CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE

ARTS FROM THE REGIONS

KTO12 CURRICULUM
(Grade 12 Learner’s Module)
Intended for First Quarter
Module Learning (MLO)

 Define the term “contemporary art” in art historical, cultural and

stylistic terms;

 Explain the difference between contemporary art and modern art in

the context of the Philippines’ various histories, cultures, and identities;

 Demonstrate the major characteristics of contemporary art through

an artwork than would require teamwork and collaboration;

 Appreciate the role of contemporary art and artists in the Philippine

contemporary life; and

 Understand contemporary issues and their relationship to real life

situations.
Write your thoughts and expectation about this subject?

Grade: _____ Section: _______________ Date: _____________

Write your answer here in a form of Paragraph:

 _______________________________
Name & Signature of the Learner

CORE SUBJECT DISCRIPTION:

 The subject covers various

contemporary arts practices of the
region where the school is located. It
aims to provide the students with an
appreciation of a broad range of styles
in the various disciplines with
consideration on their elements and
principles, and engage them to an
integrative approach in studying arts.
Through this subject, students will
broaden and acquire the necessary
creative tools that open opportunities in
pursuing their individual career goals
and aspiration.
Module discussions:

Unit I: ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING

Lesson 1: What is Contemporary Art?

Lesson 2: A Brief History of the Philippine Art.

Lesson 3: The Context of Art.

Lesson 4: The Contemporary in Traditional Art: Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (Gamaba)

Lesson 5: National Artists of the Philippines

Lesson 6: Support Systems, Institutions, and Initiatives across the regions

WHAT IS CONTEMPORARY ART?

 It is a common tendency to describe the present as “Modern”. Being modern

means being up to date and technologically advanced. Often, being modern is equated
with being contemporary. Art that is a new or current is also often referred to as
“modern” as opposed to “traditional” or “conservative”. In other words, in everyday
parlance, the terms are interchangeable.

WHAT IS CONTEMPORARY? IS IT THE SAME AS BEING MODERN?

 The first difference between the contemporary and modern is historical and
chronological, as the overview of Philippine Art in Lesson 2 will show. Meanwhile, the
table suggested by Arts Studies Professors Fajardo and Flores titled “Historical Overview
of Philippine Art” (2002).

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW: PHILIPPINE ART

Spanish American Japanese Postwar 70s

Form Pre-Conquest Period Period Period Republic Contemporary
(1521- (1898- (1941-1945) (1946-1969)
1898) 1940)
Potter; body Religious Landscape, Wartime
adornment, (icon, interior scene
Painting ornament (Fig. secular, design (aggression,
A) portraiture nationalism,
(Fig. B) atrocities.
Symbolic, Modern, Figurative,
protest, Conservative, Non- figurative,
aspiration for Abstract, Art for art sake,
peace) Experimental Multimedia,
Pottery, Santos, Free public art Mixed media,
carving and furniture, Standing, Propaganda trans media
woodwork, reliefs, altar relief
Sculpture metalwork pieces, Indigenizing
and expression jewelry and
(Fig. C) (Fig.D) Orientalizing
works (by:
Amorosio,
Francisco,
Ocampo)

Dwellings and Church, City

houses, plaza planning Real estate, safe housing,
shelters, complex, parks, Public works accessories, squatters, condos,
Architecture worship areas town waterfronts malls, subdivisions
(Fig. E) planning, education,
bridges business
bldg.

Figure 1.1

Figure A.

Figure B.

Figure C.
 Figure D.

Figure E.
WHAT IS CONTEMPORARY ART? WHAT IS MODERN ART?

 If we talk in terms of Arts History (refer to the

aforementioned matrix), Contemporary Art can be defined as an art by an artist’s living
today.

Figure 1.2 Zyza Bacani (2013) – the poor and ordinary people on the streets

Figure 1.2 was taken around 2013, in Hong Kong, where the photographer, Zyza Bacani, who hails from
Nueva Viscaya, worked as a domestic helper, and digicamera. Her first camera was bought from money
loaned by her employer.

HR Ocampo’s painting in (Figure 1.3) was painted in the early 1960’s. At that time, the painting was
considered contemporary. Today, we refer to these works as examples of Modern Art, produced
between the American colonial periods to the Post-war period. Some Modern artist continue to
produce work till today. In that sense, their works can be described as contemporary, by virtue of being
“of the present” For example; the national Artists Arturo Luz continued to produce paintings in his 90s
and well into the 21st. However, as seen in Figure 1.1 the table of “Historical Overview” his paintings’
hard-edged and minimalist abstract style is associated with the modern style of the late 20 th century.
The contemporary is therefore a fluid term, and its use can be change depending on the con-text, in this
case historical and stylistic. At times, the Modern and Contemporary can be used simultaneously or
interchangeably; however, there is also danger of using them carelessly or loosely. Thus, it is important
to know the
historical and
stylistic context of
the terms.
 Figure 1.3The Contrast by HR Ocampo Figure 1.4 Frugal Meal by Cesar Legaspi

There are number of artists - young and senior, alike –who paint in styles associated with Modern Art.
National Artist Victorio Edades is credited for initiating the Modern Art movement that challenged the
neoclassic style, which was dominant at the time he came home from studying in America before the
war. The Neoclassic Style depicts reality as closely as possible and idealizes it. The Modern artist led by
Edades challenged what were described as “conservative” art seen in the works of National Artist
Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo Tolentino. Modern artists do not aim to copy and idealize reality;
instead, they change the colors and flatten the picture instead of creating illusions of depth, nearness,
and farness. Instead of the beautiful and pastoral, they depict what might be thought of as “ugly” and
unpleasant.

At that time, Modern Arts was considered new and shocking; Neoclassic Art was familiar and
comfortable. Neoclassic Art is also described by art historians like Guillermo as “academic” along with
other established styles imported from Europe via Spanish colonization. In its simplest sense
Neoclassicism is “academic” as it was and continues to be taught in schools, particularly the then
University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts (now UP College of Fine Arts), where Amorsolo and
Tolentino were most influential. The School of Fine Arts in now the University of the Philippines School
of Fine Arts, where students are being exposed various styles. The Neoclassic style associated with
Amorsolo and Tolentino to continue to influence a number of practicing artists who have learned to
paint in the style either formally as art students in various universities where neoclassic style is included
in the curriculum or informally through workshop and apprenticeship, or through self – learning or self –
study, as in the case of many artists from the regions outside Manila.

Today, Modern Art is referred to as “traditional’, compared to Contemporary Art. Contemporary Art is
the art of the present, which is continuously in process and in flux. What is contemporary today might
become “academic” or “traditional” at some point the styles of Modern Art for example are now part of
art school curricula and had become academic. Thus, the distinction between Modern Art and
Contemporary Art could also be a matter of perception and reception depending on the contexts, which
will be discussed in detail in the succeeding lessons. For now, it is important that we are aware of the
distinction between Modern Art and Contemporary Art, their differences as well as similarities.

WHAT ARE THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MODERN ART AND CONTEMPORARY ART?

Figure 1.5 Carlos Francisco, Magpupukot

 Figure 1.6 Fernando Amorsolo, Fishing Scene

Figure 1.7 Victorio Edades,The Builders

Figure 1.5 shows Carlos Francisco’s depiction of fishing as a difficult process, while Amorsolo’s rendition
emphasizes calm and placidity. Like Francisco’s Magpupukot (1957). HR Ocampo’s The Contrast (1940)
in Figure 1.3, Cesar Legaspi’s Frugal Meal (undated) in Figure 1.4, Edades’ The Builders (1928) in Figure
1.7 shows the oppressive condition of the underprivileged classes. As we Tabuena, Hernando Ocampo,
Vicente Manansala, Victor Oteyza, Ramon Estella and Cesar Legaspi were actively depicting the social
conditions in the aftermath of World War II. Called Neo-Realist by critic Aguilar Cruz, there artist
depicted society’s problems and challenged the neoclassic rural-pastoral style associated with Amorsolo
and Tolentino. The social Realist of the seventies are considered heirs of this tradition.

Figure 1.8 Imelda

Social Realism continues to influence contemporary artists. For example, Imelda Cajipe-Endaya’s
Filipina DH, 1995 is social realist, but the style and medium of the installation is markedly different.
Refer to “The Stylistic Overview” table (Figure 1.9) for an idea of difference in style and medium
between Modern Art and contemporary Art.

STYLISTIC OVERVIEW
Form Precolonial Spanish / Islamic American Modern Postmodern /
Colonial Colonial Contemporary
Incipient
triumvirate Collaborative,
Classical, 13 moderns, hyper-realist,
Painting Religious/devotional idylitic, abstract, new painting
Secular nostalgic neorealist,
Formal surreal,
Religious Naturalistic expressionis
(animist or (homegrown, t
Islamic) miniaturismo, guild) Junk / scrap,
Community Academic Abstract duchampian,
based Inter Expressionis arte covera,
Sculpture ethic relations m neo-
Collective indigenous,
 History site-specific,


performance
L art, hybrid
ook at Worship-related Neoclassic,
Figure F and residential art deco Filipino
&G Earthquake (Juan architecture,
baroque Arellano, urban
Hispanic revivalist Juan Nakpil, International planning,
Architecture (neogothic, Pablo Industrializin economic
neoromanesque, Antonio) Art g, zone,
Islamic) Nouveau eclectic neovernacular,
California prefab,
Mission regionalist,
Style cosmopolitan
Figure 1.9

Example Images:

 Animism (from Latin anima, "breathe, spirit, life") is

the belief that objects, places and creatures all
possess a distinct spiritual essence.

Animist / Islamic

 Guilds (gremios), self-governing organizations that established and enforced

rules for the production and sale of specialized goods. ... Eventually, rudimentary craft
organizations, if not recognized guilds, were formed in most Spanish colonial cities.
Spanish Revival architecture tends to feature low-pitched, red-tile roofs, stucco walls, rounded
arches, and an asymmetrical façade. It also generally embraces rich decorative details in both
the exterior and interior.

> Retro Nostalgic Candlestick - old used/ characterized

feelings and looking back at old photograph.

 Art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but

seeks to achieve its effect using shapes forms, colors, and
textures.

 Aimed at subjective emotional expression with particular

emphasis on the creative spontaneous.
  Regionalism is an American realist modern art movement that
included paintings, murals, lithographs, and illustrations depicting realistic scenes
of rural and small-town America primarily in the Midwest.

Ibn Saud Salipyasin Ahmad

 Saudi Ahmad, whose full name is Ibn Saud Salipyasin Ahmad (also referred
to as Saud Ahmed) is dubbed as "one of Mindanao's greatest living painter". He had
exhibited his masterpieces at the National Museum and Cultural Center of the
Philippines as well as in different art galleries.

 He is contemporary artist but his cultural con-text is indigenous Southeast Asian

and Philippine Muslim. His style can be considered “traditional” as it draws on the
tradition and intricacy of drafting technique, which he learned in a trade school in
Zamboanga.

 His Medium is watercolor. His subject matter is the people of his locality.

Example of his Painting: (Muslin Artist to showcase work in Singapore)

 Doing Yourself In???

1. How do you define Contemporary Art?

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2. What are/is the difference between the Contemporary to

Modern Art?

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Let’s Do this!!!?
Answer the following!!!
1. Who is the painter/photographer of the poor and ordinary people on the streets who
hails from Nueva Vizcaya, worked as a domestic helper, and is now based in New
York on a scholarship?
_____________________________________________________________________
2. What is the title of HR Ocampo’s painting in (Figure 1.3) and have the same subject
matter of Zyza Bacani the poor people on the streets?

_____________________________________________________________________

3. What is the title of Cesar Legaspi’s painting in (Figure 1.4) and have the same subject
matter of HR Ocampo the poor people on the streets?

_____________________________________________________________________

4. Who are the most influential artists who studied at University of the Philippine
School of Fine Arts (Now UP College of Fine Arts)?
______________________________, ______________________________________

5. What Carlos Francisco painted in Figure 1.5?

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6. What kind of scene painted by Fernando Amorsolo in Figure 1.6?

___________________________________________________________________

7. Who painted “The Builders” in Figure 1.7?

_____________________________________________________________________

8. Who are the Professors studied the Historical Overview of the Philippines in 2002?
_______________________________, _____________________________________
9. It is the art of the present, which is continuously in process. It is an art can be defined as
an art by an artist’s living today.
_____________________________________________________________________
10. It is the belief that objects, places and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual
essence.

______________________________________________________________________

Write your reflection about the Lesson.

Name: ______________________________________________________

Grade & Section: ______________________ Date: _______________

 ..End of the Lesson 1…

“Just Believe in yourself even if you don’t, pretend that you do, at some point you
will”.