LESSON 3 Filipino Artists and their

At the end of this lesson, you

should be able to:
Contributions to Particular
Art Forms
lm Recognize the different
Filipino artists from EXPLORE
their perspective fields
and give importance to
their contributions to
Philippine art; Recognize whether the picture shown in every item is a Filipino artist
or not. Check YES or NO.
 Identify the different I’m a digital
styles, methods and I’m a writer illustrator
media used by Filipino 1. 2.
artists mentioned in
this lesson and
appreciate their artistic
artworks;

 Perform a Puppet Play

that expresses one’s
self as a Filipino YES NO
YES NO

I’m a sculptor I’m a painter

3. 4.

YES NO YES NO

I’m a photographer I’m a sculptor

5.

6.

YES NO YES NO

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 EXAMINE

Visual Arts
Visual arts in the 1960s reflected dynamism in styles and trends. A bulk of the
artistic works reflected a society confronted with social, economic and political issues that proliferate
during the Marcos regime more specifically during the declaration of the Martial Law. It was a period
where nationalist consciousness emerged. Political awareness was evidently strong and
reverberating in every corner of the society. Mass actions were initiated by Student groups which
openly showed their dissent to the government. A high degree of expressionist works revealed the
anxieties and tensions of the period. Visual arts focused images that project as well as agitation.

Painting
Painting is the art of splashing colors with the help of brushes in a certain way to
create an art. Painting can be done on almost any surface and they can be digital (on computers) or
manual using paints and brushes. There are different kinds of painting materials like sand, paper,
clay and many more. Painting is all about creativity, so artists don't restrict themselves to only limited
medium and materials, it's an ever growing process.

Types of Painting Styles

Realism – It is a departure from any artistic approaches that
make the painting look artificial. It uses perspective to create
a visual illusion of space and depth in such a way to make
the subject appears real. Likewise, subjects in Realist
paintings are mostly ordinary folks engaging daily activities
in a non-dramatic surrounding. “The Fruit Gatherer” by
Fernando Amorsolo

Surrealism – It is best known for its visual artworks of

uncommon imagery. Artists painted unnerving, illogical scenes,
sometimes with photographic precision, creating strange
creatures from everyday objects, and developing painting
techniques that allowed the unconscious to express itself.
“The Tilled Filled” by Joan Miro

Impressionism – It is characterized by thin

“Duyan”
brushstrokes and an emphasis on the depiction of by Jun
light. It is often painted outdoors to capture sunlight Martinez
and colors of their subjects.

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 Expressionism – It is an artistic style in which the artist
seeks to depict not objective reality but rather the
subjective emotions and responses that objects and events
arouse within a person. The artist accomplishes this aim
through distortion, exaggeration, primitivism, and fantasy
and through the vivid, jarring, violent, or dynamic application
of formal elements.

Fauvism – style of painting that

flourished in France around the turn
of the 20th century. Fauve artists
“Ang Tanong” by Onib Olmedo
used pure, brilliant color
aggressively applied straight from
the paint tubes to create a sense of
an explosion on the canvas.
“Daranak Falls” by Danilo
Palomer Santiago

Cubism – It is highly influential visual art style of the 20th

century that was created principally by the artists Pablo
Picasso and Georges Braque in Paris between 1907 and
1914. The Cubist style emphasized the flat, two-
dimensional surface of the picture plane, rejecting the
traditional techniques of perspective, foreshortening,
modeling, and chiaroscuro and refuting time-honored
theories that art should imitate nature. Cubist painters
were not bound to copying form, texture, color, and
“Magsasaka” by Vicente Manansala
space. Instead, they presented a new reality
in paintings that depicted radically fragmented objects.

Minimalism – Emerging in a coherent form in New York,

during the 1960s, Minimal art, popularly known as
Minimalism - but also sometimes referred to as ABC
art, Cool art, Literalist art, Object art, and Primary
Structure art - was a major movement of postmodernist
art, specifically a style of abstract painting or sculpture
characterized by extreme simplicity of form: in effect a
type of visual art reduced to the essentials of geometric
abstraction.

“Imaginary Landscape Series” by Arturo Luz

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 Abstract Art – It is an art that does not attempt
to represent an accurate depiction of a visual
reality but instead use shapes, colors, forms
and gestural marks to achieve its effect. It
releases the creative energy of people and
provides them with the freedom to explore their
minds and emotions in a way that was
impossible in traditional styles of art. The
abstract is an expression connecting the feelings
and vibes. It is a different perspective than the
usual perception of realism.
Abstract painting by Edwin “Buboy” Dinapo

Filipino painters and their masterwork

Ang Kiukok Ang Kiukok in his angst-ridden

“Thinking
figures focuses on the “human
Man” 1979
condition”. His subjects are largely
pertaining to the poverty that
afflicts the Filipinos and his
society. Oppression is also a
favorite subject in his art works. Ang Kiukok,
Universal symbols such as man on Philippine Artist
fire, dogfights, crucifixion and the
like were used to represent the
social realities prevailing during
those times.

Francis Viri “The

He has done highly intellectual Deconstructed
surrealist with the principle of Empathy”
continuity. The bright forms and 2002
colors of his artworks are solitary
figures drawn or painted in a
circuitous unbroken lines. His art
shows a deep poetic reflection of
existential solitude with a touch of
insightful humor in its composition

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Danny Dalena His artwork which is the Jai Alai
Series used the presence of people
clamoring to place their bet with the
purpose of earning money to
augment their meager income. The
painting reveals how Filipinos would
place their hope on gambling to
survive their desperate lives. Jai Alai,
like any other form of gambling is a
game of chance that somehow
Tulog Talo (Jai Alai Series)” 1984
provides hope to those who are
struggling to survive their everyday
needs. Distortion is used by Dalena
to manifest strength in his paintings.
Danny Dalena AVP, Ateneo
Traditional University
Awards 2019

Jose Blanco Jose Blanco from Angono,

Rizal maintained the realist
genre which is a tradition of
several artists together with
his family. His artworks were
the specific sample of lively
figures in lively hue reflected
in high large paintings that
were actually based on real
people from their town in
Angono, Rizal. “Harvest Time with the Banawe
Rice Terraces”

Geraldine Javier
Geraldine Javier is a
“Everyone
contemporary Filipina Visual
Leaves
Artist whose work is best known
Mark”
for her work which blends of
2017
painting with various media. Her
works are charged with tension
and provocation, combining
Art Coco /Geraldine
cool, calculated sophistication Javier/Coconuts TV
with raw urban grit. Images of
death, misery, dysfunctional
relationships, and emotional
violence are recurrent themes.

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Benedicto Cabrera

He is also known as “Bencab”. He realized that the historical trend could

be visible in the work of artists who have looked to the past in the hope of
showing the present. Historical allusions have also been used to create a
relationship between the past and the present to reflect contemporary
political meanings in the imagery of the past. He sees the varied aspects
of the Filipino identity which may be urban, rural, Christian, and animist.
Sabel is a sad symbol of dislocation, despair and isolation of the Filipino
victimized by life cruelties and the imminent social injustices.

“Sabel”
2003

Ben Cab Museum-Isabel

Gallery / Pia’s Postcards

“Sabel”
2008

Drawing
Contemporary art includes in its visual form the creation of comics and cartoons
which became very popular. These cartoons may be considered as very famous since it contains
social and political meaning found in newspaper and magazines. In the 1930s the proliferation of
American comic cartoons inspired Filipino Komiks where characters were created to entertain
insights. Remarkable Filipino cartoonists of those times were Jorge Pineda, Danilo Dalena, Jose V.
Pareira, Esmeraldo Izon, Liborio Gatbonton, Mauro Malang Santos, Corky Trinidad and Jose Tence
Ruiz

First Filipino Cartoon

Original Filipino cartoons began with the publication of local comic books, known
as komiks. During the late 1920s, Filipino writer Romualdo Ramos and Filipino visual
artist Antonio “Tony” Velasquez created the cartoon character named Kenkoy. It appeared in
the pages of the Tagalog-language Liwayway magazine as a weekly comic strip entitled Mga
Kabalbalan ni Kenkoy or "Kenkoy's antics". Because of its popularity it became a Filipino icon
and was translated into other regional languages in the Philippines. Since then, other cartoon
characters were created by other Filipino comic book artists. The creation of Kenkoy also
influenced the works of Filipino musicians such as Nicanor Abelardo (the product was
the libretto Hay Naku Kenkoy or "Oh, My Gosh, Kenkoy!"), and the emergence of a typical
Kenkoy-like pronunciation of English words which came to be known as “Kenkoy’s English” Page 6and
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“Carabao English”. This influence of Kenkoy gave birth to original Filipino language vocabulary,
such as Barok (also became a stand-alone cartoon character), Jeproks, and Pinoy, the
colloquial form of the word Filipino. Kenkoy also survived the arrival of the Japanese
Kenkoy-like pronunciation of English words which came to be known as “Kenkoy’s English” and
“Carabao English”. This influence of Kenkoy gave birth to original Filipino language vocabulary,
such as Barok (also became a stand-alone cartoon character), Jeproks, and Pinoy, the colloquial
form of the word Filipino. Kenkoy also survived the arrival of the Japanese during World War
II. Kenkoy became a tool of the Japanese occupiers for disseminating health programs. Other
Filipinos who excelled in the Philippine komiks and cartoon industry are Francisco Coching, Elito
Circa and his Minggan and Alex Niño.

Kenkoy, one of
the earliest
Filipino
cartoon
characters
(image dated
1943-03-20).

Filipino cartoonists and their masterwork

Larry Alcala
In his over 50 years of cartooning, Larry
Alcala created over 500 characters, 20
comic strips, six movies, two murals
and 15,000 published pages. A retired
Fine Arts professor at the University of
the Philippines, Alcala was well aware
of the far-reaching role of cartoons in
education and value formation.
Through humor, his works captured the
idiosyncrasies of the Filipino pysche
and preserved, for generations,
snippets of the Filipino way of life. He
created Mang Ambo from Barrio
Bulabog to represent the Filipino in the
midst and weaknesses of urban life.

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 Mars Ravelo
He is the “The King of
Komiks”, and produced
over a hundred comic
works at Ace Publications.
His creations such as
“Buhay Pilipino” in
Liwayway, novels like
Darna, Jack and Jill,
Captain Barbell, Maruja,
Goomboo Roomboo,
Bondying, Roberta were
among those so loved by
Filipino readers.

Elpidio Torres
Torres together with Mars Ravelo
created “Dyesebel” which was a
popular Filipino mermaid story.
Torres began to write his own
scripts. He wrote as well the jungle
series “Robina” in Redondo Komix
“Planet Eye” for Ares Productions
and science fiction “Planeta X” for
PSG Publications.

Steve Gan
A novel by Carlo J. Caparas, Ang
Panday was illustrated by Steve
Gan. Ang Panday created the
character of Flavio, an adventurous
hero who saved the common people
from the wickedness of Lizardo, his
archenemy.

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 Photography
Photography became a contemporary form of artistic expression. Journalists
have utilized the camera as an instrument and a tool to record major events and even personalities
for advertising groups to market their products and services. Largely, photography became a
significant and powerful form of artistic expression.
Honesto Vitug covered generally major presidential activities from the administration of
Emilio Aguinaldo to rise of Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. He is said to have shot all the Presidents
because of his consistent coverage of all their reign as leaders. Furthermore, Vitug took on the
heavyweights including Gen Douglas Mac Arthur, Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and he became known
as “the man who caught them all on film.”
Vitug’s ability to capture true-to-life depictions of these historically significant events reflected
real drama in the Philippine politics. He wrote the bestseller “I Shot the Presidents”.

Types of Photography Styles

Portrait Photography - One of the most

common photography styles, portrait
photography, or portraiture, aims to
capture the personality and mood of an
individual or group. Images may be
candid or posed, full body or close-ups.
Either way, the subject’s face and eyes
are typically in focus. Lighting and
backdrop help to convey tone and
emotion. Popular types of photography
portraits include senior portraits, family
portraits, engagement photos, and
professional headshots. The best portrait
photographers make clients feel Filipino Coffee Producer, Mang Onda, grows an Arabica
completely comfortable, so that their heirloom varietal known as Kalasan Sweet coffee at
expressions are natural and relaxed. 1550m.a.s.l. Photo Courtesy of Ephemera Traders

Still Life Photography - Like it sounds, still Louie Aguinaldo

Photography:
life photography features inanimate objects— Philippine
natural or manmade. Still life photography Professional
can be artistic or commercial. It is commonly Photographer
used in stock photography as well as product
advertising. (Think of the product images
shown in catalogs, magazines, and
billboards.) For still life photographers, object
selection, arrangement, and lighting are key
to getting a great shot.

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 Fashion Photography - Fashion photography
Louie Aguinaldo showcases and glamorizes fashion clothing,
Photography: shoes, and accessories to make them more
Philippine
desirable to consumers. It is commonly published
Professional
Photographer in magazines and online. People may choose this
niche over different types of photography because
of the opportunity to be highly creative in making
photographs eye-catching and appealing. Fashion
photographers take a lot of full body shots and work
in an array of locations, from fashion shows to
studios with full lighting setups to city streets and
open fields. They utilize many of the same skills as
portrait photographers and must practice good
teamwork and communication when working with
shoot stylists, creative directors, and models.

Sports Photography - By catching

athletes, coaches, and even fans at the perfect
moment, sports photographs can depict the
passion, drama, and emotion that fuels sporting
events. Sports photographers must aim and
shoot quickly to keep up with the action around
them, and its best practice to use a higher ISO to
shoot at a faster shutter speed. Sports
photographers also usually use long, heavy
lenses for zooming in on the action. Interesting 28th SEA Games – Netball, Philippine VS Thailand
angles can help make your work stand out in this Creator: David Wirawan
competitive genre. Copyright: Vilevent Photography

Photojournalism - It is a way of
telling the story of a newsworthy (perhaps
even historic) event or scene through
photographs. Photojournalism should be as
objective and truthful as possible and
capturing candid moments as they happen
is more important than getting picture-
perfect shots. Generally, photojournalists
attend planned events with the hope of
capturing unplanned, unscripted moments.
Their work is routinely published in
magazines and newspapers.
A photojournalist covering the war in Marawi. Fernando G.
Sepe Jr., ABS-CBN News/file

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 Editorial Photography - It is taken to
illustrate a story or article, typically for a
magazine or newspaper. The subject of
editorial photography can vary widely and is
entirely dependent on the topic of the text it
accompanies. Generally, for editorial
photography, you’ll want to get shots that
work for a variety of layouts, including
horizontal and vertical compositions. When
working in editorial photography, you are
Photo courtesy of Martin San Diego – Filipino Documentary likely to work closely with writers and art
and Editorial Photographer
directors, and demonstrating good
communication skills and professionalism
will help you succeed.

Architectural Photography -
Both the interior and exterior design of
buildings and structures are the subject
of architectural photography. From
warehouses to city bridges to old country
barns, this genre encompasses diverse
structures. Often, the photograph
showcases the structure’s most
aesthetically pleasing parts, such as a
particular beam or archway. Interesting
materials and colors may also be
emphasized. Lighting can be challenging
in architectural photography and, for
Bonifacio Global City (BGC) Skyline
exteriors, photographers must know how
Photo courtesy of Michael Gabriel Sumastre
to work with natural light. Gear such as a (www.sumastre.photography)
tilt-shift lens, a tripod, and a panorama
head is often useful. Architectural
photographs can be of value to
Instagramdesigners, architects, leasing
It is a free, online photo-sharing application and social network platform that was acquired by Facebook
companies, and building investors.
in 2012. It allows users to edit and upload photos and short videos through a mobile application.

Filipino Photographers to Follow on Instagram

https://www.spot.ph/arts-culture/arts-culture-peopleparties/64368/10-filipino-photographers-to-follow-instagram

On Instagram, everyone can be an instant photographer. But other than inspirational accounts and
celebrities, people who spice up the photo-based app are professional photographers. Those who
practice the art of capturing great moments with their mastery of perspective, light, and timing. Here
are Filipino photographers who make photo-sharing more enjoyable with their lens-captured images,
from magazine covers to real-life experiences.
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BJ Pascual (@bjpascual)
Those stunning photos of your favorite artists like Anne Curtis, Georgina Wilson, Nadine Lustre, and
Maine Mendoza were probably taken by BJ Pascual. He’s one of the youngest (he’s just 27) and most
successful photographers in the country. He also just released his new book, PUSH: Muses, Mischief
& How to Make It in Manila.

Mark Nicdao (@markednicdao)

You see Mark Nicdao’s photos everywhere—along EDSA, on magazine covers, even on your dress—and
you don’t even know it. He has worked with Adam Levine, Paris Hilton, and Tommy Lee Jones and on
advertising campaigns in the U.S. and across Asia.

Toto Villaruel (@totovillaruel)

Toto Villaruel started as a photojournalist before finding his passion in wedding photography. Expect
fun and relaxed shots on your feed when you follow Toto. He likes to play with light in his photographs,
which usually feature jaw-dropping snaps of fields, streams, and sunsets.

Veejay Villafranca (@vjvillafranca)

Veejay Villafranca started as a staff photographer for a local news magazine before embarking on his
documentary projects across Asia. His photos have been published in international titles like The
Guardian and Bloomberg Businessweek. He also shares his long-term projects that tackle issues in the
Philippines like weather patterns, drug abuse, and human trafficking.

Jake Verzosa (@jakeverzosa)

From fashion and commercial photography, Jake Verzosa expanded his craft to the destinations he
visits. Aside from having his works exhibited in Asia and Europe, Jake has also published a
photobook, The Last Tattooed Women of Kalinga. He sets the bar high for travel documentation with
meaningful stories, photo after photo.

Paul Quiambao (@paul_quiambao)

Self-taught photographer Paul Quiambao is an Art Petron Hall of Fame awardee. His landscape photos
look like they were taken from a National Geographic Channel episode. Paul uses long exposure to
produce breath-taking images that display movement in nature aside from playing with light.

J Lucas Reyes (@jlucasreyes)

What sets J Lucas Reyes apart from other wedding photographers is his personally-crafted film-based
output of digital photos, which he formulated before Instagram filters existed. His and wedding photos
will give you legit kilig vibes as he captures raw moments in great and unexpected destinations. Some
of his celebrity couple clients include Paolo Trillo and Rissa Mananquil, and Jim Bacarro and Saab
Magalona.

Patrick Martires (@patmartiresphoto)

You can always count on Patrick Martires to post inviting and pretty photos of good eats. This food
photographer knows how to make your mouth water with masterfully staged shots, in both composition
and color. He often shares photos of his work for magazines like Yummy and Candy.
Page 12 of 29
Filipino photographers and their masterwork

Albert Garcia His award winning photographs of

the Pinatubo eruption where a driver
of a pick-up truck to overrun a cloud
of ash from the eruption of Mt.
Pinatubo in 1991. The photo was
elected as one of the 38 emotion-
packed photos of all time by the
Huffington Post in the U.S. This was
a great achievement for
photographer Albert Garcia, former Balita.com Mt. Pinatubo@20 Photo Exhibit
(https://medium.com)
chief photographer of Tempo of the
Manila Bulletin.

Eduardo Masferre

He was a self-taught photographer.

He was regarded as the Father of
Philippine Photography. Upon
returning to his hometown, he
became preoccupied with taking
photos of everything from the
surroundings of the Cordillera. Most
of these photographs are the native
Igorot. Largely, his photos are those
people.
http://badgerandfoxgallery.com

Jaime Zobel de Ayala

He is the first Filipino amateur

photographer to be confirmed
“Licentiate” by the Royal
Photographic Society and has been
given recognitions for his significant
contributions to art and culture both
in France and Spain. He is a
progressive and dynamic artist as he “Bamboo Series #4”
continues to explore on new grounds https://www.jaimezobel.com
in art photography and the utilization
of various art media.

Page 13 of 29
 Sculpture
Philippine sculpture is the most familiar art forms among Filipinos. From
transitional carving of anitos to the santos to Christ and down to the saints, Filipinos find it rather not
difficult as they are already familiar with the ways of the wood. Filipino sculptors came to be known
in the middle of the 19th century. Classical Philippine sculpture reached its peak in the works of
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976). His best known masterpiece is the Bonifacio Monument, which is
a group sculpture composed of numerous figures massed around a central obelisk.

Styles and methods used in sculpture

1. Monolithic Sculpture – It is
a sculpture or monument made from
a single large block of stone, as an
Egyptian obelisk.
2. Constructivism – Constructivist art focuses
on industrial production. Constructivists used
stripped down, geometric forms and modest
materials. Their visual language existed of
forms that they could draw with practical
instruments like compasses and rulers.
Materials like wood, glass and metal were
analyzed and judged on the basis of how
suitable they were for use in mass-produced
objects and images.

Museo Orlina:
More than just a
glass sculpture
exhibit in
Tagaytay
Napoleon Abueva’s Mother and (https://www.pinter
Child 1953 Sculpture est.ph)
(https://medium.com)

3. Sculptural Assemblage– It is an artistic

form or medium usually created on a defined
substrate that consists of three-dimensional
elements projecting out of or from the
substrate. It is similar to collage, a two-
dimensional medium. It is part of the visual
arts, and it typically uses found objects, but is
BUENVIAJE: An Ode to Good Voyage | Anton
del Castillo
not limited to these materials
https://vargasmuseum.wordpress.com/

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 4. Kinetic Art – It is an art from any medium One of Gabriel
that contains movement perceivable by the Barredo’s kinetic
viewer or depends on motion for its effect. sculptures from his
Canvas paintings that extend the viewer's exhibit Opera in
perspective of the artwork and incorporate February 2015 at
Silverlens Gallery
multidimensional movement are the earliest (https://www.bworld
examples of kinetic art. online.com)

Filipino sculptors and their masterwork

Jeremias Elizalde
Navarro His point of interests is on masks tribal forms
which capture aboriginal art using
expressionist vein. A proficient painter and
sculptor devoting to the visual arts for 40 years
through drawing, printmaking, painting, and
sculpting. Elizalde’s masks carved in
hardwood merges human and animal figure
drew inspiration from Balinese art and culture.
He actually used various media in sculptures
such as found materials, hardwood, metal and Is He the Man, 1960
created mixed media works. (Copyright: Jilson Tiu)

Solomon Saprid
He is a contemporary sculpture who was
known for his artworks made of bronze. He
created works by welding scraps of metal.
Saprid became known for his works in
bronze which he created by welding scraps
of metal jagged effect. His famous
sculpture was The Tikbalang Series
created in 1971.

The Tikbalang Series, 1971

(http://www.artnet.com/)

Page 15 of 29
Virginia Ty-Navarro
She is known for her iconic sculpture in Ortigas, EDSA. She
was commissioned and was able to complete the Statue of
our Lady Queen of Peace in sixteen months after 1986
People Power Revolution. Her rendition of Our Lady, Queen
of Peace with distinctly Asian features was questioned by
some critics who expected the Lady to be the usual
Western and “mestiza” image. Navarro’s sculpture was
allegedly disproportionate with a short body, flat faced and
oversized hands Our Lady, Queen of Peace, 1986
(https://wikimapia.org/)

Jose Tence Ruiz This sculpture explored on new Dama de Noche

techniques and sculptural (https://manilaartblog
forms. His works is a reflection ger.wordpress.com/)
of the bizarre and artistic
uniqueness. He focused on
Jeepney culture such as the
Dama de Noche which signifies
varied personalities. His use of
indigenous materials reveals his
Jose Tence
sociopolitical awakening and Ruiz:Shoal:Vargas
desire to achieve the
democratization of art in the
contemporary consciousness.

Francisco Verano

A sculpture and painter who used old

wood materials from dilapidated
hundred-old houses to manifest the
human condition by creating sculptures
of human figures with evident
movement while performing rural
occupations. Stone Idol
http://www.
upbsi.org/)

Page 16 of 29
 Many contemporary sculptures such as Edgar Doctor
focused on the utilization of unique materials which is a liberation
from the traditional technique. Another is Conrado Mercado, from
Bustus, Bulacan a batch mate of Solomon Saprid and Edgar EQUIP
Doctor recognized for his relief and freestanding sculpture through
the use of aluminum, brass, wood and concrete. His artworks
Manila Art
basically show technique such expressionism, surrealism, 2016
geometric abstraction all into a unified whole which creates Highlights
uniqueness in his products. On the other hand, Jerry Araos and
Rey Paz Contreras, who worked with discarded wood which has
an expressionist impact. Their works reveal the inner and the dark
impulses that manifest one’s hidden motivations and drives. Such Paete -
use or surrealism symbolizes the economic, political and social Woodcarvi
suppressions that are never allowed in the open. ng Capital
of the
Philippine
s

Literary Arts
Many Filipino writers continued to create poetry, short stories, poems, novels
and essays in different languages and vernaculars especially during the Martial Law years around
1970s. Literature as a form of art became a medium by which Filipino clamor for freedom of
expression. These writings were pertinent to the current state of the society, gender equality,
ethnicity whether in the micro or macro level. Many of these writers were trained here and abroad
thereby exposing them to the more credible and scientific approach to the creation of literature. Many
became competitive due to the encouragement provided by several bodies to recognize the talent
of the many Filipino writers through the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature,
Philippine Graphic, Home Life, The Philippine Free Pres and the Panorama literary awards.
Contemporary Philippine Literature reflects the scenario of the times where the chaos brought
by the Martial Law, the presence of the oligarch which controls the economy, the resurging
nationalism of the masses and the agitation of the many evidently influenced a product of troubled
times. Nationalism has dominated the writings of the young. Filipino has become the choice of the
money over English to ensure communication with the greater masses.

Basic literary styles used in writing

Expository Style - Its main purpose is to explain. It is a subject-oriented writing style,

in which authors focus on telling you about a given topic or subject without voicing their
personal opinions. These types of essays or articles furnish you with relevant facts and figures
but do not include their opinions. This is one of the most common types of writing. You always
see it in textbooks and how-to articles. The author just tells you about a given subject, such
as how to do something.
Descriptive Style - Its main purpose is to describe. It is a style of writing that focuses
on describing a character, an event, or a place in great detail. It can be poetic when the author
takes the time to be very specific in his or her descriptions.
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 Persuasive Style - Its main purpose is to convince. Unlike expository writing,
persuasive writing contains the opinions and biases of the author. To convince others to agree
with the author's point of view, persuasive writing contains justifications and reasons. It is
often used in letters of complaint, advertisements or commercials, affiliate marketing pitches,
cover letters, and newspaper opinion and editorial pieces.

Narrative Style – Its main purpose is to tell a story. The author will create different
characters and tell you what happens to them (sometimes the author writes from the point of
view of one of the characters—this is known as first person narration). Novels, short stories,
novellas, poetry, and biographies can all fall in the narrative writing style. Simply, narrative
writing answers the question: “What happened then?”

Filipino writers and their masterwork

Amado V. Hernandez
He is a social activist who wrote a novel, Mga Ibong Mandaragit which
about the struggle of the Filipino to uplift his life. The setting reflected
Hernandez’s life as a guerilla during the Japanese occupation. In this
narrative, the author clamored for change in the living condition of the
Filipinos who suffered much under the government.
“Hindi masama ang dumayo sa banyagang lupalop upang
paunlarin ang sarili. Pero kung ikaw e maunlad na’y dapat bumalik
sa pinagmulan at du’n gamitin ang kaunlaran. Walang lupang
dayuhan na maaari mong ipalit sa ‘yong sinilangan.”
-Mga Ibong Mandaragit-

Nick Joaquin
He is widely considered one of the greatest Filipino writers, but he has
remained little-known outside his home country despite writing in English.
Set amid the ruins of Manila devastated by World War II, his stories are
steeped in the post-colonial anguish and hopes of his era and resonate
with the ironic perspectives on colonial history of Gabriel García Márquez
and Mario Vargas Llosa. His work meditates on the questions and
challenges of the Filipino individual’s new freedom after a long history of
colonialism, exploring folklore, centuries-old Catholic rites, the Spanish
colonial past, magical realism, and baroque splendor and excess. This
collection features his best-known story, “The Woman Who Had Two
Navels,” centered on Philippine emigrants living in Hong Kong and later
expanded into a novel, the much-anthologized stories “May Day Eve” and
“The Summer Solstice” and a canonic play, A Portrait of the Artist as
Filipino.

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Bienvenido Santos

He explored in his novel, The Volcano the relationship between races,

and equates the Filipino with the volcano, dormant but with much potential
power. The story of The Volcano revolved around an American family who
struggled to survive Japanese occupation of the Philippines and the
prejudices of the Filipinos against the Americans after the war.

Bienvenido Santos
He wrote Mula sa Parolang Ginto. It is the first critical essay written in
Tagalog. This collection of essays is equally alive in the different
vernaculars published through Liwayway. The writing in the local
language signifies the opportunity for every Filipino from the different
regions to express their sentiment pertaining to the social, economic and
political ills affecting Filipinos at a given time.

Virgillio S. Almario
He is also known as “Rio Alma” provide a collection of poems,
Doktrinang Anakpawis focusing on the journey of an individual from
the self to the wider social reality. This literature revolved on the turmoil
that touches questions relating to national consciousness in the midst of
militancy during the martial law years. Rio Alma acknowledged the value
of the common man in this literary work as they fell victims to the
suppression of basic rights and freedom during those years of struggle
in the hands of the Marcos regime.

Emmanuel S. Torres
He exemplifies the poet that shows much angst and loneliness. His
artistry shows the awakening of an individual to the sociopolitical realities
and the nationalist spirit. His literary style displayed formalism with the
desire to eradicate oppression/ poverty, social injustices and political
eruption. His literary work, The Smile On Smokey Mountain (1991)
elaborates the alienation as a result of material progress and loss of
assurance brought by grim social realities.

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INTEGRATE
1. How does Philippine
literature influence the life
and culture of many
Filipinos?
2. How do you consider
literature as a form of art?
Literary works relevant to the rising
consciousness and the nationalist sentiments of the Filipinos
became relevant during the martial laws.
Some of these literary works were written in the
vernacular or the local dialects from the Ilokos region to the
Visayas. In Iloilo, Hiligaynon literature it was Lucila V.
Hosillos who made waves through her writing Originality as
Vengeance in Philippine Literature in 1984; likewise Juanito
Marcella complied literary works in the same vernacular
entitled Bahandi-I:16 ka pili nga mga sugilanon sa Ilongo
in 1070; In the Ilocos region was Gregorio C. Laconsay the
former chief editor for in the popular literary magazines, the
Bannawang and the Liwayway who wrote the Dagiti
Kapintasan a Sarita iti Iluko in 1969; Moreover, in Samar-
Leyte was Raymon T. Quetchenbach SVD who worked on
the Lineyte-Samarnon Poems; A Collection in 1974.

Performing Arts
Contemporary Filipino theatre laid down the foundations of psychological
realism in theater. Traditional forms of drama brought contemporary messages in urban playwrights
that respond to contemporary issues and concerns.

Theater
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live
performers, typically actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before
a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communicate this experience
to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music, and dance. Elements of art,
such as painted scenery and stagecraft such as lighting are used to enhance the physicality,
presence and immediacy of the experience.

 Tanghalang Pilipino – It is the leading exponent of Philippine theater and the

resident drama company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines since its organization in 1987.[1] It
has successfully presented hundreds of productions over more than 30 theater seasons, earning
numerous awards and citations while generating one of the best attendance records among the
CCP's resident companies.
Tanghalang Pilipino wishes to develop and train actors, playwrights, and designers with
special emphasis in the production of original Filipino plays. By staging plays from the repertoire of
Philippine past and plays in translation from other countries, it hopes to bring to the experience of
both artists and audience the best of Philippine and global theatre tradition. It looks forward to
educating and awakening the cultural consciousness of the Filipino audiences through its regular
performances and other related activities like workshops, symposia and interactions.
In 2020, stage productions were prematurely closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. TP
launched a program billed as Pansaman TANGHALAN (a portmanteau of Filipino words
pansamantala and tanghalan that means 'temporary theater') on digital platforms such as Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. It is also a part of an ongoing online fundraising project called
Open House for the benefit of the Performing Arts community, which has been dramatically hit by
the pandemic.
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  Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) Mabining
Mandirigma, a
PETA is among the recipients of the prestigious Ramon steampunk
musical: Mga
Magsaysay Awards. Widely considered the equivalent of the Binusabos
Nobel Prize in Asia, the Magsaysay Awards are typically given
to paragons in government service, public service and
community leadership. But in a rare distinction for an [PINOY MUSICAL]
organization in the arts and culture sector, PETA was lauded for Huwag Kang
“its bold, collective contributions in shaping the theater arts as a Matakot from
"Rated: PG" |
force for social change, its impassioned, unwavering work in PETA Theater
empowering communities in the Philippines, and the shining Online
example it has set as one of the leading organizations of its kind
in Asia." - https://petatheater.com/

Different genres used for various theatrical performances

1. Tragedy
It is a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning
the downfall of the main character.

2. Melodrama
In modern usage, a melodrama is a dramatic work wherein the plot, which is typically
sensational and designed to appeal strongly to the emotions, takes precedence over detailed
characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue, which is often bombastic or
excessively sentimental, rather than action.

3. Comedy
It is a literary genre that is amusing and satirical in its tone, mostly having a cheerful ending.
Its motif is triumph over unpleasant circumstance by creating comic effects, resulting in a
happy or successful conclusion.
4. Tragicomedy
It is a literary genre that blends aspects of both tragic and comic forms. Most often seen in
dramatic literature, the term can describe either a tragic play which contains enough comic
elements to lighten the overall mood or a serious play with a happy ending.

Various forms of theater

1. Mime, physical theatre and theatre of images

Mime, physical theatre and theatre of images all use the body’s great potential for expression.
Actors working in these disciplines rely on pose, gesture, posture, facial expression or dance
to breathe life into a character.

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 2. Puppetry
In puppetry, which was used in Oriental theatre before it Piliin Mo Ang
appeared in Europe, performers use stringed puppets, hand Pilipinas feat.
puppets and stick or rod puppets. Shadow theatre is similar to El Gamma
Penumbra
puppetry, using rigid or jointed shapes to project shadows on a
screen to tell a story. The theatre of objects gives life to the
inanimate; the object becomes a leading character.
3. Invisible theatre
Invisible theatre, invented by the Brazilian Augusto Boal, is improvised by actors in a public
space with the intention of alerting spectators to a particular social problem. Those who
happen to witness the scene might think they are seeing a real incident!

4. Opera
Opera, musical theatre and musical comedy rely above all on music and voice. Opera, a
classical art originating in Italy early in the 16th century, takes great stories, often culled from
the world’s dramatic literature, and sets them to music. In musical theatre, the score comes
first: the actors’ and musicians’ performances, the situations and the images all arise out of
it. Musical comedy, popularized by American films of the 1930s, builds a plot around songs
and dance numbers.

5. Variety Spectaculars
Variety spectaculars have one unbreakable rule: the numbers performed take a wide variety
of artistic forms. On a single stage (often a very large one), artists dance, sing, do acrobatics
and sometimes add special effects. Many extras and some animals contribute to the show.

Filipino playwrights and their masterwork

Wilfrido Maria Guerrero

Wilfrido Maria Guerrero (January 22, 1911 – April 28, 1995) was
a Filipino playwright, director, teacher and theater artist.
Guerrero wrote well over 100 plays, 41 of which have been
published. His unpublished plays have either been broadcast
over the radio or staged in various parts of the Philippines.
His plays can be found in various anthologies: 13 Plays (first
published in 1947), 8 Other Plays (1952), 7 More Plays (1962),
12 New Plays (1975), My Favorite 11 Plays (1976), 4 Latest
Plays (1980), and Retribution and eight other selected plays
(1990). Guerrero also published a family memoir, The
Guerreros of Ermita (1988).
Guerrero taught and trained many notable figures in the
Philippine Performing Arts: Behn Cervantes, Celia Diaz-Laurel,
Joy Virata, and Joonee Gamboa.

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Hermogenes Ilagan
Hermogenes Ilagan (19 April 1873 in Bigaa, Bulacan – 27 February
1943) was a Filipino tenor, writer, stage actor, and playwright. He was
a descendant of Francisco Baltazar. His talent in singing made him
popular in the field of theater arts. He became known as the Father
of Tagalog Zarzuela and the Father of Philippine Zarzuela.
Among the zarzuelas that Ilagan wrote and produced were:

 Ang Buhay nga Naman (That's How Life Is)

 Ang Buwan ng Oktubre (The Month of October)
 Bill de Divorcio (Divorce Bill)
 Dahil kay Ina (Because of Mother)
 Dalagang Bukid (Country Maiden)
 Dalawang Hangal (Two Fools)
 Después de Dios, el Dinero (After God, the Money)
 Ilaw ng Katotohanan (Light of Truth)
 Kagalingan ng Bayan (Country's Benefit)
 Venus (Ang Operang Putol) (Venus, The Incomplete Opera)
 Wagas na Pag-ibig (True Love)
 Sangla ni Rita, isang Uno't Cero (Rita's Pawnage, a One and [a] Zero)
 Centro Pericultura (Periculture Center)
 Panarak ni Rosa (alternatively known as Punyal ni Rosa) (Rosa's Dagger)
 Lucha Electoral (Electoral Fight)

Malou Jacob
Malou Leviste Jacob is a Filipino playwright. She was a recipient of the
S.E.A. Write Award. She has been a resident playwright of PETA. She
has been a teacher in playwriting workshops of PETA-CITASA and has
also been creative consultant of Communication Foundation for Asia.
Works she has written for PETA Kalinangan Ensemble include

 Timbangan ay Tagilid (1970)

 Aidao (1972, co-written by Franklin Osorio)
 Raha Sulayman at Megat Salamay (1978)
 Juan Tamban (1979)
 Ang Mahabang Pagdadalawang Isip sa Maikling Buhay ng Isang Peti-
Burgis (1982).
 Pepe
Quotes:
"A playwright cannot work in isolation. A playwright must be in touch
with the realities behind our make-believe world."

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 Amelia Bonifacio
Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio (born April 4, 1930) is a Filipino
playwright, puppeteer, and educator known as the "Grande Dame
of Southeast Asian Children’s Theatre." She was recognized in
2018 as a National Artist of the Philippines for Theater - a
conferment which represents the Philippine state's highest
recognition for artists. In February 2010, the University of the
Philippines’ Department of Speech Communication and Theatre
Arts conferred her the title “Mother of Philippine Puppetry” to
recognize her efforts in promoting Philippine stories and Asian
puppetry and eventually creating a Philippine puppet tradition.

CHECK
EQUIP
24 Philippine Artists
A. Read each statement below carefully and fill in the blank with Shaping Local
the correct answer. Contemporary Art
https://daydreaminginpa
_______1. This painting style is inspired by the theories of dreams radise.com/24-
and the unconscious—creating imagery that is philippine-artists-
impossible in reality, juxtaposing unlikely forms onto shaping-local-
unimaginable landscapes. contemporary-art/
_______2. This painting style sought to express the meaning of
emotional experience rather than physical reality.
_______3. This painting style refers specifically to a kind of reductive abstract art that emerged
during the early 1960s.
_______4. He is known for his series of works centering on his muse “Sabel,” inspired by a
scavenger woman whom he photographed and sketched in 1965.
_______5. He illustrated “Ang Panday”, a novel by Carlo Caparas.
_______6. He is said to have shot all the Philippine Presidents because of his consistent coverage
of all their reign as leaders.
_______7. He was famously known for his trademark sculptures such as the “Tikbalang”, a centaur
of home grown “lower mythology” that symbolizes male virility.
_______8. He is a Filipino writer who explored in his novel, The Volcano, the relationship between
races, and equates the Filipino with the volcano, dormant but with much potential power.
_______9. It is a form of theatre or performance that involves the manipulation of puppets –
inanimate objects, often resembling some type of person or animal figure that are
animated or manipulated by a human called a puppeteer.
_______10. He became known as the Father of Tagalog Zarzuela and the Father of Philippine
Zarzuela.

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 B. Identify the style/s of painting used on the artwork in every item and explain your answer.
(10pts)
1. _________________ 2.
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________ “Further Down the River”
_________________ by Katrina Pallon
_________________
_________________ ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
“La Parisienne” by Felix
___________________________________________
Resurreccion Hidalgo ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
_______________________

C. Search one web-based photograph taken by a Filipino photographer for each of the
following styles of photography – Portrait, Still Life, Fashion, and Editorial Photography -
and post them on the chart provided. (20pts)

Portrait Photography Still Life Photography

Photographer: Photographer:

Source: Source:

Fashion Photography Editorial Photography

Photographer: Photographer:

Source: Source:

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 BUILD

A. Choose one artist mentioned in this lesson that struck you the most and state your reason
why. (30pts)

Filipino Painter

Filipino Cartoonist

Filipino Photographer

Filipino Sculptor

Filipino Writer

Filipino Playwright

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 B. Soap Carving
Materials: bath soap/bar soap
chisel/blade or any available sharp tool used for carving

Directions:
Step 1. Using the the materials stated above, make a sculpture of any
object that represents the artist mentioned in this lesson that you
like the most.
Step 2. Take a photo of the materials you will use for this activity and the
progress of your work.
Step 3. Attach your pictures on the chart below.

Optional: To make your output more creative, you may use other available art
materials/media on your sculpture.

Criteria:

CARVING SKILLS - 5
(Uses excellent soap carving
skills such as subtracting
small amount of the soap)

ACCURACY & NEATNESS - 5

(Carving model is very
neat with clear and accurate
finishing touch)

QUALITY OF PRODUCT - 10
(Presents excellent results,
creativity and originality)

TOTAL POINTS: 20

Materials Progress #1

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Progress #2 Progress #3

Progress #4 Finished-Product

Description:

C. Puppet Play
Directions:
Step 1. Watch this video on Youtube as a sample output for this activity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t0GL1NyGsE
Step 2. Using your hands, perform a 1minute Puppet Play related to your
chosen hashtag stated below.
- #ImProudPinoy
- #LabanPilipinas
- #PinasRoadtoProgress
Step 3. Video shoot your performance and then afterwards, submit its
video file via LMS. (No editing required)
Language: You may use Filipino, Cebuano or English language for your narration/script.
Optional: You may put designs on your hands as your puppet characters and
background music to your performance.
Note: Avoid profanity or any inappropriate words on your script/narration. If you do
so, your work will not be accpeted.

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Criteria:

CONTENT - 10
(The script or storyline strongly
conveys ideas relevant to the chosen
hashtag.)

PERFORMANCE - 5
(The show reflects effort, attention to
detail and care in presentation.)

CREATIVITY - 5
(The work includes an array of original
and creative ideas. It is presented with
the audience clearly in mind.)

TOTAL POINTS: 20

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