Philippine

Contemporary Arts
from the Regions and
its various forms and
Practices.
The Definition
of Arts
 “Art is creating
something new,
something original and
something different. Art
is life. It is creating life
on a material and
making inanimate
objects to have life. To
create art is to give life.”

- Ramon Orlina, a glass sculptor.

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 What is art?
✘ Art 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.
✘ It is a form of creative activity such as
painting, music, literature and dance.

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 Arts through the Ages
NEW ART
FORMS
Self-Expression
CONTEMPORARY
ARTS
Fine Arts
Genius MODERN
& PERIOD
Design
ROMANTIC
PERIOD
Craftsmanship
RENEISSANCE
PERIOD
Skills
CHRISTIAN
PERIOD
Techniques
ROMAN
PERIOD
GREEK
PERIOD 5
 Contemporary Arts
✘ Contemporary art is the art that springs out of the
present-day events and passions of the society.
✘ It is the newest form of art.
✘ This art functions in a global society that is culturally
diverse and technology-oriented.
✘ It has become a collaborative process and the
audience plays an active role reacting and
constructing meaning about the work of art.

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 WHY DO WE STUDY
CONTEMPORARY ART?

 not only it belongs to our time but it also

serves as a form of expression of the
people’s present feelings and longings,
the means through which the artists of
today communicate their sentiments.

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 Modern Art
&
Contemporary Art
 Let’s review some concepts
1. Modern art refers to art 2. Modern art is 3. Modern art is more
that began in the 1880s revolutionary by its self-expressive while
while contemporary art origin(anti-romanticism), contemporary art pays
describes the works of while contemporary art attention to society, thus
artists still living and is revolutionary for the known for its social
creating artworks. freedom and magnitude impact.
of experimentation by
the artists.
4. Modern art is primarily 5. Modern art focuses on
made on canvases while the subjective
contemporary art is on representation of the
every medium that you chosen themes while
can think of video art, contemporary art takes a
tech-enabled artworks, strong stand on social,
object design, graphical political and cultural
arts. aspects of the world.

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 Contemporary Art VS Traditional Art

Contemporary Art Traditional Art

Traditional arts are kind

Contemporary art
of arts, which are a part
refers to the art of the
Description present day and of the
of any culture, skills and
knowledge of a group or
relatively recent past.
generation of people.

The art reflects

They reflect ancient
contemporary issues,
ideas, lessons and
ideas and thoughts
themes that are
Ideas Covered which are subject to
intended to impact the
reprimand behavior
current generation or
or bring change in the
people.
society.

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Contemporary Art VS Traditional Art

Contemporary
Traditional Art
Art
Many different
Key subjects that
subjects are given
Main Focus are given attention
attention; there is
in traditional art are
no specific subject
religion and culture.
that explored.
Developed after
Began in the 1880s
Era 1960s and is still
to the 1960s.
emerging.
Created by artists
Created by artists
Artists who are still alive.
who may either be
alive or dead.

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 Contemporary Art VS Traditional Art

Contemporary Art Traditional Art

A variety of materials
and techniques, Materials commonly
including new used within traditional
technologies such as art are paint pencils,
Material Used computers, three- charcoal, clay, plaster,
dimensional, live brush, pottery wheel,
elements and palette knife and others.
performances etc.
Aimed at offering a
Traditional art aimed to
fresh perspective and
represent reality or
Aim bringing in new
realism
techniques and
through narrative.
materials.

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Contemporary Art VS Traditional Art

Contemporary
Traditional Art
Art
Contemporary art Traditional art
represents or represents or
Depiction depicts depicts norms and
perspectives of all culture of a certain
societies. group of people.
Has a high degree
May contain or lack
of social, cultural
Relevance and political
social, cultural and
political relevance
relevance

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 History of Arts in the Philippines

The Philippines is a gold mine of art. The art

of the Philippines had been influenced by almost
all spheres of the globe. It had the taste of the
Renaissance, Baroque, and Modern Period
through the colonizers who arrived in the
country. The three major traditions in Philippine
art are Ethnic, Spanish, and American tradition.
Below is the table of the brief history of art in the
Philippines.

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 Ethnic Art (Pre-13 AD)

✘ Integral to life
✘ Arts for ritual purposes or for everyday use. As
local communities become established, art starts
to go beyond mere craft, i.e. stone weapons or
jewelry but starts to have decorative elements,
meaning and context.
✘ Highland people mimic the animal movements
as choreography.
✘ Pottery, weaving, wood carving and metal
crafting were dominant during this period as
visual arts.

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 Ethnic Art (Pre-13 AD)

✘ For architecture, the use of local materials such

as anahaw, bamboo, cogon, cane rattan, and
other light materials were dominant in
constructing structures.
✘ Folk literature came in the form of folk speeches,
songs, and narratives.
✘ In theater art, tribal presentations and rituals are
presented to depict their beliefs.
✘ In music, ancestors have their own bamboo flutes
and brass gongs as indigenous materials.

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 Islamic Art (13 AD)

✘ Geometric designs
✘ Characterized by geometric designs and
patterns eliciting focus from believers

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 Spanish Art (1521-1898 )

✘ Faith and Catechism

✘ 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 a problem, the friars used
images to explain the concepts behind
Catholicism, and to tell the stories of Christ’s life
and passion.
✘ Zarzuelas and operas are dominant in this period.

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 Spanish Art (1521-1898 )

Damian Domingo AKA Damian Gabor Domingo

✘ 1st Filipino to paint his face, the first self-
portrait in the Philippines.
✘ Founder of the Academia de Dibujo y Pintura,
the first school of drawing in the Philippines
(1821)
✘ "Father of Filipino Painting" ALIAS "The First
Great Filipino Painter”.

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 American Era (1898-190)

✘ From one colonizer to another – after more than

three centuries of Spanish rule, the Americans
came. They set out to conquer the Filipinos
through education and governance – the public
school system and a system of government.
✘ Fabian dela Rosa (1869 – 1937) was the first
painter of note for the 20th century. He was noted
for his realistic portraits, genre, and landscapes
in subdued colors. He was enrolled at the Escuela
de Bellas Artes y Dibujo and took lessons from
Lorenzo Guerrero.

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 American Era (1898-190)

✘ Modernism would have its seeds planted in the

1890’s with Miguel Zaragosa’s two pointillist works.
✘ Emilio Alvero later produced several Impressionist
still life paintings. But it would take an architect to
give modernism its needed boost in the country.
✘ Juan Arellano would be known as an architect but
his Impressionist landscapes are as impressive as
his buildings.
✘ Carlos “Botong” Francisco, (1913 – 1969), Angono-
based painter, depicted Philippine history in his
“History of Manila” mural at the Manila City Hall.

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 Japanese Era (1941-1945)

✘ The arrival of the Japanese caused tremendous fear,

hardships and suffering among the Filipinos.
✘ The Filipino way of life was greatly affected during
the Japanese period.
✘ The Filipinos lost their freedom of speech and
expression. The development of art was also
stopped.
✘ There were Filipinos spies hired by the Japanese to
point those who were suspected of being part of the
guerilla movement.
✘ The Japanese made some changes in the system of
education.

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 Japanese Era (1941-1945)

✘ Under their rule, the Japanese imposed their own

music on the country. Japanese music was heard
daily in radio broadcasts. Their songs were also
taught in public schools. Students, however, never
took these songs to heart.
✘ In response to the Japanese propaganda, Filipino
painters reacted by producing the following works:
“A Day Begins” by Vicente Alvarez Dizon, 1942,
genre scenes that seem neutral. Yet there were still
many artists who portrayed the atrocities of war in
their collections such as “Rape and Massacre in
Ermita” by Diosdado Lorenzo

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 Modern Era (1946-1970)

✘ Modern era in Philippine Art began after World War

2 and the granting of Independence.
✘ Writers and artists posed the question of national
identity as the main theme of various art forms.
✘ Modern art is characterized by the artist's intent to
portray a subject as it exists in the world, according
to his or her unique perspective and is typified by a
rejection of accepted or traditional styles and values.

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Contemporary Art (1970-present)
✘ Contemporary art as the work of artists who are
living in the 21st century.
✘ Contemporary art mirrors contemporary culture
and society, offering the general audiences a rich
resource through which to consider current ideas
and rethink the familiar.
✘ The work of contemporary artists is a dynamic
combination of materials, methods, concepts, and
subjects that challenges traditional boundaries and
defies easy definition.
✘ Diverse and eclectic, contemporary art is
distinguished by the very lack of a uniform
organizing principle, ideology, or -ism.
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 References
✘ Asia, J. M. [Sir Jhay-M. (2020, August 23). Introduction to
Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions (CPAR
Discussion Video-01) [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpLAMcjT6k&t=1019s
✘ Blumberg, N. (n.d.). What’s the difference between modern
and contemporary art? Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved
August 10, 2021, from
https://www.britannica.com/story/whats-the-difference-
between-modern-and-contemporary-art
✘ Contemporary art:Definition. (2018, July 17). IESA
International. https://www.iesa.edu/paris/news-
events/contemporary-art-definition

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