Module in Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions

Lesson 1: What is Contemporary Art?

I.Objectives: At the end of the lesson, learners are expected to:

 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
 Appreciate the role of contemporary art and artists in the Philippine contemporary life
 Understand contemporary issues and their relationship to real life situations.

II. Key points:

 Contemporary art
 Modern art
 Social realism
 Integrative
 Interactive
 Performance art

Read me😊
What is art?
It is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such
as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
The various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, dance and "the visual arts"

Modern Art and Contemporary Art

Modern art highlights the logic and artwork styles created during 1890-1960. The fundamental target of
Modern art was to put more accentuation on experimentation with latest point of view of seeing the world
rather than the old customs. Individuals frequently got confused by the word ‘modern’, as a term to
portray something new and stylish, yet rather it alludes to the works of art delivered amid the day and age
specified.

Contemporary art on the other hand is created by living artists, who create the latest up to date fine arts.
Contemporary Art alludes to the work of expressions made since the result of World War II and is
utilized to depict the work by artists who are still alive creating art. Contemporary art takes the
fundamental elements of modern art into more prominent statures by concentrating more on social,
monetary and political issues, and furthermore utilizes assorted materials and mediums to create fine art.

The Difference

Modern Art describes the period of ‘Modernism’, a period where art portrays with different terms
finishing with ‘ism’s, for example, Impressionism, Fauvism, Post-Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism,
Dadaism, Pop Art, Expressionism, and numerous other art progressions.

Every last bit of it framed the establishment of Modernism Art. These art progressions were impacted by
various components like; Asian and African Art, Culture, Light, History and so on.

The Modernism development presented numerous new ideas in the realm of art. Unexpectedly
numerous artists began investigating dreams, imagery and individual iconography as their mark. Present
day craftsmen likewise explored different avenues regarding the expressive utilization of shading, non-
customary materials and mediums.
The era of Contemporary Art is known to deliver experimental works and handles a more extensive
assortment of social, political and financial issues. It made art all in all to mirror the present issues that
dog our reality today, for example, bigotry, globalization, underdeveloped nation abuse, women rights
among numerous others.

It made art all in all to mirror the present issues that hunt our reality today. In the course of the most
recent 30 years, a developing rundown of works of art that brings mindfulness towards the most baffling
and essential issues has been observed. Guided by the rising mediums, for example, art salons, video
creating, object outline, graphical expressions and web-based social networking, Contemporary Art has
separated dividers and looks made a beeline for a boundless future.

Contemporary art has some social effect. Additionally, contemporary artists have a critical opportunity
and freedom to explore different avenues regarding all styles. On the contrary, Modern artists tend to
locate the unadulterated thought of art. Contemporary artists are exceptionally liberal in their states of
mind, and they are slightly careful about immaculateness in art.

Figure 1. The difference between the contemporary and modern is historical and chronological , as the
overview of Philippine art, meanwhile the table suggested by arts studies professors Fajardo and Flores
entitled historical overview of Philippine art below shows a summary.
Figure 2. Carlos Francisco :Magpupukot, Fernando Amorsolo: Fishing scene, VictorioEdades: The
builders

Figure 3. Imelda Endaya: Filipina DH

Social realism
Continues to influence contemporary artists. The term used for work produced by painters, printmakers,
photographers, writers and filmmakers that aims to draw attention to the real socio-political conditions
of the working class as a means to critique the power structures behind these conditions.
Figure 4. Stylistic overview

Figure 5. Cultural overview

Learning activity 1.1 : Picture Analysis.
What comes to your mind when you see the picture below?
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HR Ocampo’s painting was painted in early 60’s. At that time, the painting was considered
contemporary. Today, we refer to them as examples of modern art, produced between the American
colonial period to the post-war period.

Learning activity 1.2

In your own words, describe Modern art and Contemporary art.
Modern Art
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Contemporary Art
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Post-test
In terms of history, how do you define the contemporary? How is it different from the traditional or
modern?
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Assignment:
Research the following
 Pre-conquest
  Indigenous
 Pre-colonial
 Terracotta
 Anthropomorphic
 Abstraction
 Representation
 Abstract expressionist
 Neo-realism

Lesson 2: A Brief History of Philippine Art

I.Objectives.: At the end of the lesson, learners are expected to:

 Identify the major periods, artists and artworks of Philippine art history
 Build an initial vocabulary of major and basic art terms in Philippine art history
 Define contemporary arts by situating these within Philippine art
 Illustrate local examples of contemporary arts through research
 Distinguish conservative, modern and contemporary styles in the visual arts and be able to
interpret these by creating a self-portrait
 Link the various art forms through an integrative activity

II. Key points

 Pre-conquest
 Indigenous
 Pre-colonial
 Terracotta
 Anthropomorphic
 Abstraction
 Representation
 Abstract expressionist
 Neo-realism

Read me 😊
I.Pre- conquest : in art historical terms, we refer to art before the coming of the first colonizers as pre-
conquest in stylistic terms, we refer to as “indigenous” to emphasize the idea that our ancestors have been
making art even before colonization. It is also describe in cultural term to use for the general way of life
before colonization. Although the terms are interchangeable. It is also useful to keep this distinctions in
mind when studying the art of the past.
Was there art before colonization?
Prior to colonization, art of the ancient Filipinos were woven into the fabric of everyday life. They do not
refer ‘art’ as we do today. That is an expression of art individual and seen largely in museum and concert
halls. They did not distinguish forms into different categories like music, theater, visual arts, etc.
everyday expressions were all integrated within rituals that marked significant moments in a community’s
life, like planting, and harvesting, rites of passage, funerary ceremonies, weddings, among others.
The Manunggul Jar is a secondary burial jar excavated from a Neolithic burial site in the Manunggul cave
of the Tabon Caves at Lipuun Point in Palawan. It dates from 890–710 B.C. and the two prominent
figures at the top handle of its cover represent the journey of the soul to the afterlife.

Pintados, from the Spanish word Pintado meaning painted. The term used by Spanish colonists to
describe the tattooed indigenous Sebwano people and Waray people. They were found on the islands of
Cebu, Bohol, eastern part of Negros, Leyte, and Samar in the Biçayas (Visayas) region of the Philippines

II. Islamic Colonial period (13th century to the present)

How did Islam influence art before the coming of Spanish colonizers?
FAQ: How did Islam influence art before the coming of Spanish colonizers?Even before the coming of
Spanish colonizers, Islam was already well-entrenched in Southern Philippines, where it continues to be
culturally dominantand strong.Islam was said to have gained significant grounding in Sulu as early asthe
13th century. However, it was in the arrival of SayyidAbbubakar of Arabia in the15th century that led to a
significant turn of events. He married Princess Piramisuli,daughter of Rajah Baguinda. When his father-
in-law died, Abubakar succeeded thethrone and established the Sultanate of Sulu. Aside from introducing
holy texts viathe holy book ofQuranand building a house of prayer, Abubakar was recognizedfor building
a religious school, also known as themadrasathat facilitated theteaching of Arabic writing in the 16th
century. Natives from Zamboanga andYakans from Basilan were converted to Islam, with teachers
coming from Jolo,Sulu, and other practitioners from nearby regions like Brunei. As the
Islamizationprocess in Mindanao strengthened, Islam became the driving force that enabledthe natives to
resist centuries of Spanish colonization. Islam was embraced as areligion and as a way of life by the
peoples of Mindanao, among them, the Tausug,Maranao, Maguindanao, Yakan, Samal, Badjao, to name a
few; as well as someareas in Palawan.FAQ What are the main beliefs of Islam that influence the ways art
is made andinterpreted?Filipino Muslims recognize that they belong to anummahor a communityof
believers. Central to the Islamic faith is the doctrine ofTawhidor unity of God.This belief emphasizes the
impermanence of nature and the incomprehensiblegreatness of the divine Being. According to Prof.
Abraham Sakili, we can thenrelate this with two aspects of reality. One is the object perceived by the
ordinarysense, while the other is the sense of nothingness, a space or a void empty of allthings; to evoke
that God is above and beyond all things. In Islamic art, we canobserve how artists are influenced by the
notion of theTawhid. Considering thegoal of negating materiality, we will find that the interior of
mosques are coveredwith elaborate patterning in the form of reliefs to draw the attention away fromthe
concrete object, in other words, away from human forms and nature “towardthe contemplation of the
divine.”Unlike other religious traditions which make useof icons, in Islam, divine unity is expressed
through abstract forms and patternsthat compel the believer to engage in mental concentration.
Torogan royal house of the Maranao
("resting place" or "sleeping place")is a traditional house built by the Maranao people of Lanao,
Mindanao, Philippines.A torogan was a symbol of high social status. Such a residence was once a home
to a sultan or Datu in the Maranao community. Nowadays, concrete houses are found all over Maranaw
communities, but there remain torogans a hundred years old. The best-known are in Dayawan and
Marawi City, and around Lake Lanao.

II. Spanish Colonial Period(1521-1898)

During Spanish colonization, what kinds of art were introduced to the islands?
When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines in 1521, the colonizers used art as a tool to propagate the
Catholic faith through beautiful images. With communication as problem, the friars used images to
explain the concepts behind Catholicism, and to tell the stories of Christ’s life and passion. Images of the
Holy Family and the saints were introduced to the Filipino psyche through carved santos, the via crucis
(Stations of the Cross), engravings on estampas and estampitas, and through paintings on church walls.
Though the ethnic art forms such as pottery, weaving and metalwork were retained, the Spanish friars and
the Chinese, the colony’s primary trading partner, were slowly introducing newer art forms. Icons brought
by the friars were used as models for sculpture. Filipino artisans were taught the Chinese brushwork
technique in painting. Engraving was also introduced.
The concept of patronage emerged. Artisans were commissioned and paid to carve, engrave, and paint.
They replaced the arts that were once done in a communal spirit and community setting for rituals. The
church, particularly the friars, became the new patron of the arts.
Since most art produced during the first two centuries of Spanish occupation were for the church, the
friars enforced strict supervision over their production. Until the 19th century, art was only for the church
and religious use.
Early in the 19th century, with the opening of the Suez canal in 1869 and the development of the
agricultural export economy, native indios acquired economic wealth and became what was to be called
the “ilustrados,”meaning enlightened and educated. These developments paved the way for Filipinos
ilustrados to send their children to universities in Europe. The rise of the “ilustrado” (Filipinos with
money and education) class was inevitable. The ilustrados became the new patron of the arts. These
events paved the way for the secularization of art in the 19th century.
A. Painting
The Spanish friars introduced Western painting in the Philippines to artisans who learned to copy on two-
dimensional form from the religious icons that the friars brought from Spain,. For the first centuries of
Spanish colonization, painting was limited to religious icons. Portraits of saints and of the Holy Family
became a familiar sight in churches. Other subject matters include the passion of Christ, the Via Crucis,
the crucifixion, portrayal of heaven, purgatory and hell.

B. Sculpture
Of all the new art forms introduced, the natives took to sculpture instantly. The carving of anito was
transformed into sculpture of the saints. These santos were used primarily for the church altars and
retablos. It also replaced the anitos in the altars of the natives’ homes.
C. Graphic arts
Engraving was introduced in the 1590’s by the Spanish colonizers. In 1593, the Dominicans published the
La Doctrina Christiana en la Lengua Española y Tagala (The Christian Doctrine in the Spanish and
Tagalog Language), first book printed in the country. On it was a woodcut engraving of St. Dominic by
Juan de Veyra, a Chinese convert.

Letras Y Figuras
The art form is distinguished by the depiction of letters of the alphabet using a genre of painting that
contoured shapes of human figures, animals, plants, and other objects called Tipos del País popularized
by Damián Domingo. The letters depicted spell out a phrase or a name, usually that of the patron who
commissioned the work.

III.American Colonial Period (1898-1940) to the postwar Republic (1946-1969)

Major Art Movements
Bound by the Treaty of Paris in 1898, Spain“surrendered” the Philippines to the United States.From 1899
to 1913, the bloody Philippine-Americanwas occurred, claiming the lives of many Filipinos.
What were the changes brought about by the American colonization? How are they different from
the religious forms of the Spanish colonial period?
With the coming of the Americans, Filipino playwrights who had just undergone the Philippine revolution
of 1898 against Spain now found themselves confronted by censorship with the issuance of the Sedition
law which banned the writing, printing and publication of materials advocating Philippine independence,
and engaging in activities which championed this cause.

IV.JapaneseOccupation(1941-1945)
Under the Japanese Occupation of Manila (1941-1945) however, the modernist project would slow down
in pace. Early modernists and conservatives alike continued to produce art and even participated in
KALIBAPI(kapisanansapaglilingkodngbagongPilipinas) sponsored art competitions.
If art was strictly policed during the Second World War, it brings us little surprise that Amorsolo’s
paintings, many of which showed little or no indication of war’s atrocities, continued to be favored.
Examples include harvest scene, 1942 and rice planting.

Neo-realism, abstraction and other modern art styles

Critic-historian and UP DAS Professor Dr. Alice Guillermo recounts how artists and writers
reflected about national identity as Filipinos were rising from the ashes of war. A group of artists who
exemplified a new kind of modernism emerged, and this was observed by the artist-writer E.Aguilar Cruz
who named the movement Neo-realism. Using modernist figuration, many of these artists explored folk
themes and also crafted commentaries on the urban condition and the effects of the war. Manansala(1910-
1981), Legaspi (1917-1994), and HR Ocampo (1911-1978) were among the National Artists associated
with neo-realism.

Cesar Legaspi, Gadgets II

Painted in 1949, Gadgets II counts among Cesar Legaspi's most iconic works. This oil on canvas won first
prize during the second Annual Art exhibition organized by the Art Association of the Philippines, and is
part of the Legaspi family's private collection.
Manansala’s The beggars, 1952 consist of the imagte of two women with encarnated bodies. HR
Ocampo’s the contrast 1940, discussed in the first chapter is a distinct figurative work which exposes
human conditions amid the backdrop of modernity. His painting genesis1968, which puts together warm-
colored shapes became the basis of the stunning tapestry hanging at the man theater or
BulwagangNicanorAbelardo of the CCP.

V. 70’s to Contemporary
Social Realism
Social realism is the term used for work produced by painters, printmakers, photographers, writers and
filmmakers that aims to draw attention to the real socio-political conditions of the working class as a
means to critique the power structures behind these conditions. It is a form of protest art that exposed the
sociopolitical issues and struggles of the times.
Learning Activity 1.1
On the space provided below, attach some pictures of modern and contemporary art during colonial
period and illustrate each.
Learning Activity 1.2
On the space below, draw your own self-portrait. You can use any art materials.
Post test
A. Define “ART” during:
1. Pre-conquest period.
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2. Spanish Colonial Period

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3. American Colonial Period
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4. 70’s to Contemporary
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B. Explain and Differentiate Social Realism and Neo-realism

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 Assignment:
Site 10 artist during Spanish and American colonial period. Explain their artworks.

ARTIST ARTWORKS with explanation

Prepared by: Reviewed and checked by: Noted by:

Debbie Joyce D. Quimson Antonette A. Aquino Merlita A. Liwanag

Subject Teacher SAC- Araling Panlipunan SHS Assistant Principal

Approved by:

Melissa M. Soriano, Ed.D

School Principal
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