fine arts were
primarily religious in nature, it was
used to evangelized and spread
Christianity throughout the
archipelago.
 1. Paintings and Illustrations
• May be defined as a two- dimensional
form of art that showcase artistic
expression created on a flat surface
• Images are made by applying pigment on
a prepared surface using typically one or
combination of the following tools;
-brush, palette, knife, spray, finger, paint,
etc.
MEDIUMS USED FOR PAINTINGS :
- Oil
- Acrylic
- Water color
- Poster color
- Pastel
- Ink
 Paintings and Illustrations
SUFRACES USED FOR PAINTING:
- Canvas
- Paper
- Wood
- Cardboard
PAINTING THEMES
- Religious Theme
- Historical Theme
- Portraiture
- Still Life
- Landscapes
- Nude
- Genres
• Most of Contemporary Artists do not
limit themselves to a particular theme.
• They will experiment and venture to
other subjects to better express
themselves.
• The same can be said to their styles and
techniques. Many would go through
different styles and techniques throughout
their careers.
 RELIGIOUS THEME
• These are the primary subjects during
the Spanish Colonial times.
• In the present many religious theme
paintings can be seen in the murals of
many churches.
RELIGIOUS THEME
 HISTORICAL THEMES
• Carlos “Botong” Francisco is one of the
National Artists whose work are well-
known for depicting different historical
arts.
• “Filipino Struggles Through History”
depicts Manila events. This mural is
displayed in the Manila City Hall.
 PORTRAITURE
• Used to commemorate personalities and
are seen in many format institutions such
as government offices.
• Started during the rise of the Ilustrados
during the Spanish Colonial Times.
• It was and has been a symbolism of one’s
rise to power and wealth.
 STILL LIFE
• A work that portrays inanimate objects
• It was traditionally composed of a basket or
bowl of fruits and flowers in vases on the table
• Paz Paterno- one of the most notable and
earliest still life artist that was born in Sta.
Cruz Manila in 1867 and died in 1914.
• Other still life artists; Ang Kiukok (1931-
2005) Vicente Manansala (1910-1981)
 LANDSCAPES
• Depict the beauty of the outdoors.
• It can be of that natural environment such
as the countryside and other rural scenery,
including seascapes which focuses on
the imagery of bodies of water.
• Many early Filipino landscape artists
made use of the academic style under the
guidance of Fernando Amorsolo.
 NUDE
• A rare subject of painting in the
Philippines before the 20th century but has
been accepted and popular subject in the
Philippine Contemporary visual arts.
• Early Contemporary Nudes can be seen
in the works of Fernando Amorsolo
(1892-1972) and his characteristic
Dalagang Bukid
 GENRE
• Are paintings whose themes showcase
people doing everyday activities and
chores.
• Earliest example of this type in Philippine
history is the Boxer Codex (1590) which
illustrated different social classes and
attires of different inhabitants of the
country at that time.
 2.SCULPTURES
• Are artworks that are three-
dimensional.
• The classifications of
sculptures are traditionally
divided into 2, namely; Free-
Standing and Relief
 FREE-STANDING
• Are also known as “in the
round” , are sculpture that are
raised independently in its
given space.
• It can be often observed from
all points of view.
FREE-STANDING
 RELIEF
• Are sculptures that are raised from a
background depending from the figure’s
distance from the background. It can be also
classified as bas-relief and high-relief.
• Bas-relief- or low reliefs are reliefs that are
slightly protruding from it’s background.
• High-relief- are reliefs that are prominently
raised against their background, giving the
sculpture more dimensionally
RELIEF
 SCULPTURES
• Made by either adding or subtracting
materials.
• Subtraction is used in carving
• Addition is seen is sculpting
techniques such as molding, casting
and welding.
• The Philippines has a sculptural tradition
dating long before the arrival of the first
colonizers. Ancient Filipino have long
been casting metals , molding clay and
carving stone and wood to create various
sculptural pieces.
• Wood carving is found throughout the
different regions of the country. It is used
to create and decorate the items used in
our daily lives such as; furniture, utensils,
shelter and transportation
 EXAMPLES OF PRECOLONIAL
SCULPTURAL ARTWORKS
• Panolongs of the Torogan
(Maranao’s Royal house)
• Sunduk or the grave markers of the
Badjaos
• Bulul , The Ifugao Rice God
EXAMPLES OF PRECOLONIAL
SCULPTURAL ARTWORKS
SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD
• Santos and santas which were the
sculptural representations of Christ
and Christianity.
SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD
TWO STYLES OF THEMES OF CONTEMPORARY
SCULPTURE IN THE PHILIPPINES

• ACADEMIC/CLASSICAL STYLE
-follows the aesthetics of the ancient Greeks and
Romans as taught by the European Art
Academies.

• MODERN STYLE
- Often abstracted and is not as particular about
the realistic portrayal or representation of figures
compare to the classical
 AMERICAN COLONIAL
PERIOD
• Classical sculptures are portrayed prominent people
of society and politics.
Guillermo Tolentino (1980-1976)
- Proffesor
- National Artist (1973)
- Mentor of the two classical sculptors; Anastacio
Caedo (1907-1990) and Froilan Madrinan
 Bonifacio Monument (1933)
 The Oblation in UP Diliman (1935 gold) (1958
bronze)
AMERICAN COLONIAL
PERIOD
 ANASTACIO CAEDO
• Known for his most recognizable
work of The Mac-Arthur landing
site in Leyte.
 NAPELEON ABUEVA (1930)
• One of Guillermo’s most well-known student.
• Born in Tagbilaran, Bohol
• Credited to be a pioneer of modern-sculpture in
the Philippines and is sometimes referred to as
the “Father of Modern Sculpture”
• His sculptures often gave a feel of playfulness,
fluidity and movement.
• Uses stones, metal but prefers woods like molave
and narra
NAPELEON ABUEVA (1930)

Allegorical Harpoon
(1964)
DECORATIVE ARTS AND CRAFTS

• These are arts and crafts of the

contemporary times stem from the
traditional indigenous crafts found
throughout the country.
• Many respected Filipino artists of today
such as the GAMBA (Gawad ng
Manlilikhang Bayan) Awardees expresses
their art through these indigenous
products.
DECORATIVE ARTS AND CRAFTS

• Pottery
• Carving
• Weaving
• Metal Works
 POTTERY (EARTHENWARE)
• The art and craft of making pots and other
wares using clay or mud.
• Made for everyday uses such as food
containers and water vessels, and some are
created for formal and ritualistic purposes as
burial jars or figurative mementos
• Burnay- high temperature pottery of Vigan,
Ilocos Sur that is used for a variety of things
like salt, water, wine, etc.
POTTERY (EARTHENWARE)
 MANUNGGUL JAR
• Discovered at Manunggul Cave on
Neolithic period (890-710BC)
• A burial vessel,where burried and
exhumed bones are placed
• Banga, Palayok and Tapayan for
fermenting foods or keeping liquids.
MANUNGGUL JAR
 CARVING
• Is the art of manipulating and creating objects
by subtracting and shaping solid material such
as wood and stone.
• Bulul- ifugao’s rice god is represented through
carved wood and is used as decorative element
throughout their daily wares.
• Sarimanok and naga- muslims from western
mindanao carved geometric patterns and
stylized images of plants and animals called
okir
CARVING
 WEAVING
• The art of interlacing threads or fibers to
create textile , fabric and other similar
products.
• Philippine textiles are often made from
indigenous plants such as pina, abaca,
maguey and cotton.
• Traditional weaving methods can still be
seen in the different towns of Ilocos
Region.
WEAVING
 WEAVING
• BINAKOL AND PINILIAN OF ILOCOS
REGION
• IKAT OF MOUNTAIN PROVINCE- it is
the same dyeing process used by the
tribal groups of Mindanao like the T’boli,
Bagobo and Mandaya. Ikats are design
with stylized animal figures such as birds,
lizards, frogs and humans.
 METAL WORK
• Is the art of crating and manipulating
metal to create various items such as
jewelry, weapons, etc.
METAL WORK
CONTEMPORARY ART FORMS

• Collage
• Assemblage
• Mobile
• Performance Art
• Installation Art
• Pastiche Art
• Appropriation
 COLLAGE
• The method of combining printed images
with another flat media and pasted o a
canvas or board.
• First came about in the early 1900’s as
part of the experimentation of the cubists
Picasso and Braque
• Creates a great variety of texture and
color not found in traditional painting.
COLLAGE
 ASSEMBLAGE

• A term used by French artist Jean Dubuffet in

1952 to describe a series of artworks made fro
paper collages, wood scraps, and other found
objects.
ASSEMBLAGE
 MOBILE
• A sculptural work that is suspended from the
ceiling or a protruding base.
• It is typically made with a number of
balancing rods dangling in different lengths
carrying one or more elements.
• Pioneered by the American Artist Alexander
Calder.
• it is an example of a kinetic sculpture since it
is moving due to its interaction with the wind
MOBILE
 PERFORMANCE ART
• Mix of visual arts and performing arts,
• The medium used in performance art is
the artist himself and the artwork is the
acting and the movements of the artist.
• Music and sound are often incorporated
in the performance.
• A performance, to be considered as a
performance art, should be done in front
of a live audience.
PERFORMANCE ART
 INSTALLATION ART
• Is a form of contemporary art that involves the
arrangement of objects in a given space.
• It is intentionally designed to be experienced
as a temporary work of art.
• It incorporates different materials that may
include traditional sculptural materials such as
wood, metal and different objects as well as
technology based mediums such as light,
sounds, videos and digital media among
many others
 INSTALLATION ART
• Often takes into consideration the viewers
of the art to move around the work and
immerse themselves within the art.
• Leeroy New- an artist from General
Santos City who gained recognition for
his installation art “Bakawan Floating
Island Project”
INSTALLATION ART
 PASTICHE
• Blurring divisions between fine art and
commercial art.
• It means artistic, musical and literary works
that came from diverse sources.
• A mixture, a medley of different ideas.
• Creates paradoxes.
• Celebrates the artwork and does not mock.
PASTICHE
 APPROPRIATION
• Borrowing.
• Finds inspiration in artworks from the previous
periods.
 MUSIC
• Filipinos love to sing
• No celebration is complete without
karaoke or videoke machine
• Product of our indigenous traditions and
the colonial influences,
• Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the
types of indigenous music found in the
country were instrumental and vocal
(flutes, shell trumpets, drums and gongs)
EXAMPLES OF MUSICAL FORMS

• Kundiman and Harana

• Ballad
• Chamber Music
• Choral Music
• Liturgical Music
• Opera
• Pop Music
• Protest Songs
 KUNDIMAN
• A musical form that is a product of Spanish
colonization.
• An art song that signifies love and affection
for someone.
• Performed as a solo vocal composition
combined with an instrumental
accompaniment to achieve musical harmony
• Highly and sentimental because it expresses
personal sorrow
 KUNDIMAN
• It can be about love or patriotism.
• Lyrics are made of old and archaic Tagalog.
• The melody is often smooth, flowing and
gentle rhythm.
examples:
Nicador Abelardo’s “Nasaan Ka Irog?” (1893-
1934)
Dr. Francis Santiago’s “Pakiusap” (1889-1947)
 HARANA
• Another Spanish-influenced musical form.
• A traditional courtship ritual in the Philippines
wherein a suitor serenades his object of
affection.
• Almost any love song can be sung during the
harana, including kundiman songs.
• Traditional harana also uses deep Tagalog
words and is used to implore the girl to listen
or give attention such as “Dungawin Mo
Hirang”and “O Ilaw”
 KUNDIMAN AND HARANA
• The harana is always performed by a man
while the kundiman can be performed by
both genders.
 BALLAD
• Traditionally a song that narrates an event
in a community.
• The styles varies from region to region
and from one ethnic tribe to another.
Examples:
Idangdang of Bukidnon
Liyangkit parang sabil of the Tausug
Composo of the Hiligaynon
 BALLAD
• The term ballad is a term applied to describe
love songs, and a balladeer is an artist whose
set of songs are primarily romantic songs.
• Notable Filipino contemporary ballad
composers are; Ernani Cuenco (1936-1988),
Jose Mari Chan (1945) Regine Velasquez-
Alcasid (1970) , Sara Geronimo (1988) and
Jed Madela (1972)
 CHAMBER MUSIC
• A form of instrumental music composed
by a small ensemble wherein each part is
played by one player as opposed to an
orchestra where a part is performed by a
group of musicians.
• Usually performed by a group of 3 to 8
musicians.
• Pioneered by Nicanor Abelardo and Dr.
Francisco Santiago
 CHORAL MUSIC
• A musical composition intended to performed
by a group of singers called a choir.
• The choir is arranged according to voice
categories such as soprano, alto, tenor and
bass.
• Early choirs in the Philippines performed in
churches, singing religious hymns during the
mass.
• The Madrigal Singers or the Madz of the
University of the Philippines is one of the well
known choral choir.
 LITURGICAL MUSIC
• Are songs intended for Christian church
services.
• Some artist who have adapted liturgical music
are: Francisco F. Feliciano- National Artist
(1941-2014) “Mass of Saint Andrew” Ryan
Cayabyab (1954) “Misa” and the praise and
gospel songs of Gary Valenciano (1964)
 OPERA
• A combination of both music and theater.
• Sung drama entails collaborative efforts
of singers, dancers, composers,
chorographers, etc.
• Introduced in the Philippines in the
middle of 1800s
 POP MUSIC
• Used to describe music that is readily available
on the broad populace.
• An umbrella term that encompasses a
multitude of different genres such as; RnB,
Rap, Rock, etc.
• Many of popular music in the Philippines are
Western imports
 POP MUSIC
• Early Filipino Pop were Fred Panopio’s “O!
Ang mga Babae!” and Yoyoy Villame’s “Mag-
exercise Tayo Tuwing Umaga”
• Early Filipino Rock “Ang Himig Natin” by
Juan Dela Cruz Band and Mike Hanopol
• Apo Hiking Society “Mahirap Talagang
Magmahal ng Syota ng Iba”
• Folk musicians includes: Freddie Aguilar, Noel
Cabangon
 POP MUSIC
• Rap Music became popular in the country in
the late1980s. Pioneers are Francis Magalona
(1964-2009) “Mga Kababayan Ko” and
Andrew E. “Humaap Ka ng Pangit”
 PROTEST SONGS
• Are songs that bring to light injustices and
inequality in society.
• These seek to inspire nationalism and heroism
from their listeners.
• These can come in many musical forms and
genre such as kundiman as “Bayan Ko” (1928)
that was collaborated by Jose Corazon de Jesus
(lyrics) and Constancio De Guzman (music)
 DANCE
• A way to bond and share our talents woth
the rest of the community
• Indigenous dances in the Philippines is
influenced and molded by various factors
such as the experiences and events in the
community as reflected by the way
dances of the people of the Mountain
Province.
 DANCE
• With the arrival of the colonizers, the dancing
traditions and forms changed.
• Pandango, Polka, Rigodon de Honor are the
popular European social dances thatwe have
adapted.
• Afro-Cuban Dance Forms: tango, samba,
ambo, cha-cha
• Classical Ballet was introduced in the Philippines
during the early 2oth century.
 AEROBIC DANCE
• A dance routine made into an
exercise program.
• Usually accompanied by upbeat pop
music.
• 3 phases: warm-up, aerobic dance,
and cooldown
 BALLET
• Both dance and theater art
• A style and dance technique that follows strict
set of moves and performance.
• Originated in European court and was later
brought to the Philippines by the Americans
• 3 different types of Ballet: Modern Ballet,
Opera Ballet and Folkloric Ballet
• The pioneer of modern dance in the
Philippines is the founder of Ballet
Philippines Alice Reyes (1942)
 FOLK DANCE
• Different dances performed by various
cultural groups throughout the country
• Changes from region to region and is
performed by non-professionals dancers
who are members of the said community.
• Often performed during rituals, festivals,
fiestas, and other community celebrations
 STREETDANCE
• A dance form that began in urban open
sapces such as parks, streets, yards and
night clubs; rather than in formal dance
studios.
• Popularized in the late 1970s
• Popular street dance group in the
Philippines include: Philippine All- Star
Dance Crew that became 2 time champion
in the World Hip-hop dance (2006 and
2008)
 THEATER
• Indigenous theater came in the form of rituals
and was often combined and accompanied with
music and dance.
• Often headed by a priest or priestess
• List of contemporary theater forms in the
country: absurd, stage show, Brechtian Theater,
Children’s Theater, Melodrama, Dramatic
Monologue, Tula-Dula, Political Theater,
Musical Theater, Realism
 ABSURD
• A genre of modern play that deliberately
exaggerates the events and situations to
emphasize a point that originated in the
West.
• The characters are often made
stereotypes.
• First performed in the Philippines by the
students of Ateneo de Manila in 1967
with the play “Ang Paghihintay Kay
Godot”
 STAGE SHOW
• Or bodabil is a theatrical presentation of
various acts and performances.
• It may be a production of: comedy skits,
circus acts, musical and dance numbers,
acrobatics, magic show
• It can be seen during fiestas and in
television variety shows
 BRECHTIAN THEATER
• Is an example of modern theatrical show.
• It is also referred to as epic theater
• Based on Bertoit Brecht’s (1898-1956) proposition
that the audience should not emotionally identify
with the characters or action on stage but instead
simulates self-reflection and critical analysis of the
events unfolding in the play.
• Hoped that after watching the play, the audience
would recognize the injustice presented and
awaken change in the society
BRECHTIAN THEATER
 CHILDREN’S THEATER
• Are plays that are either performed by
children or by adults for children.
• Intended to educate, inspire and
encourage creativity and value formation.
• Often used materials from folktales and
legends
CHILDREN’S THEATER
 MELODRAMA
• A non-musical play that is intended to elicit
tears and emotional attachment to the
characters.
• The main characters of these melodramas are
often victims of tragedies and suffer cruelty
from the people around them but in the end ,
will rise triumphantly.
 DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE
• a type of play wherein an individual actor
speaks and acts out the character’s thoughts
and emotions.
• One-person performance is often used for the
audience to better understand the main
character.
Examples:
Anton Juan Jr.’s “Taong Grasa”
 TULA-DULA
• Or play poem, was developed by the
University of the Philippines in the
1970s.
• Minimalist in attack wherein a poem is
dramatized by a narrator who recites the
piece and two or three actors provide the
movement and the sound effects.
 POLITICAL PLAY
• A form of theater whose intention is to
transform or improve the current system
of the government
• Some are direct to the point, while others
use symbolisms and allegory to air their
political views.
• One type of political theater is seditious
play
 SEDITIOUS PLAY
• Are sometimes called symbolic dramas, often
uses symbolism and allegory to deliver their
antigovernment sentiments.
• These present a rebellious attitude toward the
people in power or the government
• These plays are quite risky
• Appear during the times when democracy in
the country is suppressed like that of the
Martial Law.
• Example is “Ang tao… Tao o Hayop?” by
Nanding Josef
 MUSICAL THEATER
• are plays wherein music is an essential
part of the production.
• Includes traditional Filipino theater such
as the sarswela
• This is seen with the majority of theater
companies producing musicals such as the
Aegis-inspired PETA paly Rak of Aegis.
 REALISM
• A type of drama that provides an
accurate depiction of real-life
situations
• Can be achieved through well-
developed and authentic portrayal of
characters as well as realistic plot,
dialogue and staging