3 The Evolution of Philippine

Arts

This part of module gives you the different art forms and a brief overview of major themes of
Philippine art history, from pre – conquest down to modern and contemporary periods. The
account put the practices are influenced by major traditions which we can trace through our long
of making and taking sense of art.

LEARNING COMPETENCIES:
At the end of this chapter, the learners will be able to:
a. Identify the major periods, artists and artworks of Philippine art
history;
b. Explain the impact of colonizers’ art works and contributions to
Philippine Culture and society;
c. Determine the changes that arts undergone during the course of
Philippine history.

Art draws inspiration from the society and at the same time it honed by the specific
conditions that engendered its production.
It is common tendency to portray the display as cutting edge. Being contemporary
implies up to date and mechanically progressed. Basically, being present day is likened with
being modern. The Gradual periods of evolvement in Contemporary arts is additionally an
excitement idea that need to be discover.
Modern art referred to as Traditional compared to contemporary Art. Contemporary art
is the art of present, which is continuously in process and in flux. It is what we call the art of
today. The distinction of modern art and contemporary could be also a matter of perception and
reception depending on the context.
Philippine Art History
I. Pre-Colonial Arts / Ethnic
Arts
Was there art before colonization?
In art chronicle terms, we imply art
a few times as of late the coming of the
essential colonizers as “pre - triumph”. In
expound terms, we infer it as natural as the
thought that our forerunners have been
making art without a doubt a few times as
of late colonization. It is also described in
cultural terms as “pre-colonial” as a term to
use the general way of life before colonization. Although the terms are interchangeable, it is also useful
to keep these distinctions in mind when studying the art of the past.
In Pre – colonial Philippines, arts are for ritual purposes or for everyday use. Art of the ancient
Filipinos were woven into the fabric of everyday life. They do not refer to art as we do today. That is, as an
expression of an individual, and seen largely in galleries and concert halls. They do 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, harvesting, rites
passage, funerary, ceremonies, weddings, among others.
Our ancestors, just like others in the world during those times, were hunter gatherers. The
forefathers hunted food and game that were shared among members of a community in a gathering
where they told stories about the hunt. They imitated the movement of animals and prey, and the sounds
that they made. But how do arts apply?
In this simple activity alone evolved ritual, music, dance, theater and yes even literature. When
they told stories about the hunt, this form of oral story telling marked the beginnings of the literature.
When they imitated movements of the animals they hunted, this marked the early beginnings of theater
or play acting. When they learned to add drum beating and attach rhythm to their movements, they have
given birth to music and dance.
The pre- colonial peoples of the Philippines already possessed a varied and vibrant musicale
culture. The country’s indigenous cultures through the existence of ethnic musical instruments such as
pipes, flutes, zithers, drums, various string instruments like kudyapi, a three stringed guitar, the
kulintang – an array bossed gongs, the gansa or flat gong, bamboo percussion instruments, and the gong
– large bossed gong.
Native Dance Forms imitated from the movements of the animals
Pangalay dance (Sulu) is mimetic of the movements of the sea birds
Mandaya’ Kinabua, Banog banog is imitated the movements of predatory birds.
(Higaonon & B’laan), and
Ma- manok (Bagobos in Mindanao)
Talip dance (Ifugao) that is used for courtship is mimetic of the
movements of wild fowls.
Inamo dance (Matigsalugs) and represent the comedic movement of the monkey
Kadaliwas dance (T’Boli)
Tinikling dance evocative of the movements of the crane,
balancing itself on stilt – like legs or flirting away
from the clutches of bamboo traps.

Famous Artworks During Pre – Colonial

1. Carving
• Bulul (Cordillera) a granary God that plays an important role in rituals
• Hagabi (Ifugao) a wooden bench
• Santos / sculptures of saints (Laguna and Pampanga)
• Okir (Tausug / Samal / Badjao) mythical sarimanok, the naga or serpent.
• Manunggul Jar discovered at Manunggul cave of Palawan

2. Weaving
• Textile weaving
a. Pis siyabit (Tausug of Sulu) a headpiece woven
b. Malong (Maranao of Lanao del Sur)
• Mat and basket weaving
a. Tepo mat (Sama of Tawi-Tawi) a double layered made of Pandan leaves.
b. Ovaloid basket (Itbayat, Batanes) a head sling made of nito or bamboo used
to carry the harvests.
c. Bubo (Ilocos region) a sturdy bamboo strips used to trap the fish.

3. Ornamentation - representations of various ethnolinguistic groups.

a. Wearing gold jewelry (upper class Tagalog)
b. Tattooing (Visayan) it is believed to protect the individual from evil spirits, it
is also a sign of bravery and maturity.
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I. ISLAMIC ERA

(13TH Century)

How did Islam influence art

before the coming of Spanish
colonizers?
Islamic is characterized by
geometric designs and patter
selecting focus from the believers.
Even before the coming of Spanish
colonizers, Islam was already well
entrenched in Southern Philippines.
Filipino Muslims recognize that they
belong to an “ummah” or a community
of believers. Central to the Islam is faith in the doctrine of unity of God. This belief emphasizes the
impermanence of nature and the incomprehensible greatness of the Divine Being.
In Islamic art we can observe how artist are influenced by the notion of the Tawhid, we will find
that the interior of mosques is covered with elaborate patterning in the form of reliefs to draw the
attention away from the concrete object, in other words away from human forms and nature toward the
contemplation of the divine
Happenings during Islamic Era
1. Sultanate of Sulu was established Sayyid Abbubakar
2. Qura or holy text was introduced
3. Building of religious school called Madrasah
4. Natives from Yakans , Basilan and Zamboanga were converted to Islam
5. Islamazation process In Mindanao became strong.
6. Islam became the religion and as a way of life of people in Mindanao (Tausug, Maranao,
Maguindanao, Yakan, Samal, Badjao).

II. SPANISH ERA

(1521 – 1898)
https://bit.ly/2VqsfLYl
What kinds of art
developed during Spanish
Colonization?
Art became a hand
maiden of religion, serving to
propagate the Catholic faith
and thus support the colonial
order at the same time.
Religious orders were
dispatched to convert the
natives to Catholicism as part of the larger project culturally as religious art, lowland Christian art or folk
art. During this period, cruciform churches following the shape of the Latin cross were built. In keeping
with the prevailing, they were characterized by grandeur, drama, and elaborate details that purposely
appealed to the emotions. The use of adobe, limestone or brick and the construction of thick buttresses
or wing like projections reinforce the church structure to make it more resistant to earthquake. In other
words, the result is a fusion of both native and European elements, prompting some art historians to
refer to the style as colonial baroque or Philippine or tropical baroque.
Important Happenings related to Art during Spanish Era
• Chinese artisans were engaged in making icons or saints made in wood or ivory
• Colonial churches were built
• Western musical instruments were introduced such as pipe organ, violin, guitar,
and piano
• Catholic liturgical music was introduced in 1742
• Choral music to boys were introduced and created the first Filipino composers
named Marcelo Adonay (1848 – 1928)
• Musical form based on Catholic faith have emerge in the Pasyon – the biblical of
Christ’s passion chanted in an improvise melody.
• Secular music was formed; the awit and the corridor – these were the two musical
forms based on European literature and history.
• Kundiman became a vehicle for conflict – the lyrics were that of unrequited love,
except that the love object was the Philippines who would be cleverly concealed
as beautiful woman.
• Mangyans made the baybayin script made of bamboo poles cut into smaller
nodes that are carved used to composed short poems, expressing one’s feelings
and other emotional concerns. Pomp and pageantry of religious processions were
introduced.
• Zarzuela was introduced, it was an opera which features singing and dancing
with prosed dialogue which allowed the story to be carried out in a song.
• Severino Reyes and Hermogenes Ilagan were awarded as the most
distinguished playwrights as they wrote zarzuela in Tagalog
• Honorata “Atang” dela Rama awarded as the most celebrated leading actress
• The first Senakulo was written in 1704 by Gaspar Aquino de Belen
• Komedya were also introduced; komedya de santo (it centers on life of Christ)
and Secular Komedya.
• Folk dances such as carinosa, pandango, polka, dansa and rigodon, habanera, and
tango were introduced.
• Visual arts, and paintings must be visual interpretation of biblical texts center to
Catholic devotion ex. Heaven Earth and Hell by Jose Dans (1850)
• Reprographic art of printmaking was introduced, Doctrina Christiana is an
example, the first printed book in the Philippines compiling song lyrics,
commandments, sacraments and other catechetical material.
• Juan Luna (Spolarium) won gold medals and Felix Resurrection Hidalgo
(Virgenes christianas expuestas al populacho) won silver medals
 Famous Artists and Their Artworks During Spanish Era:
Visual Arts:
1. Damian Domingo – water color albums of tipos
2. Juan Luna – Spoliarium, Espana y Filipinas
3. Felix Resurrection Hidalgo – Virgenes christianas expuestas al populacho
4. Lorenzo Guerrero - The Water Carrier
5. Simon Flores – Portrait of the Quiazon Family
6. Jose Dans – Heaven, Earth, Hell
7. Esteban Villanueva - Basi Revolt
Miniature painters Engraver:
1. Antonio Malantic 1. Francisco Suarez
2. Isidro Arceo, 2. Nicolas Engraver
3. Dionesio de Castro 3. Laureano Atlas
4. Justiniano Assuncion 4. Felipe Sevilla

Musician – Composer Theater artist:

1. Marcelo Adonay 1. Honorata “Atang” dela Rama
Writers:
1. Severino Reyes - Zarzuela
2. Hermogenes Ilagan – Zarzuela
3. Gaspar Aquino de Belen – Senakulo

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III. AMERICAN ERA (1898 – 1940)

to the Post War Republic (1946 –
1969)
What were the changes
brought about by American
Colonization? How were they differ
from the religious forms of the
Spanish colonial period?
In the American regime,
commercial and advertising arts
were integrated into fine arts
curriculum. Moreover, Americans
favored idyllic sceneries and
secular forms of arts. Because, the
lingua franca of this period was
English, poems and stories from books were dramatize in classroom, to facilitate the teaching of the English
language. Unlike, the Spanish, the Americans passionate thought their language through an efficient public
school system.
 In less than decade, Filipino playwrights began to write plays in English. In the beginning of the
th
20 century, new urban pattern that responded to the secular goals of education, health and governance
was imposed. The new patrons of the arts included the Americans who engaged in governance and
education, business and tourism. The demand for artists who could do illustrations in textbooks or
graphic design to product labels thus emerged. The inclination towards genre, still life and portrait
paintings persisted. Landscapes on the other hand, became cherished as travel souvenirs, especially
those that captured the exotic qualities of Philippine terrain. In 1909, a year after the establishment of
the University of the Philippines, its School of Fine Arts was opened. It also offered a course on
commercial design to fulfill the aforementioned demand. For some time, the academic (a term referring
to the kind of art was influenced by European academies) tradition of painting and sculpture in the
manner of Amorsolo and Tolentino prevailed in the art scene.
Famous Artist during American Era
1. Juan Abad – Tanikalang Ginto (Golden Chain) (1902)
2. Juan Matapang Cruz – Hindi ako Patay (I am Not Dead) 1903
3. Aurelio Tolentino – Kahapon , Ngayon at Bukas (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow )
a. (The above 3 artists emphasized their works a deep profound yearning for freedom.)

4. Daniel Burnham (architect) - He design Manila and Baguio

5. William Parsons – implanted Burnham Plan – an urban designed employed Neoclassic
architecture.
6. Thomas Mapua, Andres Luna de San Pedro, Antonio Toledo - Filipino architects who designed
buildings during the period.
7. Fabian dela Rosa (naturalists Painter) – Planting Rice (1921), El Kundiman (1930)
8. Fernado Amorsolo
• romantic painter – Dalagang Filipina, idyllic landscapes, historical paintings
• graphic artist –The Philippine Readers (book) The Independent (newspaper)
• logo designer - Ginebra San Miguel.
9. Guillermo Tolentino (sculpture) – Oblation (1935) UP Oblation (1958) Bonifacio Monument
(1933).
IV. JAPANESE ERA (1941 – 1945)
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Since the Japanese
advocated for the culture of East
Asia, preference was given to
the indigenous art and traditions
of the Philippines. This
emphasized their propaganda in
Asia. Under the Japanese
occupation of Manila, the
Modern Art Project would slow
down in pace. Early moderns
and conservatives alike
continued to produce art and
even participated in KALIBAPI
 (Kapisanan sa Paglingkod ng Bagong Pilipinas) sponsored art competitions.
Nevertheless, art production once again tilted to fulfill the agenda and demands of the new colonial
order. The Japanese forces led the formation of the greater East Asia Co – Prosperity Sphere, a
propaganda movement that sought to create a Pan – Asian identity rejected Western traditions. The
productions of images, texts, and music underwent scrutiny.
In music, the composer National Artist Felipe de Leon was said to have been commanded to write AWIT
SA PAGLIKHA NG BAGONG PILIPINAS. Declared as the anthem specifically for the period, it conveyed
allegiance to the nation reared in East Asia, where Japan was actively asserting its political power.
Genre paintings were the most widely produced, particularly those that presented a neutral
relationship between Filipinos and the Japanese through works that showed the normality of daily living.
Famous Artist and their Artworks during Japanese Era
1. Fernado Amorsolo (painting)
• Harvest scene, 1942
• Rice Plating, 1942
• Bombing of the Intendencia (1942)
• Ruins of Manila Cathedral (1945)
2. Sylvia La Torre (song)
• Sa Kabukiran
3. Levi Celerio (composer)
• Sa Kabukiran
4. Felipe P. de Leon (composer)
• Awit sa Paglikha ng Bagong Pilipinas
5. Crispin Lopez (painting)
• Study of an Aeta (1943)
6. Diosdado Lorenzo (painting)
• Atrocities in Paco
7. Dominador Castaneda (painting)
• Doomed Family (1945)

V. MODERN ERA (Neo Realism,

Abstraction Modern styles)

What is Modern Art?

Modern art is quite different from
contemporary art especially when in terms
of history and styles.
Modern era in the Philippine art
began after World War 2 and the granting
independence. Writers and Artists posed
the question of national identity as the
main theme of various art forms.
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 It is referred to as traditional compared to contemporary art. The styles of modern art for
example are now part of art and curricula and have become academic.
The most well- known proponent of Modern art painting is Victorio Edades whose work were
initially rejected and misunderstood but later on his modernist sensibility was shared by several artists. In
this era artists explored various mediums, techniques and themes that were at that time considered
“new”.
There was an exploration of subject matter, content, and form. Using modernists figuration,
many of the artists explored folk themes and also crafted commentaries on the urban condition and the
effects of the war.
Modern artists do not aim to copy and idealize reality; instead, they change the colors flatten the
picture instead of creating illusions of depth, nearness and farness. They depict what might be thought
of as “ugly “and unpleasant instead of the beautiful and pastoral.
Another strand of Modern art is abstraction. It consists of simplified forms, which avoided
mimetic representation. It is sometimes referred as nonrepresentational or non-objective art as it
emphasizes the relationship of colors, line, space or the flatness of the canvas rather than an illusion of
three dimensionality.
Modern Famous Artists and their Artworks
• Neo Realists Artist
1. Manansala – The Beggars (1952), Tuba Drinkers (1954),
2. Legaspi – Gadgets II (1949), Bad Girls (1947)
3. HR Ocampo – The Contrast (1940), Genesis (1968)
4. Ramon Estella
5. Victor Oyteza
6. Romeo Tabuena
• Abstractionist Artists
1. Constancio Abenardo
2. Lee Aguinaldo
3. Jose Joya
4. Fernando Zobel
5. Arturo Luz – Street Musicians (1952)
6. Nina Saguil - Cargadores (1951)

Modern Architectural Structures:

1. Church of Holy Sacrifice (1955)
2. Church of the Risen Lord
3. Chapel of Saint Joseph the worker
 VI. CONTEMPORARY ART.

What is contemporary art? Is

it similar to Modern art? What are the
general characteristics of
contemporary art?
Contemporary art is much
different from Modern art as it said
earlier modern art is referred
“traditional” compared to
contemporary art. How would that
be? An example is the work of
Fernando Amorsolo, he painted his
painting “Harvest Scene in 1942. At
that time, the painting was
considered contemporary. Today, we
refer to that work as an example of Modern art produced during Japanese era. But some of the artists
continue to produce work ‘til today and in that sense their works can be describe as contemporary by
virtue of being of the present.
What contemporary really is? Contemporary art is an art of today produced by artists living of
today. It is a fluid term, and its use can change depending on the context.
Philippine Contemporary Art was an offshoot of social realism brought about by Martial Law.
Arts became expression of people’s aspiration for a just, free and sovereign society.
Artists use mixed media. Their artworks are site specific, process - based and they integrate
various art forms.
Contemporary art has the following characteristics;
a. collaborative / participative
b. interactive
c. Process - oriented (meaning that there is less emphasis on the finished product and
a single author or creator. There is a wide range of strategies, media and techniques)
d. Site specific (they cannot be experienced in the same way if we remove from their
original place.

Contemporary art is distinguishable from Modern art in historical, stylistic, and cultural terms.
Important Happenings During the Rise of Contemporary Art
• Many cultural projects ensued amid the backdrop of poverty and volatile social
conditions under the leadership Of Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Marcos in 1965
• Martial Law was Declared on September 21, 1972
• New Society or Bagong Lipunan was built by Marcos in which the main focus is to rebirth
the lost civilization and aspiration to modernization and development in which the main
vision is to combine the fine arts, architecture, architecture, interior design, tourism,
convention city building, engineering, urban planning, health and among many others
through an art and culture program.
Summary
In the Philippine art history, since Filipinos were influenced by different colonizers, it
gave us an opportunity to learn many art forms during the different eras.
• Ethnic era emphases on the integral life
• Islamic era focuses on geometric designs
• Spanish era teaches us about faith and catechism
• American era emphases on secular forms of arts
• Japanese era focuses on Orientalizing
• Modern era teaches us about national identity and
• Contemporary era teaches us about social realism.
Our forefathers and artists might experience bumpy and cranky along their journey on
these eras but nevertheless it inspired and motivated them to pursue their passion in arts, thus
it gives us a clear explanation how and why we have the so called – contemporary arts.