SHS

Contemporary Arts from the

Region
Module 3
Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Region
Module 3
First Edition, 2020

Copyright © 2020
La Union Schools Division
Region I

All rights reserved. No part of this module may be reproduced in any form without written
permission from the copyright owners.

Development Team of the Module

Author: Mijusa O. Villanueva

Editor: SDO La Union, Learning Resource Quality Assurance Team
Illustrator: Ernesto F. Ramos Jr., P II

Management Team:

Atty. Donato D. Balderas, Jr.

Schools Division Superintendent
Vivian Luz S. Pagatpatan, Ph.D
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
German E. Flora, Ph.D, CID Chief
Virgilio C. Boado, Ph.D, EPS in Charge of LRMS
Delia P. Hufalar, Ph.D, EPS in Charge of MAPEH
Michael Jason D. Morales, PDO II
Claire P. Toluyen, Librarian II
Contemporary Philippine
Arts from the Region
Module 3
 Target

Contemporary art is the art of today which is produced by artists who are
living in the twenty-first century and is composed of a dynamic combination of
materials, methods, concepts, and subjects that challenge traditional boundaries
and defy easy definition because of its diverse and eclectic attributes. Despite the
very lack of a uniform, organizing principle, ideology, or ‘ism’, contemporary art can
also provide us an opportunity to reflect on contemporary society and the issues
relevant to ourselves, and the world around us, giving us a glimpse and partaking a
part of a cultural dialogue that concerns larger contextual frameworks such as
personal and cultural identity, family, community, and nationality.
In your previous lesson, you learned about the various contemporary art
forms and their practices from the various regions as well as the various
contemporary art forms in the Philippines.
This module will provide you with information and activities that will help
you understand the contributions and roles of Filipino artists in this generations
flourishing of contemporary arts as reflected in this learning competency:
 explains Filipino artists’ roles and identify their contribution to
contemporary arts (CAR11/12CAP-0c-e-5)

Before going on, check how much you know about this topic.
Answer the Pretest below on a separate sheet of paper.

Directions: Choose your answer from the choices given.

1. What is Photorealism?
A. It is realism in painting characterized by extremely meticulous depiction of
detail.
B. It is realism in painting where certain parts are emphasized or highlighted
to accentuate meaning portrayed by the artwork.
C. It is the theory or practice in art of applying small strokes or dots of color
to a surface so that from a distance they blend together.
D. It is the principles or practice of producing fantastic or incongruous
imagery or effects in art, literature, film, or theater by means of unnatural or
irrational juxtapositions and combinations.

2. Who among the following Filipino contemporary artists employ photorealism in

her/his artworks?
A. Andres Barrioquinto
B. Nikki Luna
C. Leeroy New
D. Nona Garcia

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3. What is surrealism?
A. It is realism in painting characterized by extremely meticulous depiction of
detail.
B. It is realism in painting where certain parts are emphasized or highlighted
to accentuate meaning portrayed by the artwork.
C. It is the theory or practice in art of applying small strokes or dots of color
to a surface so that from a distance they blend together.
D. It is the principles or practice of producing fantastic or incongruous
imagery or effects in art, literature, film, or theater by means of unnatural or
irrational juxtapositions and combinations.

4. Who among the following Filipino contemporary artists is famous for his mix of
monochrome and technicolor challenging the old perspectives of the beautiful by
bringing you up close and personal with the strange and imperfect?
A. Andres Barrioquinto C. Geraldine Javier
B. Ernest Conception D. Ronald Ventura

5. How do the Filipino contemporary artists contribute to the development of

Philippine identity both in local and international scenes?

A. They contribute to the development of Philippine identity both in local

and international scenes through their artworks which are abstracted reflections
on Philippine history, social issues, and human experience.
B. They contribute to the development of Philippine identity both in local
and international scenes through their artworks inviting people to criticize the
environmental, sociopolitical, and personal history of the Filipino people.
C. Either A or B.
D. Neither A nor B.

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 Jumpstart

For you to understand the lesson well, do the following activities.

Have fun and good luck!

Activity 1: Message in the Painting

Directions: Look carefully at the paintings below and share your thoughts and
feelings about what you think they mean or symbolize. Write your thoughts on a
separate sheet of paper.

SUPER THAN SUPERMAN,

OMG, 2015. Ernest Concepcion 2018. Ronald Ventura

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 Discover

With the advent of technology, art in the Philippines is no longer confined in

galleries where only the rich and privileged have access to. Nowadays, you can now
look and admire some of the best contemporary arts in the Philippines by simply
opening your mobile phones, iPads, or laptops, making Philippine arts and culture
more accessible now than ever. Moving beyond traditional and standard museum
fanfare, Philippine art now moves in a way where common folks can digest what lies
beyond the mixes of colors, decipher messages under the guise of emotion-filled
tunes and melodies, and capture the beauty which words alone cannot purely
describe.

To familiarize yourself with the modern art scene in the country, we will study
about Filipino contemporary artists and their works.

Nona Garcia
Nona Garcia is perhaps one of the best-
known artists in the Philippine art scene at the
moment. Born in 1978 in Manila, she received her
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from the
University of the Philippines. Based primarily in
Baguio, her work has been exhibited in countless
galleries both local and abroad. She won the
Grand Prize in the Philip Morris ASEAN Art Award
(2000), and is also a recipient of the Cultural
Center of the Philippines (CCP) Thirteen Artists
Award (2003).

Among her solo shows are False Apparitions (Singapore, 2012), Before the Sea
(Manila, 2012), Unearth (Berlin, 2015), and Before
the Sky (Manila, 2016). Nona Garcia is known for
employing the use of stark realism to bring into
question what the true meaning of
representation is. Her use of photorealism centers
everyday objects, cultural artifacts, or people,
inviting the viewers to explore the environmental,
sociopolitical, and personal histories of her
subjects. Although famous for her paintings, she
also employs the use of paper cutouts, x-rays,
and lightboxes in her works.

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 Her attention to detail and incredible skill are unlike any other, making her a
favorite of collectors, art enthusiasts, and laypeople alike.

Andres Barrioquinto
Andres Barrioquinto’s multi-awarded work is both striking and
unforgettable, and his iconic and surreal painting style has made him successful in
the local and international art scenes. A graduate of the University of Santo Tomas
fine Arts program, Barrioquinto has been fondly called the Dark Man of Philippine
Art due to his use of the macabre in many of his works. He has participated in
shows both in the country and abroad, including Singapore and Taipei. In addition
to this, he also had a recent major showcase of portraits at the National Museum in
November.

Barrioquinto’s work is notable for its use of juxtaposition and scale. His
portraits are famously a mix of the monochrome and the technicolor. With his
subjects in black and white framed by an explosion of color, his paintings assault
the senses and leave viewers reeling. While the mainstream perspective on art is
that it must be beautiful, Barrioquinto challenges old perspectives and brings you
up close and personal with the strange and imperfect. One of the CCP’s Thirteen
Artists of 2003, Andres Barrioquinto’s works have also pulled in huge numbers at
auctions in the Philippines and abroad. His painting Skulls and Butterflies pulled in
HKD 620,000 at an auction, almost 15 times its asking price.

Leeroy New
When it comes to the history of
Philippine arts and culture, you’d be
hard-pressed to find a more distinctive
style across a variety of mediums than
Leeroy New’s. A native of General
Santos City, New graduated from the
Philippine High School for the Arts and
the University of the Philippines
College of Fine Arts. His work has
garnered him a number of accolades
and awards, including the 2005
Metrobank Art
Awards, the 2009 Ateneo Art Awards, a nomination for the 2011 Signature Art
Prize in Singapore, the 2012 CCP 13 Artists Award, and the 2014 Metrobank
Foundation Award.

Leeroy New has employed a variety of mediums for his artwork, including
production design, public art, product design, and wearable art. However, he’s
perhaps best known for his iconic sculptures, which blend together a variety of
shapes, colors, and forms to challenge the viewer. New’s lifelong fascination with
monsters has led him to create pieces that are out of this world, making him one of
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the most prominent names in the Philippine sculpture and visual arts scenes. His
work has also been featured in television shows such as Bagani (2018).

Nikki Luna
One of the most prominent female artists
in Philippine arts circles today, Nikki Luna’s
work brings together advocacy and art. Luna is
a graduate of the University of the Philippines’
Fine Arts program, focusing on visual art. She
also received a Chevening Award, allowing her
to take a masters in Art and Education at the
University of London in the UK. Her work has
been exhibited in the CCP, Vargas Museum, and
Lopez Memorial Museum, among others. In
addition, she has also been featured in the Aichi
Triennale, Singapore Biennale, Beijing Binnale,
and Le Festival International des textiles Extra
Ordinaires.

Luna’s work is notable for highlighting issues of women, including the issues
of rape, sexual harassment, domestic workers, and migrant workers. She authored
the book I Love My Body (2018), highlighting body positivity and awareness. She also
recently completed a solo exhibition at the 1335 Mabini Gallery called This is how
to be a woman of the world. Besides gallery work, Luna also employs her art in her
activism. She has conducted various art therapy workshops in conflict zones in the
Philippines, and uses her work to speak out against social issues like extrajudicial
killings, misogyny, and rape culture.

Rodel Tapaya
Rodel Tapaya is one of the top names in Philippine painting and visual art,
and his work has garnered him critical acclaim both in the country and abroad.
Born in 1980 in Montalban, Rizal, Tapaya first broke out into the scene when he
won the Nokia Art Awards in 2001. This enabled him to take drawing and painting
courses in prestigious institutions such as the Parsons School of Design in New
York, USA, and the University of Helsinki in Finland. Additionally, Tapaya won the
2011 Signature Art Prize, was named one of CCP’s 13 Artists of 2012, and has been
shortlisted several times for the Ateneo Art Awards, among others.

Tapaya’s first solo show outside the country was in 2008 and was entitled
Rodel Tapaya: Folkgotten. This marked a shift in subject matter and medium, and
Tapaya began to explore the themes of Philippine mythology and folktales for which
he’s known today. Rodel Tapaya’s artworks and paintings are notable for their mix
of Filipino folk culture and history, which he uses to offer commentary on

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contemporary social issues. His complex compositions and use of vivid colors and
patterns have made his work a favorite of collectors and art enthusiasts.

Ernest Concepcion
Ernest Concepcion is well known for his highly complex and experimental
paintings, which play with texture and color to create images that arrest the viewer’s
eyes. Born in 1977, he graduated from the University of the Philippines with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts. He has participated in a number of art residences in New York,
where he stayed for several years. Concepcion has exhibited in galleries both in the
Philippines and in the United States, including solo exhibitions and group shows. He
has also received the CCP’s 13 Artists of 2015 award, among others.

Concepcion is notable for his use of color and texture in his artworks. His
paintings are abstracted reflections on Philippine history, social issues, and the
human experience. By experimenting with composition, form, color, and textures,
Concepcion’s works challenge the viewers’ preconceptions of what is or isn’t possible
in art. Concepcion’s pieces are set apart by his use of different techniques, styles,
and media in order to put together images that are disjointed and unified at the same
time. He currently splits his time between Manila and Brooklyn.

Annie Cabigting
Annie Cabigting is one of this generation
of artists’ technical masters, and her work is
well-known both for its adherence to real life
form, and for its ability to challenge the viewer.
She graduated from the University of the
Philippines with a Major in Painting in 1994,
and has since been exhibited in dozens of
galleries. She has over a dozen solo exhibitions,
including ones in Singapore, Malaysia, and the
Philippines. She also won the Ateneo Art
Awards in 2005, among others, and her work
was also included in the Prague Biennale.

Cabigting is perhaps most known for her ability to force her viewers to
question ideas of authorship, reproduction, and point of view. Her recent show,
Museum Watching, featured photorealistic paintings of people observing famous
artworks. This playfulness in exploring the dynamic between subject and viewer has
been present throughout her career. In addition to original work, Cabigting has also
made reproductions of pieces by Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and local artists.
Her ability to play around with the act of observation has made her a favorite of
collectors and laypeople alike.

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Dex Fernandez
Dex Fernandez is a rising name among young
artists in the Philippines, and it’s immediately
evident why. Perhaps best known for his cartoonish,
many- legged subject “Garapata,” Fernandez’s work
is playful and street-smart, bringing a modern
sensibility to many of Manila’s galleries.

He studied Fine Art and Advertising at the

Technological University of the Philippines before
working as a graphic designer.

He’s had solo exhibitions in the Philippines

and the United States, as well as group exhibitions in France, Singapore, the United
States, and the Philippines. Fernandez’s work makes use of the urban landscape as
a canvas, bringing art out of staid white galleries and into the daily lives of
commuters. His Garapata stickers are a well-known sight around Manila and even
abroad. Besides his illustration, he’s also worked in mixed media,
photomanipulation, mural painting, and other styles. Fernandez’s pieces like to mix
the mundane in with the surreal, making each of his artworks an instant visual
playground for the viewer. Although he is currently based in Caloocan City, you can
find his works, and Garapata, in metropolises all over the world.

Oscar Villamiel
Oscar Villamiel is a familiar figure in the
Philippine art world, and his visceral, multi-
media installations are both instantly
recognizable and unforgettable. Born in 1953
and a graduate of the Fine Arts Program of
University of the East, he worked as a set
designer and entrepreneur for several decades.
During this period, he founded the graphic t-
shirt brand Artwork in 2002. His first
exhibition was a group exhibition of UE alumni
at the National Commission for Culture and the
Arts (NCCA), and he’s exhibited in a number of
galleries and countries since.

Villamiel’s work is well-known for its use of salvaging, with the artist using
found materials or old, recycled parts to create entirely new works. His 2014
installation art about the Philippines, Mga Damong Ligaw, employed the use of over
10,000 excised carabao horns that flowed from the gallery walls onto the floor.
Instead of focusing on prized objects, his art brings to the foreground discarded
junk and cast-off, mundane items. By doing this, he highlights the stark beauty that
can often be found in these discarded pieces.

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Geraldine Javier
Geraldine Javier is a Philippine visual artist whose work foregrounds the
tension between dynamic contrasts. Born in 1970, she initially began her career
training to be a nurse before turning to the arts. Javier rose into the spotlight when
she received the CCP’s 13 Artists Award in 2003. She first began exhibiting her work
internationally in 2004, and has been featured in dozens of galleries both in the
Philippines and abroad.

Javier has cited Roberto Chabet as one of her

top influences, and she herself takes a similar
cerebral approach to her artwork. Her work
emphasizes complexity, both of subject matter and
form. In addition to iconography from her Roman
Catholic upbringing, she also touches on the
concepts of death, emotional violence,
relationships, and social tensions. Rather than
touching on the social realism and political
commentary of her predecessors, Javier instead
paints subjects that are highly personal and
specific. Thus, she invites the viewers of her
artwork to look at the internal rather
the external, making her a favorite of galleries and collectors alike.

Ronald Ventura
Ronald Ventura has been hailed as one of the most distinctive and unique
artistic voices of his generation. Born in 1973 and educated at the University of
Santo Tomas in Manila, he’s been multi-awarded since his student days. As an
undergraduate, he won the longest-running student art competition sponsored by
Shell Corporation in 1990. His first two solo shows were in 2000, and he has since
been exhibited in the Philippines, Asia, and in Europe and the United States. Among
his many awards are the 13 Artists Award of 2003 by the CCP, and the Ateneo Art
Award in 2005.

Ronald Ventura’s artworks are known for

combining a variety of different media, and he
explores new themes, materials, and concepts in his
work. Although skilled in different media, including
photography, sculptures, and installations, he’s
particularly known for his work surrounding the
human form. By layering usually separate styles—
such as graffiti, cartoons, and photorealism— he
highlights the multiple and sometimes conflicting
identities that make up the Philippines. Ronald
Ventura’s paintings explore dynamics and contrasts,
and each piece is a unique dialogue between viewer and subject.

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Gary-Ross Pastrana
Gary-Ross Pastrana’s distinctive, conceptual oeuvres
makes him a stand-out in a country rich with artistic
talent. He received his bachelor’s degree in painting
from the University of the Philippines’ College of Fine
Arts, where he was awarded the Dominador Castañ eda
Award for Best Thesis. Subsequently, he was granted
residences in Japan and Bangkok. He received the
CCP’s 13 Artists Award in 2006, and has since been
exhibited in shows both local and abroad. He is also one of the co-founders of the
Future Prospects Art Space in Cubao, Philippines.

Pastrana’s work is known for combining concepts with context in subtle,

poetic ways. In addition to sculpture, his work has also employed the use of folded
and coiled photographs, found pictures from the internet woven together, and even
his own shirt tied to a flag pole. In one exhibit in 2018, Pastrana turned to the
“forgotten” objects in the house, highlighting them and inviting viewers to explore
their often-ignored histories. His simple yet dynamic approach to the everyday
turns the mundane into something deeply emotional, adding a complexity to even
the most deceptively simple of pieces.

Benedicto Cabrera
Benedicto Cabrera, more popularly known
as BenCab, has been hailed as one of the most
iconic artists of his generation. Awarded the
National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts
(Painting) Award in 2006, he is arguably one of
the best-selling artists in the country, with the
BenCab museum in Baguio City dedicated to his
works. He studied in the University of the
Philippines before exploring a career in art
circles in London. Subsequently, he began to
build a name for himself that led to countless
exhibitions and shows in dozens of countries
across the world.

Benedicto Cabrera’s artworks are notable for his mastery of a variety of

different media, including printmaking, painting, photography, and draftsmanship.
In particular, he is known for his series of works centering around his muse “Sabel,”
inspired by a scavenger woman whom he photographed and sketched in 1965.
Following the same vein, Benedicto Cabrera’s paintings are primarily figurative,
focusing on the female subject, and occasionally men, wrapped in swirling fabrics.
His subjects are often dressed in Filipiniana, highlighting the context of Filipino
women in society.

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Agnes Arellano
Perhaps one of the greatest Philippine sculptors of her generation, Agnes
Arellano’s work demands the viewer’s full attention. Before delving into art, Arellano
first went down a more science-oriented track, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in
Psychology and units in a Master of Arts in the same field. She finally took a Major
in Sculpture from the College of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines, kickstarting
what would be decades of success and renown. She has participated in several
exhibitions across the globe, and her work is in the permanent collections of the
Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, the Singapore Art Museum, and the APEC Sculpture
Park in Busan, South Korea.

Arellano’s sculptures are distinctive not

only for their mastery of the female form, but for
their harrowing, sometimes grotesque, and always
unforgettable subject matter. Much of her career
has been shaped by the tragic death of her family
in a fire in 1981, and many of her works
commemorate this event. In particular, her
multimedia memorial event Fire and Death – A
Labyrinth of Ritual Art was a unique installation
of memorabilia from their family home. Arellano is
known for her focus on the female body using a
variety of different sculptural materials, including
casts of her own body. She calls her sculptures “inscapes,” where she invites the
viewers to walk in and explore the core of their meaning.

Kiko Escora

Kiko Escora, also known as Manila Animal,

is a prolific, chameleon-like artist whose work
changes with every exhibition. Born in 1970, his
fascination with art began as a child, when his
father introduced him to the color wheel and
taught him to match each color with a song.
Awarded the prestigious 13 Artists Award by the
CCP in 2003, he has been exhibited numerous
times, both in solo and group shows in the
Philippines and in countries such as Indonesia
and Spain. He is a favorite of collectors, and his
pieces have sold for up to Php 1.5 million at
auctions.

Kiko Escora’s work is known for the negotiation between the themes of
intimacy and violence. His portraits, often foregrounding the subjects in stark
lighting, invite a level of scrutiny on the part of the viewer that feels both familiar
and invasive all at once. His subjects often have a particularly unnerving energy,

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with expressions and attitudes that turn the viewer from an impartial observer to
an almost voyeur. This bald-facedness allows that forces the viewer from the
passive into the active have made his work deceptively simple yet haunting.

Yasmin Sison-Ching
Yasmin Sison-Ching is a Filipina visual artist whose work lingers with you
long after you’ve turned away. Born in 1972 in Cavite, she took up a degree in
Humanities and Fine Arts and graduated from the University of the Philippines,
later taking a second degree in Painting from 1994-1997 and a Masters in Art
Education in 2001. Her work Bear fetched the highest price at the Borobudur
auction in Singapore in 2008, and she has been exhibited in Malaysia, Italy, the
Czech Republic, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.

Sison-Ching’s early work centered

on abstract expressionism. Her gestural
paintings included bright splashes of color
and expressionist figures that lacked both
form and identity. She then moved on to
representational imagery, distinctive for
her unflinching portrayal of her subjects.
In particular, her series on children in all
their moods showed her skill at drawing
out the emotions of her subjects. This
perceptiveness and connection with
viewers have made her a standout in the
Philippine art scene, and a favorite among
collectors.

Neil Pasilan
Neil Pasilan is a self-taught, multi-media artist from Bacolod. Born in 1971
and brother to fellow artist Diokno Pasilan, he displayed creativity at an early age.
In his youth, he modeled figures in clay before moving on
to other forms and media. He has been in several group
exhibitions, including 2010’s Buang in Makati City Alay
in Quezon City, and 2011 in Taguig City, Philippines.
His solo exhibitions have been at various galleries in
the Philippines, including Wes Gallery, Art Informal
Gallery, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Pasilan’s work is known for its use of multiple

layers and media, utilizing these different strata to
expose or sometimes mask different forms and subjects.
He has described himself as being most at ease when he

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is being true to himself as an artist. Subsequently, many of his works include family
members and other personal relationships.

Pasilan’s work is distinctive for its hazy yet emotion-filled approach to form,
creating emotion through abstraction where the viewer would initially assume there
was none to be found.

Kawayan de Guia
Kawayan de Guia is a growing name within the Philippine art world, and
with good reason. The son of filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik and German artist Katrin de
Guia, he was mentored by BenCab and Santiago Bose in his early years. In 2011, he
helmed the Ax(iS) Art Project to promote the local artist community in Baguio City
and the rest of the Cordilleras. He has held numerous solo exhibitions in the
Philippines and abroad, and was a guest curator in 2013 for the Singapore
Biennale. Besides the Philippines, his work has been exhibited in Australia, Japan,
China, and Germany.

De Guia’s work is notable for his seemingly disjointed juxtapositions of

different images and forms. His collages play with concepts that are often difficult
to pair, such as religion and consumerism, in collages that play with both shape and
color. By placing these outwardly disparate concepts together, he invites the viewer
to construct their own meaning of their relationships. The chaotic landscapes of his
artworks also invite the viewer to explore feelings of discontent and disarticulation,
and leave them with lingering feelings of restlessness long after they’ve left.

Mark Salvatus
Mark Salvatus is an intermedia artist who has been slowly but surely rising
in prominence in the Philippine art scene. Born in 1980 and educated at the
University of Santo Tomas College of Fine Arts & Design, he won the Ateneo Art
Awards in 2010, and was named as one of the CCP’s 13 Artists of 2012. In
subsequent years, he has won residency grants and fellowships to Sweden, Japan,
and the Netherlands. He has exhibited his work in the Philippines, Japan, South
Korea, China, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United
States, among others.

Mark Salvatus calls his

artworks “Salvage Projects,” and
he is preoccupied with the idea of
movements and transitions from
one place or state of being to
another. His work discusses
urbanization and the
socioeconomic structure that
surrounds it, especially in Metro

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Manila. This urbanization and landscape is both foreground and background for
Salvatus’ pieces, manifesting through familiar objects and the everyday. With his
artworks spanning a range of media and sometimes inviting the participation of the
public itself, Salvatus has proven himself an artist of the new age.

Patricia Perez Eustaquio

Patricia Perez Eustaquio has been hailed as one of the foremost artists of her
generation. Born in 1977, she received the 13 Artists Award from the CCP in 2010,
and has been awarded several prestigious residencies. Among these residencies are
Art Omi in New York, and Stitching Id11 in Amsterdam. She has been exhibited in
dozens of galleries, and her work has awed audiences in Switzerland, Singapore,
Paris, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines, among others. In 2016, she was
commissioned by the Palais de Tokyo in France, and joined the Singapore Biennale
in the same year.

Eustaquio’s work is concerned with the idea

of vanity, focusing on materials and structures that
are carefully created and staged. Much of her work
involves the materials of craft, including fabric,
leather, lace, ceramic, and upholstery— either
handmade or industrial. Hailed by critics as a
multifaceted talent, Eustaquio is able to invite
viewers to interrogate both the artwork and the
process by which the artwork is constructed.
Detritus is framed within the structures of craft and
fashion, creating a dynamic that begs reflection and
discussion.

Martha Atienza
Martha Atienza was born to a Filipino father and Dutch mother, and this
shuttling between two cultures has been at the forefront of her creative work. She
finished a bachelor’s degree in Mixed Media and Media Art at the Aki Academy of
Visual Arts and Design in the Netherlands. Despite her young age, her prodigious
skill is readily apparent, and she’s received accolade after accolade in her decade of
work. Among these are the CCP’s 2015 13 Artists Award, the New Media Fund from
the NCCA, the 2012 Ateneo Art Awards, and residencies in Singapore, Australia, the
United States, the UK, and the Philippines.

Martha Atienza’s work is primarily known for being expressed through video
installation, which has been exhibited in various galleries across the globe. Using
the concept of a “stranger” to guide her hand, her work toes the line between
imagination and understanding. Atienza takes an almost sociological approach to
her artwork, exploring different contradictions and subjects with an almost clinical
eye. However,

15
this perceived detachment does not let the viewer forget who is behind the camera,
turning the experience into a kind of voyeurism of the voyeur.

Hannah Pettyjohn
As the daughter of Filipino ceramicisists Jon and Tessy Pettyjohn, it’s no
wonder that Hannah Pettyjohn grew up to pursue a career in the arts. Born in 1983
and now based in Dallas in the United States, Pettyjohn graduated from the
University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting. Her work has
been exhibited in the Philippines, Taiwan, the United States, Singapore, and Hong
Kong, and is included in various private collections across Southeast Asia.

Taking inspiration from her

parents’ work and her own experiences as a
Filipino- American, Pettyjohn’s work seems
to focus on the meeting and discussion
between two worlds. Her paintings are
often accompanied by sculptural works,
and fragments of memory and
autobiographical tidbits make up much of
her artwork. Her palettes are muted,
emphasizing a feeling of nostalgia and
transience. With themes of impermanence,
loneliness, anxiety, and
aimlessness, her work speaks to a new generation of individuals who feel untethered
to their own histories and societies.

Pope Bacay
A native of Oriental Mindoro, Pope Bacay is quickly rising to become one of
the most well-known young artists in the country. Having graduated from the Studio
Arts program of the University of the Philippines in only 2016, he’s quickly begun to
make waves in the local art scene in the Philippines. He had his first exhibition in
2016 entitled (t)here, and has had several group and solo shows in the few short
years since. Bacay also recently completed a
two-month art residency at the ABungalow
Residency Project in Negros Occidental.

Bacay’s work draws on the sense of

place, capturing scenes from his life in his
hometown of Roxas. Framing the everyday and
familiar within architectural structures, he
emphasizes the role of these structures in
capturing and maintaining our memories. The
visual geography on his canvases is both
foreign and familiar all at once, with
windowpanes or traditional-style houses a
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well-known sight to

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viewers. His masterful grasp of melancholy and nostalgia definitely makes him a
voice to look out for.

David Medalla
David Medalla is one of the greats of Philippine contemporary art, and any list
would be remiss not to include him. Born in Manila in 1942, he was admitted to
Columbia University in New York at the young age of 14 upon the recommendation
of American poet Mark van Doren. In the late 1950s he returned to Manila and began
his art career under the wing of several new patrons. In the 1960s, he moved to the
United Kingdom and co-founded the Signals Gallery, which presented kinetic art by
international artists. He also founded the London Biennale in 1998, and has won
numerous awards for his work.

It’s hard to put together a life more storied than

David Medalla’s. As one of the foremost artists in
kinetic art and sculpture in the world, Medalla’s
influence on Philippine contemporary art is
undeniable. He has experimented with a variety of
forms and materials, never once shying away from the
challenge to viewers and observers. He creates artwork
that allows all the body’s senses to engage with it, once
even creating a piece that would release scent pellets of
his then-boyfriend’s smell when he undressed after
coming home from work. His creativity, eloquence, and
genius are undeniable, and luckily for Philippine art he
still has more to give.

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 Explore

The world of art is fascinating, and one of the greatest splendor one can engage in is
to purchase the most beautiful works of arts.
Here’s an activity for you showing you some of best artworks of Filipino contemporary
artists. Now is your chance to buy them!

Activity: Art Auction

An art auction or fine art auction is the sale of artworks, in most cases in an
auction house. Normally, an art catalog, that lists the art works to be sold, is written
and made available well before the auction date.
In this activity, you will be introduced to the artworks available in our
auction. You can bid all you want on the best or the most eye-catching artwork you
see on our catalog below. For you to successfully buy your favorite, you need to jot
down why you want to buy it, its relevance to you, and what it shows about our
society.
Are you ready for the auction?

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 Deepen

At this point, you will unleash your inner artist and create your own artwork
revolving around the topic Year 2020 And Beyond. The scoring rubric attached
here will be used in assessing your artworks. Have fun!
What you need

¼ illustration board, any coloring material, pencil/pen/marker, magazines,

newspapers, photographs, plastic cover
What you have to do

1. Think of a concept of your artwork which reflects the theme given.

2. Use materials available based on your concept. Your imagination is the

limit.

3. Assemble your thoughts and put them in the ¼ illustration board.

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 4. After everything is done, cover your artwork using the plastic cover and
hang it. Then capture an image of it and send it through the media required by your
teacher.

Rubric for Scoring the Output

Points Creativity/Originality
The learner explored several
choices before selecting one,
generated many ideas, tried
4 unusual combinations or
changes, used problem-
solving skills.
The learner tried a few ideas
before selecting one or based
3 his/her work on someone
else’s idea, made decision
after referring to one source.
The learner tried an idea but
it lacked originality, might
2 have copied work, substituted
“symbols” for personal
expression
The learner fulfilled the
requirements of the
1 assignment, but gave no
evidence of trying anything
unusual.
The learner showed no
0 evidence of original thought
Effort/Perseverance
The project was continued
until it was complete as the
learner could make it; gave it
effort far beyond that
required.
The learner worked hard and
completed the project, but
with a bit more effort it might
have been outstanding.
The learner finished the
project, but it could have
been improved with more
effort, chose an easy project
and did it indifferently.
The project was completed
with minimum effort.
The learner did not finish the
work adequately.
Craftsmanship/Skill
The project was continued
until it was complete as the
student could make it; gave
it effort far beyond that
required.
The learner worked hard and
completed the project, but
with a bit more effort it might
have been outstanding.
The learner finished the
project, but it could have
been improved with more
effort, chose an easy project
and did it indifferently.
The project was completed
with minimum effort
The learner did not finish the
work adequately.

Gauge

Directions: Read carefully each item. use a separate sheet for your answers.
Write only the letters of the best answer for each test item.

1. What is Photorealism?
a. It is realism in painting characterized by extremely meticulous depiction of
detail.
b. It is realism in painting where certain parts are emphasized or highlighted
to accentuate meaning portrayed by the artwork.
c. It is the theory or practice in art of applying small strokes or dots of color
to a surface so that from a distance they blend together.
d. It is the principles or practice of producing fantastic or incongruous imagery
or effects in art, literature, film, or theater by means of unnatural or
irrational juxtapositions and combinations.

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2. Who among the following Filipino contemporary artists employ photorealism
in her/his artworks?
a. Andres Barrioquinto
b. Nikki Luna
c. Leeroy New
d. Nona Garcia

3. What is surrealism?
a. It is realism in painting characterized by extremely meticulous depiction of
detail.
b. It is realism in painting where certain parts are emphasized or highlighted
to accentuate meaning portrayed by the artwork.
c. It is the theory or practice in art of applying small strokes or dots of color
to a surface so that from a distance they blend together.
d. It is the principles or practice of producing fantastic or incongruous imagery
or effects in art, literature, film, or theater by means of unnatural or
irrational juxtapositions and combinations.

4. Who among the following Filipino contemporary artists is famous for his mix
of monochrome and technicolor challenging the old perspectives of the
beautiful by bringing you up close and personal with the strange and
imperfect?

a. Andres Barrioquinto c. Geraldine Javier

b. Ernest Conception d. Ronald Ventura

5. How do the Filipino contemporary artists contribute to the development of

Philippine identity both in local and international scenes?
a. They contribute to the development of Philippine identity both in local
and international scenes through their artworks which are abstracted
reflections on Philippine history, social issues, and human experience.
b. They contribute to the development of Philippine identity both in local
and international scenes through their artworks inviting people to
criticize the environmental, sociopolitical, and personal history of the
Filipino people.
c. Either A or B.
d. Neither A nor B.
6. In one of his exhibits, he turned to the “forgotten objects” in the house
highlighting them and inviting viewers to explore their often-ignored
histories.
a. Agnes Arellano c. Gary-Ross Pastrana
b. Benedicto Cabrera d. Kawayan De Guia

7. His artworks are known for combining a variety of different media, and he
explores new themes, materials, and concepts in his works. He’s particularly
known for his work surrounding the human form.
a. Annie Cabagting c. Nikki Luna
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 b. Geraldine Javier D. Ronald Ventura

8. How do the Filipino contemporary artists we discussed bring their artworks

about our society and culture into a more engaging and thought-provoking
way?
a. They bring their artworks about our society and culture into a more
engaging and thought-provoking way by challenging the old perspectives by
not focusing on prized objects but bringing their artworks to the foreground
of discarded junks and cast-off mundane items.
b. They bring their artworks about our society and culture into a more
engaging and thought-provoking way by bringing to attention everyday
objects, cultural artifacts, or people, inviting the viewers to explore the
environmental, sociopolitical, and personal histories of her subjects.
c. Either A or B.
d. Neither A nor B.

9. He is a Filipino contemporary artist whose artworks are notable for their mix
of Filipino folk culture and history and highlight his commentary on
contemporary social issues.
a. Dex Fernandez c. Neil Pasilan
b. Ernest Concepcion d. Rodel Tapaya

10. A Filipino contemporary artist whose early work centered on abstract

expressionism. Her gestural paintings included bright splashes of color and
expressionist figures that lacked both form and identity.
a. Annie Cabagting c. Nona Garcia
b. Nikki Luna d. Yasmin Sison-Ching

Great job! You are almost done with this module.

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References

Websites:

Gonzales, James. (2019, May 7). 24 Philippine Artists Shaping Local Contemporary
Art. Retrieved July 25, 2020 from https://daydreaminginparadise.com/24-
philippine-artists-shaping-local-contemporary-art/

http://www.artnet.com/artists/benedicto-cabrera/triptych-on-love-
1MEtRz5YJ1UPDMpbc9ZAXw2

https://www.artsy.net/artwork/nona-garcia-crater

https://artsy.net/oscar-villamiel-stories-of-our-time

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