Lemery Colleges, Inc.

A. Bonifacio St., Brgy. Bagong Sikat, Lemery, Batangas

LEMERY COLLEGES
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Academic Year 2021-2022
SECOND SEMESTER – THIRD GRADING

CONTEMPORARY
PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM
THE REGIONS

NAME OF STUDENT
STRAND, GRADE &
SECTION

Course Code : CORE

Instructor : SHS INSTRUCTORS

NOTE
No part of this compilation may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior
written consent of the institution.

MODULE 1
INTRODUCTION TO CONTEMPORARY ARTS: FORMS OF
PHILIPPINE ARTS

OBJECTIVES

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM THE REGION

 Lemery Colleges, Inc.
A. Bonifacio St., Brgy. Bagong Sikat, Lemery, Batangas

1. Identifies various contemporary art forms and their practices from the various regions.
2. Define “contemporary arts” in the Philippines.
3. Appreciate the role of contemporary art and artists in Philippine contemporary life.

ENTRY PASS: Write your thoughts, expectations or previous learning in this subject.

 ART – art is creation. Creating something new, something original and something different. It is
creating life on a material and making inanimate objects to have life. To create art is to give life
(Ramon Orlina).
 CONTEMPORARY – current, now, the present.
 CONTEMPORARY ART – arts produced by national artist and contemporary to us.

WHAT IS ART?

The Greek philosopher Aristotle may have provided the earliest assumptions of art as linked to human
instincts. In his Poetics, Aristotle claimed that humans have instincts for imitation and harmony. He
described that these instincts are “lying deep in our nature.” He argued that human beings are the “most
imaginative of living creatures,” and through imitation, humas learn and experience pleasure. Art, then,
may be defined as a human pursuit to imitate life and the world into something pleasing and beautiful.

*Art is an imitation of life and the world rendered beautifully, which gives pleasure.
*The subject and medium are two elements of art that help in experiencing life, the world, and its
beauty.

FORMS OF ART

1. Picture (Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, and Photography) - This is a two-dimensional image of

various subjects ranging from real-life images to the visually abstract. It may be created using different
media such as chalk, charcoal, graphite, ink, oil paint, and watercolor.

2. Sculpture - This is a three-dimensional artwork that may be created using stone, marble, wood, and
concrete. It is a piece of art that is made by carving or molding clay, stone, metal, etc. early carved human
figurine are known from the cordilleras. Still today, the bulols, “Ifugao rice Gods” are kept in the house of
granary and are usually made in parts.

3. Architecture - These are structures that meant to be used as a shelter. The art of architecture relies on
the design and purpose of the structure.

4. Music - This is the art form that appeals to the sense of hearing. Music is composed by combining
notes into harmony.

5. Literature - This is the art form of language through the combined used of words, creating meaning
and experience. Written works (such as poems, plays, and novels) that re considered to be very good and
to have lasting importance. The first book printed in the Philippines is the Doctrina Christiana, see also
the written language. It had been published 1593 in Manila.

6. Theater - This is the art form of performance. Dramatic texts are portrayed on stage by actors and
actresses and are enhanced by props, lights, and sounds.

7. Cinema - This art form is a technological translation of theater. In films, special effects are utilized to
enhance the storytelling.

8. Dance – This is the art of the human form. The body is used, mobilized, and choreographed in specific
time, form, and space.

PHILIPPINE ART AS FILIPINO

 There are speculations on the “Filipino-ness” of works by Filipino artists because of our colonial
history and migrant reality. The plethora of influences brought by the Spaniards, Americans, and other
Asians has become part of our identity that is evident in our art. Across the world, Filipinos have
adapted to foreign culture.

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM THE REGION

 Lemery Colleges, Inc.
A. Bonifacio St., Brgy. Bagong Sikat, Lemery, Batangas

 Leo Benesa, A Filipino poet, essayist, and art critic, said that there is a certain characteristic of Filipino
art. He said, “The ideas was that the depiction of scenes of everyday life and the surroundings without
idealizing them was closest in spirit to the Filipino soul and native soil.” As long as the work shows the
Filipino way of living.
 Benesa described Amorsolo’s works as the “most expressive of the ethos of the race and the
predominantly agricultural countryside.” Most of Amorsolo’s painting depict life in the fields. The
landscape in Amorsolo’s painting features the rural lands of the Philippines, where the scene is mostly
covered I vegetation and nature. The combination of all these elements in Amorsolo’s body of work
makes his artworks representative of the Filipino.

ACTIVITY

Study these Fernando Amorsolo and Leonardo Da Vinci paintings, and answer the questions that follow:

Palay Maiden (1920) La Gioconda (1517)

by Fernando Amorsolo by Leonardo da Vinci

1. What do these paintings share in common?

2. How different did Amorsolo treat the subject?
3. What make the Palay maiden truly Filipino?

MODULE 2
ART IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES

OBJECTIVES
1. Explain the elements and principles of contemporary art.
2. Enumerate contemporary art forms based on elements and principles.
3. Research on different art forms.

WHAT IS CONTEMPORARY ART?

 The J. Paul Getty Museum define contemporary arts as “are made and produced by artists living
today.”
 Today’s artists work in and respond to a global environment that is culturally diverse, technologically
advancing, and multifaceted.
 Contemporary art today is not restricted to the individual experience of the artist but is reflective of the
world that we live in. in this kind of art, you might see how events in different countries might have an
effect on a Filipino living in Naga or Tagbilaran.

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 Because art is produced by people and people are influenced by time, contemporary art is continuing
practice that has evolved with the following new elements or principles:

ELEMENTS / PRINCIPLES OF ART

 Appropriation – when you see T-shirts with the image of Jose Rizal wearing shades or the walls of
Intramuros in canvas bags, existing artworks are “appropriated” to form another artwork. The use of
these prints, images, and icons to produce another art is a feature of contemporary art that combines
the past with the present. By appropriation, the contemporary artist revives interest to existing forms
of art.

 Performance – performance of contemporary artists has evolved to “emphasize spontaneous,

unpredictable elements of chance,” according to the Walker Art Center. Performance artists have tried
to interpret various human activities, from ordinary activities such as chores, routines, and rituals, to
socially relevant themes such as poverty, commercialism, and war.

 Space – how art transforms a space is now an occupation of contemporary artists. Have you
encountered a flash mob or sculpture installations in malls and parks? These are examples of site-
specific art forms wherein the art is performed and positioned in specific spots especially in public
places.

 Hybridity – contemporary artists are now as innovative as ever. In traditional painting, only a few
materials are of conventional use. Contemporary visuals artists, on the other hand, may opt to use
coffee for painting or carve miniature sculptures using crayons. Hybridity in contemporary art is
mixing of unlikely materials to produce an artwork.

 Technology – technology is a reality in the present-day world, and contemporary artists have used
technology in the creation and dissemination of works of art. When MTC first went into the airwaves
in 1981, video became part of the human interaction. The video phenomenon was further pushed by
the debut of YouTube that allows everyone with Internet connection to post and share videos.
Contemporary artists have used video and the Internet as a way of propagating art.

ACTIVITY
Write an essay on the topic “How the camera phone changed photography.” Refrain from searching
the internet, explain in your own words.
MODULE 3: PHILIPPINE CONTEMPORARY ART

OBJECTIVES
1. Identifies various contemporary art forms and their practices from the various regions.
2. Classifies various forms found in the Philippines.
3. Compares forms of arts from the regions.

PHILIPPINE CONTEMPORARY ART

 Renowned art critic and Metropolitan Museum curator Dr. Patrick Flores describes Philippine
contemporary art with “the feeling that all is possible in the contemporary, conceived as a constantly
extending and depending constellation of art.” Contemporary art then permits possibilities of
exploring wither subject or medium in art to express the Filipino sense of self.
 Contemporary art allows Filipino artists to portray the subject and the medium in innovative and
skillful ways, reflecting Filipino identity.
 At present, Filipinos are becoming more and more aggressive as they use the arts to express
themselves and create wonderful artworks that try to capture the Filipino way of life.
 Contemporary art or modern art is not intended to be reduced to conventional notions of space and
medium. Contemporary artists have brought their artworks into the street, in public, because in
contemporary times, the main feta of any art primarily depends on how the art id able to connect with
spectators.
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ARCHITECTURE
 Go around the Philippines and you will see a mixture of old and new. In Manila, the 16 th century
Binondo church is just a few blocks away from the very modern Lucky Chinatown Mall. Each
structure tells a story of how the sort of building was used to shape the course of history and society.

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM THE REGION

 Lemery Colleges, Inc.
A. Bonifacio St., Brgy. Bagong Sikat, Lemery, Batangas

Likewise, architecture in the country continues to be vibrant. With the improvement of tourism, more
first-class architecture is expected to pour in.
 New and fresh structures are sprouting all over the country. Attributed to the designs made by Carlos
A. Santos-Viola, Jason Buensalido, and Angelo Mañosa, thses structures are ultra-modern, functional,
and aesthetically sound.
 Architect and critic Paulo Alcazaren note that today’s Philippine architecture is faced with threats
from globalization. He remarks, “Much of what we see, in terms of iconic buildings in the
Philippines nowadays, is either designed by foreigners, or are derivative designs mimicking copies of
western forms.” This is a serious challenge that present-day architects have to deal with, and it takes
serious commitment from the architects, the government, and private sector to act on it.

LITERATURE
 On Philippine contemporary literature, eminent scholar and writer Roland Tolentino describes that
the Filipino writing in today’s world contains the diasporic experience and the incorporation of both
the rural and the urban experience. Writers have also explored the western genre and have produced
legitimate texts on prose poetry, flash fiction, magic realism, and science fiction. Distinguished
writers and editors have gathered anthologies to collect into volumes the newest and most innovative
works of Filipinos today.
 Dean Francis Alfar, an award-winning writer, pioneered the speculative fiction movement and has
been publishing the Philippine Speculative Fiction series. Flash fiction, with stories of 1000 words or
less, has been gaining interest among writers, such as the publication of Vince Groyon’s Very Short
Stories for Harried Readers and Anvil Publishing’s Fast Food Fiction Delivery.
 Filipino writers are also getting recognition abroad. In 2008, Miguel Syjuco bagged the Man Asian
Literary Prize for his novel Ilustrado. Marivi Soliven published her novel The Mango Bride in 2013
under Penguins Book. Sophia Lee won the 2014 Scholastic Asian Book Award for her novel What
Things Mean.
 Contemporary Filipino writers are continuing to struggle with the low leadership among the public
and the domination of foreign titles in the market. Despite the odds, contemporary Filipino writers
continue to write without fail.

THEATER
 Contemporary Philippine theater is still alive despite the dominance of television, movies, and the
Internet. There are multiple statge productions from university-based theater groups to major theater
companies. The Tanghalang Pilipino and the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA)
annually stage memorable productions.
 PETA – was founded in 1967 by Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, advocates the use of Filipino theater in
inspiring change and development in society. PETA is composed of dedicated “artists-teacher-
cultural workers” who strive for artistic excellence. PETA volunteers work to promote the
transformative power of theater through its production of performances and workshops. PETA will be
celebrating its 5oth anniversary in 2017.
 Tanghalang Pilipino – the resident drama company of Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) that
was established in 1987. With its 15 seasons and 114 productions, it is the most attended among the
CCP’s resident companies. Distinct in its offering is its challenge to the commitment of the Filipino
to justice, truth, and patriotism. Tanghalang Pilipino continues to push Philippine theater to artistic
and professional excellence through the development and education of actors, writers, directors, and
technical staff.
 Other Theater Groups – (a) Gantimpala Theater Foundation, (b) Ballet Philippines, and (c)
Concertus Manila. Universities have their own theater companies such as Dulaang UP (UP Diliman),
Ateneo Blue Repertory (ADMU), and Teatro Tomasino (UST).
 Virgin Labfest – created in 2004, this is a playwright’s festival of untried, untested, and unpublished
plays. This project is a collaboration of the National Center for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), CCP,
Tanghalang Pilipino, and the Manila-based playwright’s group; The Writer’s Block. Many of the
plays staged in Virgin Labfest become repeat productions and some even become award winners.

VISUAL ARTS
 The new breed of contemporary Filipino visual artists is becoming bold regarding the expression of
personal feelings and perspectives. The influence of radical and modern art movements in Europe and
the Americans have penetrated the Philippine arts scene with the proliferation of installation and
experimental art. The institutionalization of museums and galleries have also revitalized the
Philippine art scene.

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM THE REGION

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 Annual art competitions also play an important role in encouraging emerging artists to create and
produce their works. The Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. has been recognizing talents in the visual
arts for almost half a century. Some past winners of this competition who became National Artists
include Jose Joya, Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera, and Ang Kiukok. Some notable arts from this
competition are reflection of social and environmental issues.

ACTIVITY
As an aspiring contemporary artist, create an artwork in any form that you feel in tune with the
current situation of Philippine society.

MODULE 4
ARTS PROMOTION AND PRESERVATION

OBJECTIVES
1. Promote arts from the regions.
2. Enumerate the government agencies and institutions that are responsible in the promotion and
preservation of art.
3. Explain how the Philippine government and its people value art, culture, and heritage.

ARTS PROMOTION AND PRESERVATION

Art is a national heritage that is essential in building the nation and ensuring democracy. Paintings,
sculptures, songs, dances, poetry, and other art forms remind people of the origins, histories, struggles,
and triumphs of the nation. When people, for example, look at the Rizal monument in Luneta or sing the
national anthem, they are participating in the expression of the country’s nationhood. When citizens are
conscious and proud of their cultural heritage, they became active agents in nation building. As part of the
democratic thrust of Corazon Aquino administration, Executive Order No. 118 created the Presidential
Commission on Culture and the Arts in 1987. Five years later, Republic Act 7356 established the
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA)

The NCCA is the country’s “overall policy making body, coordinating, and grants giving
agency for the preservation, development, and promotion of Philippine arts and culture.”
The creation of the NCCA serves as the state’s initiative to promote and develop art and
culture awareness in the country. They ensure the interest of the various regions are
represented. There are six arts and cultural government agencies under the NCCA.

Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)

For almost 50 years, CCP has been serving as the premier

venue in the Philippines for culture and the arts. It has hosted
numerous shows and exhibitions on both performance and
visual arts. CCP is also responsible for together the different
arts from various regions to the entire country and the whole
world. It is a home to nine artistic resident companies such as
National Music Competition for Young Artists Foundation (NAMCYA), Ballet Philippines, Philippine
Madrigal Singers, Philippine Ballet Theater, UST Symphony Orchestra, Tanghalang Pilipino, Bayanihan
Philippine National Folk Dance Company, and Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group. These companies
regularly stage productions, conduct workshops, and provide outreach to the community.

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National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP)

The NHCP was created with a vison of “a Filipino society with citizens informed of their
history, who love their country and are proud of their cultural heritage.” The NHCP carries
out its mandate by promoting “Philippine history and cultural heritage through research,
dissemination, conservation, sites management, and heraldry works.” Much of the work
done by the NHCP is the identification, conservation, and restoration of historical sites
around the different regions of the country.

National Museum of the Philippines

Located in the heart of Manila, the National Museum od the Philippines is the
country’s repository of archaeological artifacts, national treasures, and rare
specimens found and produced in the country. The main task of this institutions
is to solicit, document, preserve, exhibit, and promote the natural and artificial
wonders of the Philippines. They are also responsible for putting up a network of
museums around the country. The National Museum has two main divisions: (1) Natural History
Museum, and (2) National Art Gallery. The most valuable artwork housed in the National Museum is
Juan Luna’ opus, Spolarium.

National Library of the Philippines (NLP)

Established in 1901, the NLP was then called the American Circulating Library to
serve as “memorial to American servicemen who died in Philippine soil.” Today,
the NLP has the mandate of serving as a “repository of the printed and recorded
cultural heritage of the country and other intellectual literary and information sources”
and providing “access to these resources for our people’s intellectual growth,
citizenship building, lifelong learning and enlightenment.” The NLP is the home
of rare books and documents such as Acta de la Proclamacion de la
Independencia del Pueblo Filipino and the manuscript of the trial of Andres
Bonifacio.

The National Archives of the Philippines

The history of the National Archives goes back to the Treaty of Paris in 1989
“which stipulated the relinquishment or cession of documents from Spanish to
American authorities and provided for the preservation of documents.” Today, the
National Archives of the Philippines is guardian of over 400 documents from the
Spanish ear dating 1552-1900 and various records from the American period to the
Republic.

Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF)

The KWF or the Commission on the Filipino Language was created via Republic Act
No. 7104: “Congress shall establish a national language commission composed of
representatives of various regions and disciplines which shall undertake, coordinate
and promote researches for the development, propagation, and preservation of
Filipino and other Philippine languages.” To promote and develop our national
language, the KWF has annually given the Talaang Ginto: Makata ng Taon for
Filipino poetry, Aklat ng Bayan, and other grants or programs on founding, awards,
and projects.

ACTIVITY
Redesign the logo of any government agency in this module using design motifs found in your region.

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MODULE 5
HISTORY OF PHILIPPINE ARTS

OBJECTIVES
1. Identify the major periods, artists, and artworks of Philippine art history;
2. Build an initial vocabulary of major and basic art terms in Philippine Art history;
3. Define contemporary arts by situating these within Philippine Art.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PHILIPPINE ART
o PRE-CONQUEST
o In art historical terms, we refer to art before the coming of the first colonizers as “pre-conquest.”
Referred to it as “indigenous” to emphasize the idea that our ancestors.
o Art before is referred to as an expression of an individual but yet not categorized into different
kinds of forms until the next slides conveys.
o Example of everyday expressions are the following: rituals (planting, harvesting, rites of
passage, funerary, ceremonies, weddings); - Hunting, and etc.
RITUALS Kashawing - Lake Lanao in Mindanao
Every Thirteenth Moon (Tagbanwa)- Palawan
Cañao or Kanyaw - Cordillera Autonomous Region
HUNTING The pre-colonial Filipino hunted food and game that were shared among members of a
community in a gathering where they told stories about the hunt.
MUSIC Musical instruments used was pipes, flute, zithers, drums, various string instruments like
the kudyapi, kulintang, gansa, bamboo percussion instruments, and the agong.

NATIVE DANCES
Pangalay (Sulu Archipelago) mimetic of the movement of seabirds
Banog-banog (Mandayas’kinabua of Mindanao) movement of hawk
Man-manok (Bagobos of Mindanao) movements of predatory birds
Talip dance (Ifugaos) movements of wild fowls
Kadaliwas dance (T’bolis) comedic movements of monkeys
Tinikling (Tagalog folk dance) evocative of the movements of the crane

CARVING Bulul – Cordilleras

Hagabi – Ifugaos
Santos - Laguna and Pampanga
Okir - Southern Philippines
Sarimanok. Sunduk ,Panolong

POTTERY Anthropomorphic Jars

Manunggul Jar – (890 – 710 BC)
Metal Age (5 BC–225 AD)
Examples: Banga, Tapayan, Palayok
Pagbuburnay in Vigan - valued part of the creative industry Ilokanos have.

WEAVING

Aside from body ornaments, weaving is also essential for productivity of natives.
PURPOSE: reverence for spirits and nature, criteria for the beautiful, societies ‘sociopolitical
structures

MADE FROM: fibers - cotton, abaca, and pineapple leaves pigments - clay, roots, and leaves.
Examples of Textile Weaving: Pis Siyabit, Malong, Langkit
Examples of Product Weaving: Head Sling Baskets, Bubo, Tepo Mats

BODY ORNAMENTATIONS - a manuscript - Boxer Codex - sometimes known as the Manila

Manuscript, is a manuscript written c. 1590, which contains illustrations of ethnic groups in the
Philippines at the time of their initial contact with the Spaniards - representations of various
ethnolinguistic groups, where the following are classified: (1) Upper class Tagalog - gold jewelry, (2)
Visayans – tattoo.

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Tattoos - a means protection of an individual from evil spirit; a badge of maturity and bravery.
Provinces like Kalinga, Kankanay, Ibaloy, and Ifugao - practiced tattooing
Jewelry - make the wearer more attractive & pleasing to the gods.
T’boli - wear brass chains, bells, and colorful beads
Metalworks like lotoans or betel nut boxes are made of brass or bronze (Maranao of Lanao del
Sur)
Lost Wax or Cire Perdue - metal casting, moulds filled with liquefied metal, hardens
Other vessels - brass kendi and the gadur, status symbols or as heirloom pieces

o ISLAMIC COLONIAL - 13tH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT

Islam, which is entrenched in Southern Philippines is already culturally dominant and strong and
said to have gained significant grounding in Sulu as early as the 13th century.

ISLAMIC INFLUENCE IN ARTS

• Impermanence of nature & incomprehensible greatness of the Divine Being.
• Prof. Abraham Sakili, introduced two aspects of reality: (1) object perceived by the ordinary sense and
(2) sense of nothingness - a space or a void empty, which evoke that God is above and beyond all thing.

ART INFLUENCE OF ISLAMS IN ARCHITECTURE

• Considering the goal of negating materiality in the interior of mosques having elaborate patterning
which reliefs to draw the attention away from concrete object like human forms and nature “toward the
contemplation of the divine.”
• Philippine Muslims organize space in architecture with parts of the mosque like the mihrab or niche &
Qibla wall
• It is toward the west - may it be in Sultan Kudarat or in Quiapo, Manila
• Having dome - how the order of the universe is imagined - As the central feature - “all levels of cosmic
existence.” (a) octagonal base - the spirit (b) four-sided main base - earth or material world
Ka’bah - black shrine is said built by the Prophet Muhammad - reference point for the Qiblah - direction
- faced - a Muslim prays
• Area for water supply - function of ablution, or cleansing before one enters - Mosque
• Islamic forms would project, grow, or have an upward orientation - for heaven and to veer from the
“material earth.”
• Panolong - carved protrusion akin to a wing attached to the torogan, torogan - royal house of the
Maranao
• Aside from the mythical sarimanok; the burraq, a horse with the head of a woman is the Prophet -
ascension to heaven

oSPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD (1521-1898)

• Though the South have been resistant, the Spanish Colonizers gained control in the Central part, which
they classified them as “Lowland Christians.”;
• Art forms, as they demanded, are under the strict rule of the church and the colonial state, and by
Religious orders they dispatched to convert all the natives to Catholicism
• Art forms are stylistically and culturally which are classified under: (a) Religious art, (b) Lowland
Christian art, and (c) Folk art.
• To carry out their projects like, the plaza complex, they relocated the natives and let them build town
centers, municipio(s), and cruches. Designed according to prescriptions of the Spanish crown,
establishments must impose scale and overall visual appeal like: (a) Cruciform churches with a shape of
the Latin cross, and; (b) Hispanic churches, the baroque style are predominantly employed to appeal
emotions.
• Baroque are implied with churches like: San Agustin Church in Manila, Morong Church in Rizal,
Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte, and Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church in Miag-ao, Iloilo. European
inspired but with local interventions suits its native sensibilities and adjustment to local environmental
conditions.
• Façade of Miag-ao Church - surrounded by reliefs or relleves, tropical motifs, palm fronds and papaya
trees, adobe, limestone, or brick, thick buttresses or wing- like projections. It is called the Colonial
Baroque or Philippine or Tropical Baroque.

ARCHITECHTURE
• Saints and interpretations are the essentials into worship
• As the process of engraving, painting and sculpting they are highly supervised in accordance to
imposing scale and overall visual appeal. Architecture

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• The friars brought the Western models for our local artists to copy which are most likely made from
either ivory or wood and portrays classical and baroque models
• In the 17th century, Chinese artisans are engaged in making icons or saints or santos, building
churches and houses, making furniture. Architecture
• spread which later on spread throughout Cebu, Batangas, Manila, and Ilocos
• It drew upon Chinese features and techniques like in Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Bohol which
Kuanyin, the deity of mercy in East Asian Buddhism

SCULPTURE AND ORNAMENTATION

Santos are displayed most on decorative altar niche, which are called retablo. Town’s patron saint
implies with architecture and sculpture which embellished with rosettes, scrolls, pediments and
Solomonic columns and are color dependently classified (gilded or polychromed)
• Via Crucis (14 paintings or relief sculptures) is series of reliefs which shows Christ’s crucifixion and
resurrection
- In other churches, Holy Family, the Virgin Mary, and the four evangelists proliferate in the ceilings
and walls in an ornate manner of trompe l’oeil.
• In Taal Basilica in Batangas or at the St. James the Apostle Parish in Betis, Pampanga it can be seen.
• Church altars *carved figurative protrusions like relleves in organic designs and in hammered silver or
the plateria (plateria technique) which can be seen at bodies of the carroza

MUSIC • Western musical instruments like the pipe organ, the violin, the guitar, and the piano give a
very new European flavor with new rhythms, melodies and musical forms.
• Catholic liturgical music, in 1742, where Archbishop of Manila, Juan Rodriguez Angel started singing
schools in Manila Cathedral which boomed the industry of choirs.Other musical forms like pasyon or
pabasa which are biblical narration of Christ’s passion chanted (sometimes read)
• Lowland Christian communities of Pampanga, Ilocos, Bicol, and Iloilo, on another hand, has awit and
the corrido which musical forms chanted, based on European literature. Another one is Balitao which is
sentimental love songs and lullabies in the latter half of the 19th century
• Sentiments began to develop which Kundiman is born that spoke about resignation and fatalism, a
vehicle for resistance with lyrics of unrequited love. The love object pointed to which is the Philippines is
cleverly concealed as a beautiful woman
WRITING SYSTEM • Mangyans of Mindoro has bamboo poles which are etched with Baybayin script,
used for courtship and emotional concerns
• In the town of Ticao, Southern Leyte, a huge stone contained of Baybayin invocate a safe journey by
sea.
• Spanish colonization brought with it printing technology in the form of catechism and prayer books in
Spanish for a lot to read and write and to evangel.
THEATER • There are a lot of theater forms formed locally and through colonization with a
simultaneously development of literature and other art forms.
• One of the earliest forms of theater is pomp and pageantry. A religious procession with embellished
carrozas that shows religious tableaus, saints and scenes.
• Zarzuela or Sarsuwela in the 19th century is a singing and dancing - prose dialogue which the story is
carried out in song. Later on, the locals learned to write locally language sarsuwelas in the leadership of
Severino Reyes and Hermogenes Ilagan and Honorata ‘Atang’ dela Rama as their lead actress. Another
one is Senakulo − Christ’s suffering in metaphor to the suffering of Filipinos under Spanish colonial rule.
• 1st senakulo written in 1704 by Gaspar Aquino de Belen is now divided into two main types: (1)
Komedya de Santo - life of Christ or of any saint - during church celebrations - stylized way - extravagant
costumes - elaborately choreographed war scene. (b) Secular Komedya commonly known as “Moro-
Moro” which is typical a love story Christian hero and an Islamic heroine, clashes, and is done with
dance.
• Today several groups are still performing komedya & senakulo. Like there are several families who
align themselves to a local parish church to stage. Scripts are handed down to children or apprentices
which serves as a form of panata or devotion to the Church.
• In many towns in the provinces of Pampanga and Tarlac, senakulo is in Kapampangan or Ilocano and is
a full staging crucifixion, literally, which serves also a major tourist and media attraction. Senakulo in
Nueva Ecija − araguio or arakyo.

DANCE • As the galleon trade between Mexico and the Philippines brought Mexican influences
Cariñosa, Pandanggo or Fandango, Polka, Dansa and the Rigodon and European influence like Habañera,
Jota, and Tango dances from Spain

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PAINTINGS • Paintings are expressed through visual interpretation through biblical texts in Catholic
devotion. Like; Heaven, Earth, and Hell (1850) is a mural of Jose Dans placed now in Paete Church,
Laguna that shows the map of the universe and the terrifying depiction of hell.
• Image making during the period are conformed like in Basi Revolt which is are 14 paintings by Esteban
Villanueva that shows the defeat of Ilocanos who rebelled at the Spanish government’s monopoly of basi
or rice wine in 1821.
PRINTING SYSTEM • Reprographic art of printmaking is brought as early as the 16th century which is
a technique of xylography or woodcut printing.
• Doctrina Christiana (The Teachings of Christianity) − printed in 1593 in Spanish and in Tagalog
compiling song lyrics, commandments, sacraments, and other catechetical material. It also engraves the
production of secular or non-religious works like which scientists and artists does maps as other sources
of classification
• In 1734, Jesuit priest Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde with artists Francisco Suarez and the engraver Nicolas
de la Cruz Bagay made Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas is a scientific map of
the Philippines. Development of lithography born the reproduction of color palates, the mass printing of
newspapers and periodicals •Another example is, Augustinian botanist Fr. Manuel Blanco made an
extensive compilation of the Philippine plants in Flora de Filipinas in 1878.
RISE OF CLASSES AND PRIVILEGE
• Opening of Manila to international trade in 1834 and Suez Canal in 1869, economic benefits raise for
the native elites. Commercial ventures opens opportunity to study in Europe with the class rose the
Ilustrado or “enlightened” ones. Development of music with the efforts of Pakil-born Marcelo Adonay are
compositions based on the Western tradition of Gregorian chants
• Domestic realm with their altars comprised of delicate santos in viriña and urna.
• Manifestation in town organization is focused when they occupied the plaza complex • Which are called
“bahay na bato” for rich and prominent families, spacious interiors, commissioned portrait paintings,
miniaturist style which artist use to reveal meticulous signify the wealth and refinement of the sitter.
DIFFERENT PROMINENT PAINTING STYLES AND THEIR ARTISTS
• Simon Flores’s painting Portrait of the Quiazon Family in 1800 is a type of miniature.
• Other miniature painters are Antonio Malantic, Isidro Arceo, Dionisio de Castro, and Justiniano
Asuncion.
Details in painting, like Letras y Figuras with combining names and vignettes of everyday life became
popular. As the Filipino natives acquired Spanish names under a decree implemented in 1884.
• Another Academia-trained Lorenzo Guerrero painted The Water Carrier uses of chiaroscuro in the late
19th century. Another one from Pampanga-born Simon Flores, Primeras Letras in 1890 shows a woman
teaching a child how to read.
• In 1884, Juan Luna won gold for Spoliarium and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo silver medal for Virgenes
christianas expuestas al populacho in the Madrid Exposition which exhibits Filipino artistic excellence
even in standards set by the European academy
• Hidalgo’s Virgenes christianas expuestas al populacho emphasizes on a woman held captive which
counterparts Philippines’ oppression under Spanish rule.
• Luna’s (Spolarium) depiction of a lifeless body of a gladiator being pulled across the coliseum, and; •
Luna with ilustrados’ Propaganda Movement in España y Filipinas by 1886

o AMERICAN COLONIAL PERIOD (1898 – 1940) TO THE POSTWAR REPUBLIC (1946-

1969)
• Independence – Philippine revolution of 1896 was cut short to the establishment of American colonial
govt.
• Treaty of Paris in 1898 is where the Spain “surrendered the Philippines to the United States.
• 1899 to 1913, The bloody Philippine American war begun with the institution of government and
education who took charge in initiating the natives to American way of living. Filipino playwrights found
themselves confronted by censorship in issuance of the Sedition Law which banned writing, printing, and
publication of materials advocating Philippine independence
An Eyeopener To New Forma(S)
 Lingua franca in English, poems and stories from books in classroom to facilitate the teaching of the
English through public school system, which the Americans had brought. In less than a decade, Filipino
- began to write plays in English. In 1915, Lino Castillejo and Jesus Araullo authored A Modern
Filipina which first Filipino play written in English.
 Vaudeville (originated from France) form of theater during the 1920s.
 Motley collection of slapstick, songs, dances, acrobatics, comedy skits, chorus girls, magic acts, and
stand-up comic acts which is locally called bodabil. In a timespan, some performances has hidden
messages to the guerillas  After the war, bodabil deteriorated into vulgar shows and soon died away,
replaced by the popularity of film and later, television.

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The Clique - In the beginning of the 20th century, a new urban pattern - secular goals of education,
health, and governance. Architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham - American government - design
Manila and Baguio. Architect William Parsons - Burnham Plan.
• City Beautiful Movement introduced in 1893 at Chicago World Fair in which new urban design,
Neoclassic architecture are integrated parks and lawns, to make attractive buildings impressive and
places for leisure amid urban blight
• Manila’s Neoclastic architecture examples are: Post Office and the Legislative Building.
• National Art Gallery which are monumental in scale and are iconically composed of thick columns
• Other Filipino architects designed buildings with Neoclassism are: − Tomas Mapua, Juan Arellano −
Andres Luna de San Pedro − Antonio Toledo Who got their training in the US or in Europe
Modern Art
• The proponent of Modern Art, Victorio Edades style were initially rejected and misunderstood in
which his modernist sensibility was shared by several artists: Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco, Galo
Ocampo.
• Botong Francisco had his magisterial mural titled the Filipino Struggles Through History in 1964
placed in Manila City Hall. Another piece is Brown Madonna in 1938 of Galo Ocampo.
• Edades, Francisco, and Ocampo are called “triumvirate” of modern art with their collaborative work
that survives to this day is Nature’s Bounty, (ca. 1935).
• With various mediums, techniques, and themes it is defined as “new” and even “shocking
• Edades publicized a roster of artists modernist leanings. They are the “Thirteen Moderns” included
himself and 12 others: − Arsenio Capili − Bonifacio Cristobal − Demetrio Diego − National Artist
Carlos Francisco − National Artist Cesar Legaspi − Diosdado Lorenzo − Anita Magsaysay-Ho − Galo
Ocampo − National Artist Hernando R. Ocampo − Jose Pardo − Ricarte Purugganan.

o JAPANESE OCCUPATION (1941-1945)

•As the Japanese Occupation of Manila, the Modern Art project begun to slow down
•The “Moderns” and “Conservatives” continued to producing art in KALIBAPI (Kapisanan sa
Paglilingkod ng Bagong Pilipinas).
• Japanese forces built a formation “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere” - a movement created a
Pan-Asian to rejected Western through sponsored publications such as Shin-Seiki, and newspapers and
magazines like Liwayway and Tribune.
• Images, texts, and music underwent scrutiny which subversive or anti- Japanese led to torturous
consequences, even death. Regulating the information campaign was a Japanese Information Bureau or
Hodobu who employed local artists and cultural workers
• National Artist Felipe P. de Leon said to have been “commanded at the point of the gun” to write Awit
sa Paglikha ng Bagong Pilipinas declared as the anthem for the period, which conveyed allegiance reared
in East Asia, especially Japan who is in political power
•Strictly policed under the Second World War Amorsolo’s paintings still though has little or no indication
of war’s atrocities −Harvest Scene, 1942 −Rice Planting, 1942. *semblance of peace, idealized work in
the countryside with docile industriousness.

Genre Paintings
•Genre paintings are widely produced showing neutral relationship between the Filipinos and the
Japanese of the normality of daily living
•Colonizers preferred to have showed indigenous and pre- colonial traditions representing different
ethnolinguistic groups − Crispin Lopez’s Study of an Aeta, 1943
•Although scenes of war made imagery remained neutral but rather on the aesthetic qualities of ruin and
disaster − Amorsolo’s Bombing of the Intendencia, 1942 − Ruins of the Manila Cathedral, 1945 - elegant
handling - value in the billows of smoke or the pile of ruins
•Works that depicted the horrors: Diosdado Lorenzo’s Atrocities in Paco Dominador Castañeda’s
Doomed Family were painted after 1945.

o70s TO CONTEMPORARY
• Under the helm of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos in 1965 *cultural projects built backdrop of poverty
and volatile social conditions.
• National chaos of emergency proportions emerged as Martial Law was declared on September 21, 1972
that envisioned a New Society or Bagong Lipunan propagated and implemented through an art and
culture program - fine arts, architecture, interior design, tourism, convention city building (hotels,
theaters, coliseums), engineering, urban planning, health, among many others.
• Marcoses is considered either an friend or a foe but let us see how they have influenced the art industry
through the following: Marcos Regime Bloom Hybriding Arts Developmental Art Social Realism

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Marcos Regime Bloom

• discerned in the anthem or songs, aims optimism toward a new beginning *Levi Celerio and Felipe
Padilla de Leon’s - Bagong Pagsilang
• Index of progress, refinement, radical experiment, national identity and love for country circulated in the
intricate network of institutions in threads of the pre-modern, vernacular, the modern and international
• Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is a bureaucratic entity of art acquisition that upholds
exhibition making, workshops, grants, and awards *created on 25 June 1966 in the Executive Order 30
and inaugurated in 1969, the year Marcos was elected to his second term as Philippine President
• Leandro Locsin designed the modernist building, crossing between the vernacular bahay kubo and art
brut minimalist structures as shrine to High Art • Structure presides - entrance of the CCP complex -
satellite structures o Folk Arts Theater - venue of the first Ms. Universe Pageant in the Philippines in
1974 o Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) - 1976 IMFWorld Bank Conference o
Tahanang Filipino or Coconut Palace - anticipation of a papal visit o Manila Film Center - Manila
International Film Festival - rival Cannes.

The Cultural Center of The Philippines (CCP) as the Shrine for The Arts
• CCP supported artists by providing venues and grants and served as a validating entity of major awards
to National Artists. • Propped up, the authority on modern art had an avant-garde like composer and
ethnomusicologist National Artist Jose Maceda was staged in CCP
• Opened and managed by artist professor Roberto Chabet, tasked as first director - avowedly conceptual,
emphasizing the idea rather than technique and form. He considered himself as Flux artist - instrumental
to CCP’s - became an establishment figure • Group exhibition, Objects in CCP in 1973 is a tore up a copy
of a coffee- table book to Philippine contemporary art into trash bin
• Tearing into Pieces was scandalous critique to conventions of the art world, The Struggle for Philippine
Art referred by Purita Kalaw- Ledesma which she says “anti- museum art.” • Under Chabet and later
Raymundo Albano, CCP Museum opened its exhibition programming influenced western avant-garde -
tenets, pop art, happenings, environmental assemblages, new realism, performance art, and sound works.

Developmental Art
• Curatorial stance of Albano as more populist - initiated projects into a rubrics he termed “developmental
art” • In 1971-1975 - it is still in the “exposure phase” as advanced art is experimental in nature *with the
use of sand, junk, iron, non-art materials such as law lumber, rocks
• People were shocked, scared, delighted, and satisfied by the notions of art did not agree • Under
Albano’s directorship, CCP also reached out to regions outside Manila and beyond through art workshops
and outreach programs through PAS

Social Realism
• Social Realism (SR) is a significant strand of intense political ferment in the 70s and the 80s • various
mediums, techniques, and styles was referred to as protest art in sociopolitical issues
• Struggles that a realist approaches is conscious with regards for the oppressed and underrepresented
masses • Commonly tackles plight of the marginalized, inequality, and forms of repression * In a worked
collectively, and in collaboration not only producing murals and other art forms but also in making
aesthetic decisions grounded on a common mass-based, scientific and nationalist framework.

ACTIVITY
Complete the table below using the information given in this module.
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW: PHILIPPINE ART
PRE- SPANIS AMERICA JAPANES POSTWA 70’S TO
FORM CONQUEST H N PERIOD E PERIOD R CONTEMPORARY
PERIOD REPUBLI
C

Painting

Sculpture

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Architecture

MODULE 6
NATIONAL ARTISTS OF THE PHILIPPINES

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OBJECTIVES
1. Explain Filipino artists’ roles and identify their contribution to contemporary arts.
2. Identify the Filipinos who are honored the Order of National Artists.
3. Appreciate the efforts of individuals in pursuit of the development of arts and letters.

THE ARTISTS AND THE CONTEMPORARY ARTS

According to esteemed critic and scholar Dr. Nicanor Tiongson, there is a vital role played by
contemporary artists in” creating art that will contribute to social change by enlightening viewers and
audiences about the nature and causes of the problems they face as Filipinos today.” It is with this
“enlightenment” that gives the artists responsibility in their craft. Dr. Tiongson challenges the artist to
create that has social and political relevance, a kind of art that will contribute to an awareness of present
realities and conditions of society.

AN ARTIST OF THE NATION

 A national artist is a distinguished individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Philippine
arts.
 In 1972, the Philippines named its first national artists – world-class painter Fernando Amorsolo. The
national artist award is a great honor given to the Filipino whose life and works have contributed to the
advancement of the country’s arts and letters.
 The national artist then became part of the prestigious roster of the Order of National Artists. NCCA
and CCP jointly administer the nomination and selection of the chosen exemplary artists, who are
conferred by the President of the country.
 In 1972, Presidential Proclamation No. 1001, s.1972 created and established “the Award and
Decoration of National Artist.” This law enabled the government “to given appropriate recognition and
prestige to Filipino who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding contributions to
Philippine arts and letters.”

THE NATIONAL ARTIST INSIGNIA

On the right is the insignia of the Order of National Artists. It is a Grand
Collar adorned by circular links representing the arts. The main medallion
commemorates the sun and the colors of the Philippine flag. The highly
stylized three letter Ks (≈) stand for “katotohanan, kabutihan, at
kagandahan” (the true, the good, and the beautiful).

NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR MUSIC

 Antonio R. Buenaventura (1904-1996) – His legacy to Philippine music, according to the NCCA, is
a musical career “that spanned seven decades of unwavering commitment to advancing the frontiers of
Philippine music.” He popularized folksongs by creating music based on the wide array of folksongs
from various ethnic groups in the Philippines. He also brought the PH Army Band back to its former
glory, which was recognized as “the only band that can sound like a symphony orchestra.”
 Ernani J. Cuenco (1936-1988) – He had written “an outstanding and memorable body of works that
resonates with the Filipino sense of musicality and which embodies and ingenious voice that raises the
aesthetic dimensions of contemporary Filipino music.”
 Jovita Fuentes (1895-1978) – in 1976, she made Philippine history by being given the honor as the
first female National Artist for Music. Trained to play the piano at five, famous Italian singer Salvina
Fornari mentored her to be a star.
 Jose Maceda (1917-2004) – highly acclaimed Filipino composer and ethnomusicologists.
Personalities working in ethnomusicology have training in music, cultural anthropology, legend,
performance studies, dance, and cultural studies, making the understanding of such music
interdisciplinary. His works have resulted in a vast collection of recorded music taken from the
remotest region in the country.
 Lucio D. San Pedro (1913-2002) – an educator, master conductor, and a brilliant composer, through
his works “evoked the folk elements of the Filipino heritage.” He led local bands such as the Banda
Angono Numero Uno, the San Pedro Band of Angono, and the Peng Kong Grand Mason Concert
Band as master conductor.
 Levi Celerio (1910-2002) – was a highly talented lyricist, with more than 4000 songs under his name.
this volume of lyrics is perhaps his contribution which has greatly enriched the Philippine music for no
less than two generations and has appealed to all social classes. He was also known as an excellent leaf
player, using a leaf to create music as cited by the Guinness Book of World Records.
 Felipe Padilla De Leon (1912-1992) – a multitalented musician who was a composer, a conductor,
and a scholar. His works have “Filipinized Western music forms.” His body of works include

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concertos, sonatas, and marches which often described how Filipinos express their feelings and their
aspirations in times of strife and peace.
 Lucrecia R. Kasilag (1917-2008) – a native of La Union, was a renowned Filipino composer. Her
legacy in Philippine music, according to the NCCA, is “to discover the Filipino roots through ethnic
music and fusing it with Western influences.” This led her to create the Bayanihan Folk Arts Center
for research and theatrical presentations that urges to integrate native Filipino instruments in orchestral
productions.
 Antonio J. Molina (1894-1980) – He is the Dean of Filipino composers. A multitalented musician,
writer, and music educator. He was the last of the musical triumvirate. At a young age, he learned to
play the violoncello. It did not take long before his young talent was playing for the Manila Grand
Opera House. Molina taught some of the most astonishing Filipino artists such as Felipe Padilla de
Leon.
 Andrea O. Veneracion (1928-2013) – She founded the Philippine Madrigal Singers. The group is one
of the most passionate and talented musical groups in the country, it acquired several international
awards including the UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2009. She was also the creator of the Asian Institute
for Liturgy and Music (AILM) Chorale.
 Francisco Feliciano (1941-2014) – He was a prolific composer of over 30 major works. He studied
music composition at the University of the Philippines, the Hochschule der Kuenste in Berlin,
Germany, and the Yale University School of Music. He was mentored by internationally renowned
conductors and composers such as Martin Behrmann, Jacob Druckman, Isang Yun, H. W.
Zimmerman, and Krystof Penderecki.

NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR DANCE

 Francisca R. Aquino (1899-1983) – one of the pioneers of Filipino folk dances. She is a teacher,
nationalist, and the first Filipina to be awarded of the Order of the National Artists for Dance. Her
1926 thesis entitled “Philippine Folk Dances and Games” has been thorough guide to many educators
and students in understanding the different dances in the country. She received several awards, which
include the Republic Award of Merit and a Cultural Award from UNESCO.
 Leonor O. Goquingco (1917-2005) – also known as Cristina Luna. She has dubbed as the Trailblazer,
Mothers of Philippine Theater Dance, and Dean of Filipino Performing Arts Critics. She was gifted
with many talents that included piano playing, scene and costume design, sculpture, acting, direction,
dance, and choreography. She has pioneered the blending of folk dance and ballet, making the latter
more viable.
 Ramon Obusan (1938-2002) – He is a dancer, choreographer, stage designer, and artistic director. In
1972, equipped with valuable amount of research and artifacts, Obusan established the ramon Obusan
Folkloric Group (ROFG), a dance company that reflects the culture of Filipinos in dance and music.
 Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula (1929-1999) – was the dance director of the Bayanihan Philippine National
Folk Dance Company (now the Bayanihan Dance Company), which is considered as the oldest dance
company in the country. She choreographed creative dances based on her impressive research on
cultural dances.
 Alice Reyes (1942) – She is the legendary founder of Ballet Philippines, the country’s premier ballet
dance company. A dancer ad choreographer, she extensively trained abroad at the Colorado College
and the Sarah Lawrence College. She received grants from the John D. Rockefeller III Foundation and
the Music Promotion Foundation of the Philippines.
NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR THEATER
 Daisy Avellana (1917-2013) – considered to be the First Lady of the Philippine Theater. She was not
only a notable actress but was a passionate director and writer. Her contributions to Philippine theater,
as cited, had brought “a new level of excellence by staging and performing in breakthrough
productions of classic Filipino and foreign plays.”
 Honorata “Atang” de la Rama (1905-1991) – when the Philippines were still under American rule,
she battled for the supremacy of the kundiman. She popularized the song “Mutya ng Pasig” by
Deogracias Rpsario and Nicanor Abelardo. In 1987, former President Corazon T. Aquino declared her
as a National Artists for Theater and Music. Atang has been crowned as the Queen of Kundiman, as
she began her career in music and performance at the early age of seven.
 Rolando S. Tinio (1937-1997) – He was a director, actor, educator, critic, translator, poet, and
dramatist. He was also known for translating western classics into Tagalog. Tinio’s work as a director
is well remembered as someone “whose original insights into scripts he handled brought forth
productions notable for their visual impact and intellectual cogency.”
 Salvador F. Bernal (1945-2011) – He began his career in theater in 1969. He was part of over 300
productions in art, film, and music. Bernal’s style was known for minimizing the use of raw materials
in theater production. He used native Filipino materials such as bamboo, abaca fiber, and the basic

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gauze cacha. He was not only a theater designer but also an educator who transmitted his knowledge
and skill by holding classes and training in universities and the CCP.
 Lamberto V. Avellana (1915-1991) – His legacy is one that has lived in both theater and film. His
Barangay Theater Guild propagated many dramatic and theatrical performances of foreign and local
plays. His contributions to film started early on, and he was dubbed as “The Boy Wonder of Philippine
Movies” in 1939. From being a stage actor, he took on the challenge as film director and has directed
landmark films.
 Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero (1911-1995) – He was a talented writer, director, educator, and artists who
wrote a number of outstanding plays, 41 of which were circulated. At the young age of 14, Guerrero
wrote his first play entitled No Todos Es Risa in Spanish. His greatest contributions to arts is his
introduction of the concept of a theater campus tour. The revolutionary outreach program staged over
2500 performance in almost two decades of runs.
 Severino Montano (1915-1980) – He is named as on of the “Titans of Philippine Theater.” He was an
exceptional poet, director, actor, and theater organizer. He is both playwright and an educator, and thus
pursued the establishment of “legitimate theater” in the country. With about 1000 pesos, he used hi
own money to start the Arena Theater in the Philippine Normal College. He trained and directed a new
generation of artists such as Joonee Gamboa and Behn Cervantes.

NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR VISUAL ARTS

 Napoleon Abueva (1930) – considered the Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture. He is also the
youngest awardee to receive the National Arts award. His works used varied materials ranging from
hardwood to coral and adobe.
 Ang Kiukok (1931-2005) – one of the most talented and energetic figures who began his flourishing
career during the 1960’s. His works continue to inspire and influence Filipinos. Looking at his works,
you will be captivated by visual intensity and also be overwhelmed by its meaning.
 Victorio C. Edades (1895-1985) – Father of Modernism in Philippine Art. He showed his attraction
toward the style of impressionists such as Cezanne and Paul Gaugain early in his career. As compared
to Amorsolo who liked to use bright and vivid hues, Edades’ colors were dark and gloomy. Most of
the subjects found in the works of Edades are Filipino laborers in their everyday situations.
 Cesar Legaspi (1917-1994) – was recognized as the pioneer of the Neorealist movement in the
country. Legazpi’s art is said to have paved the way to the birth of modern art in the Philippines.
Although he worked on his paintings as he was operating as a magazine illustrator and as artistic
director in advertising agencies, he was able to create masterpieces that made “use of the geometric
fragmentation technique, weaving social comment and juxtaposing the mythical and modern into his
overlapping, interacting forms with disturbing power and intensity.”
 Vicente S. Manansala (1910-1981) – was an extraordinary illustrator and cubist painter. His paintings
depicted the barrio and the city together and were often characterized, according to NCCA, as “visions
of reality teetering on the edge of abstraction.” He trained in Paris and at the Ortis School of Drawing
in Los Angeles. He combined the elements of provincial folk culture with the busy streets of the city.
 Hernando R. Ocampo (1911-1978) – Self-taught painter. He is not just an exceptional visual artist.
His artworks are often praised to have “provided an understanding and awareness of the harsh social
realities in the country.” He invented a new mode of perception that demonstrated the atmosphere and
the wildlife of the Philippines. He used movement and bold colors in his artworks.
 Fernando C. Amorsolo (1892-1972) – He is the country’s first national artist, heralded as the “Grand
Old Man of Philippine Art.” He started his art education as an apprentice at the age 13 and formally
enrolled at the Art School of Life Liceo de Manila and then in the University of the Philippines. A
study grant provided by business tycoon Enrique Zobel de Ayala enabled Amorsolo to study at the
Academia de San Fernando in Madrid. Most of his works depicted the rich rural landscape of the
Philippines.
 Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco (1912-1969) – was a muralist from Angono, Rizal. He became famous
because of his massive murals and for his outstanding depiction of historical pieces. Botong’s artistic
genius is in his ability too turn “fragments of the historic past into vivid records of the legendary
courage of the ancestors of his race.”

NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR LITERATURE

 Francisco Arcellana (1916-2002) - One of the greatest Filipino poets of his generation. He studied in
Tondo Intermediated School. He took up his writing seriously and became a staff member of The
Torres Torch. While still student at Florentino Torres High School, he wrote his first story, “The Man
Who Would Be Poe.” Arcellana is considered as one of the pioneers of modern Filipino short story in
English. His short stories are written in lyrical prose-poetic form.
 N. V. M. Gonzalez (1915-1999) - Was born on 8 September 1915 in the beautiful province of
Romblon. In 1948, N. V. M. Gonzalez received a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship, which allowed

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him to study in Stanford University and Columbia University. He is a famed poet, short story writer,
essayist, professor, and recipient of numerous recognitions. Some of his famous works are the
following: The Winds of April (1941), A Season of Grace (1956), and The Bamboo Dancers (1988).
 Nick Joaquin (1917-2004) - Nick Joaquin's literary works are prolific and unparalleled. Nick
Joaquin's first short story dealt with the vaudeville of Manila, “The Sorrows of Vaudeville,” published
in 1937 by the Sunday Tribune Magazine. He worked as a journalist for most of his life, pioneering
literary journalism. He became national artist in 1976.
 F. Sionil Jose (1924) - Francisco Sionil Jose is a prolific Filipino writer whose works have been
translated in more than 20 languages. His literary works represent the social underpinnings of class
struggles and colonialism in the society. His most famous work is the Rosales Saga that includes The
Pretenders, Tree, My Brother, My Executioner, Mass, and Po-on. Jose was the founder of the
Philippine chapter of the international organization PEN. In 1999, he was awarded the CCP Centennial
Honors for the Arts.
 Jose Garcia Villa (1908-1997) - considered as a powerful literary influence in the country. His style is
similar to Seurat's architectonic and measured pointillism. Pointillism is a painting technique in which
the artist uses small, distinct dots of pure color to create an image. Villa's first collection of short
stories was published under the title Footnote to Youth: Tales of the Philippines and Others in 1993.
His poetry collection includes Doveglion: Collected poems, Poems 55, and Poems in Praise of Love:
The Best Love Poems of Jose Garcia Villa.
 Edith L. Tiempo (1919-2011) - Edith L. Tiempo's literary works are often described as a remarkable
fusion of style and substance. She received the greatest honor as a National Artist for Literature in
1999 and a recipient of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for the short story “The Black Monkey”
in 1951. Together with her husband, fictionist and novelist Edilberto K. Tiempo, she founded the
Siliman University National Writers Workshop which modeled after the lowa Writers Workshop in the
University of lowa.
 Virgilio S. Almario (1944) - Also known as Rio Alma, Virgilio S. Almario is a Filipino poet and
historian. He was born on 9 March 1944 in San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan. His translation of Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo were considered by the Manila Critics Circle as the best version.
 Amado V. Hernandez (1903-1970) - This courageous Filipino writer was well-known for his
disapproval of social injustices in the country. He firmly believed that writers play an important role in
society, acting “as the conscience of society and to affirm the greatness of the human spirit in the face
of inequity and oppression.” He wrote his novel Mga Ibong Mandaragit while in prison. He was
married to another national artist, Filipino actress Atang de la Rama.
 Carlos P. Romulo (1898-1985) - Carlos P. Romulo was an envoy, statesman, soldier, correspondent,
writer, and founder of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. - He was already a reporter by the young age
of 16, and became a publisher at 32. He was the only Asian to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize in
Journalism for a series of articles forecasting the outbreak of World War II.
 Carlos L. Quirino (1910-1999) - One of the most talented biographers of his time. He was the first
Filipino to be recognized as the National Artist in HIstorical Literature in 1997. He wrote Man of
Destiny (1935), a biography about the second president of the Philippines
 Alejandro R. Roces (1924-2011) - Alejandro R. Roces was an exceptional writer of comic short
stories. One of his finest literary work is “My Brother's Peculiar Chicken.” He also wrote several
newspaper.columns. He is also a multi-awarded writer, receiving honors and recognitions including
Rizal Pro Patria Award and the Gawas CCP para sa sining.
 Lazaro Francisco (1989-1980) - Lazaro Francisco is considered to be an icon in Tagalog writing
through his nationalist and social critisms. In 1958, he founded the Kapatiran nga mga Alagad ng
Wikang Pilipino (KAWIKA). In 1979, the Ateneo de Manila University awarded Francisco the
Tanglaw ng Lahi Award for his work.
 Bienvenido Lumbera (1932) - Bienvenido Lumbera is an award-winning poet, librettist, and scholar.
His scholarly work in the field of lterary history and critism are foundation texts in Philippines
colleges and universities.
 Cirilo F. Bautista (1941) - Cirilo Bautista is a highly praised poet, fictionist, and essayist. He is also a
Palanca Hall of Famer, winning countless awards and honors, including the National Book Awards,
Gawad Jose Corazon de Jesus, and Gawad CCP para sa sining. In 1998, Bautista was named winner of
the Philippine Centennial Prize for Epic Poetry. Bautista is also an academician and a scholar, and has
taught for more than 30 years.

NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR FILM

 Lino Brocka (1939-1991) – His contributions to cinema is unparalleled, with 66 films that “breathe
life and hope for the marginalized sectors of society;” according to NCCA. He has harvested countless
awards and recognitions here and abroad for his films that are “a bounty of stunning images,
memorable conversations that speak volumes on love, betrayal and redemption, pestilence and plenty

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM THE REGION

 Lemery Colleges, Inc.
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all pointing towards the recovery and rediscovery of our nation.” In 1975, he directed the movie
Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag. The said film is considered as one of the classics of Filipino
cinema.
 Ishmael Bernal (1938-1996) – considered to be one of the pillars of Philippine cinema. In 1982, he
directed the critically acclaimed Himala as one of the greatest Filipino films of all time because of its
provocative and courageous depictions that has served “as social commentaries and bold reflections on
the existing realities of the struggle of the Filipino.” Bernal’s contribution to Philippine cinema is both
liberating and aesthetics he pushes the artistry.
 Gerardo “Gerry” De Leon (1913-1981) – holds the sole distinction as the most awarded film director
in the country for the prestigious Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards,
the country’s equivalent to Oscars. He finished medicine but did not practice it to answer a calling in
cinema.
 Fernando Poe Jr. (1939-2004) – also known as “Da King” or FPJ. He has been given the title the
king of Philippine movies. He is one of the most admired Filipino film actors of all time. he is famous
for his role as Flavio in the mythical Ang Panday series. FPJ is not only an exceptional actor; he is also
a film producer and politician as well. In 2004, he ran an unsuccessful bid for the presidential election.
Subsequently, his political rival, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, declared him a National
Artist for Film in 2006.
 Eddie S. Romero (1924-2013) – His works, as cited, “are delivered in an utterly simple style –
minimalist, but never empty, always calculated, precise and functional, but never predictable.”
Romero’s presence in Philippine cinema is one that is “devoted to the art and commerce of cinema.”
His most recognized work, Ganito Kami Noon…Paano Kayo Ngayon? is Romero’s love letter to his
country, ass it tried to portray the common Filipino in the backdrop of history and imagination.

NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR ARCHITECTURE

 Pablo S. Antonio (1901-1975) – one of the leaders in modern Philippine architecture. His works are
simple and functional. Most of his designs used clean and smooth lines. If he used curves, these were
made integral to the structure. Moreover, Antonio’s forms maximized the use of natural light and cross
ventilation.
 Leandro V. Locsin (1928-1994) – he is the visionary behind the Istana Nurul Iman; the palace of
Sultan of Brunei which has a floor area of almost 2.2 million square feet. He also has changed the city
with his distinguishing architecture reflective of Philippine art and culture. His style of floating
volume, and the duality of light and heavy is unparalleled with other artists.
 Juan F. Nakpil (1899-1986) – another famous Filipino architect that you should be proud of. He had a
strong faith in the Filipino architect, with the “belief that there is such a thing as Philippine
Architecture, espousing architecture reflective of Philippine traditions and culture.” He designed the
1937 International Eucharistic Congress altar reconstructed the Quaipo Church in 1930.
 Ildefonso P. Santos, Jr. (1929-2014) – one of the most recognized landscape architects in the country.
Landscape architecture enhances outdoor public spaces, landmarks, and structures by contouring the
environment. He grew up in Malabon, and his first contribution in the industry can be found in the
busy streets of Makati. If you visit the Makati Commercial Center, the concept of outdoor shopping
with landscaped walks.
 Jose Maria Zaragoza (1912-1994) – an architecture graduate from University of Santo Tomas. He is
the country’s 82nd licensed architect. The head of the National Committee on Architecture and Allied
Arts of the NCCA, Gerard Lico, lauds Zaragoza’s works to have “advanced the progressive ideas of
modernism in rebuilding the Philippines from the ashes of war in the mid-2oth century.”

ACTIVITY

Come up with a new design for the National Artist insignia. Draw your design incorporating the arts and
motifs from different regions in the country. Explain the elements that you have included in your design.

MODULE 7:

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM THE REGION

 Lemery Colleges, Inc.
A. Bonifacio St., Brgy. Bagong Sikat, Lemery, Batangas

THE CONTEMPORARY IN TRADITIONAL ART: GAWAD SA

MANLILIKHA NG BAYAN (GaMaBa)
OBJECTIVES
1. Explain how tradition becomes contemporary and vice versa through the practices of artist
awardees of Manlilikha ng Bayan Awards.
2. Discuss the nature and purpose of the award in nation building.
3. Imagine the ideal Manlilikha ng Bayan through a performance, a literary piece or a visual form.

Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan

The Philippine government in 1992 enacted Republic Acts 7355. This institutionalized the National
Living Treasures Award or the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan. Through this law, the NCCA “conducts
the search for the finest traditional artists of the land, adopts a program that will ensure the transfer of
their skills to others, and undertakes measures to promote a genuine appreciation of and instill pride
among our people about the genius of the Manlilikha ng Bayan,”
The National Living Treasure Award or the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan recognizes Filipino
traditional Artists. It was first bestowed in 1993 to three exceptional folk artists in poetry and music, the
event was considered as a celebration of how “the folk and traditional artists reflect the diverse heritage
and cultural traditions that transcend their beginnings to become part of our national character.”
The recipients of this great national honor are exemplary individuals whose life, works, and identity
are described as part of our national character. NCCA cited, “as Filipinos, they bring age-old customs,
crafts and ways of living to the attention and appreciation of Filipino life. They provide us with a vision
of ourselves and of our nation, a vision we might be able to realize someday, once we are given the
opportunity to be true to ourselves as these artists have remained truthful to their art.”

The NCCA follows these guidelines in identifying and recognizing a person as a Manlilikha ng
Bayan in the field of folk epic literature, music, textile and mat weaving, dance, metal work, and casque
production.
a) He or she is an inhabitant of an indigenous or traditional cultural community anywhere in the
Philippines that has preserved indigenous customs, beliefs, rituals and traditions and/or has
syncretized whatever external elements that have influence it.
b) He or she must have engaged in a folk art tradition that has been in existence and documented for
at least 50 years.
c) He or she must have consistently performed or produced, over a significant period, works of
superior and distinctive quality.
d) He or she must possess a mastery of tools and materials needed by the art, and must have an
established reputation in the arts as master and maker of works of extraordinary technical quality.
e) He or she must have passed on and /or will pass on to other members of the community their
skills in the folk art for which the community is traditionally known.

GAMABA AWARDEES

FORM MANLILIKHA NG YEAR OF ETHNICITY/ EXPERTISE

BAYAN CONFERMENT LOCATION
T’boli/ Lake Sebu, South Cotabato,
Lang Dulay 1998 Mindanao, Southern Philippines Tinalak Weaving

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM THE REGION

 Lemery Colleges, Inc.
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Tagabawa Bagobo/ Bansalan,

Salinta Monon 1998 Davao del Sur, Southeastern Inabal weaving
Mindanao, SouthernPhilippines
Tausug/ Parang, Sulu,
Darhata Sawabi 2004 Southern Philippines Pis siyabit weaving
Weaving
Sama/ Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi,
Haja Amina Appi 2004 Southern Philippines Mat weaving
Ilocano/ Pinili, Ilocos Norte,
Magdalena Gamayo 2012 Northern Luzon, Northern Inabel weaving
Philippines
Hanunoo Mangyan/ Mansalay, Surat Mangyan and
Ginaw Bilog 1993 Oriental Mindoro, Central ambahan poetry
Philippines
Lyrical poems and
Palawan/ Brookes Point, playing their
Masino Intaray 1993 accompanying
Central Philippines
instruments; epic
chanting and storytelling
Magindanao/ Mamasapano,
Samaon Sulaiman 1993 Maguindanao, Western Mindanao, Playing the kudyapi
Literature and
Southern Philippines
Performing Arts
Kalinga musical
Alonzo Saclag 2000 Kalinga/ Lubuagan, Kalinga, instruments; dance
Northern Luzon, Northern patterns and movements
Philippines with rituals
Sulod Bukidnon/ Calinog, Iloilo, Chanting the sugidanon
Federico Caballero 2000 Panay, Central Philippines epic of the Panay
Bukidnon
Yakan/ Lamitan, Playing Yakan musical
Uwang Ahadas 2000 Basilan, Southern Philippines instruments
Kapampangan/ Apalit, Pampanga, Silver plating of
Eduardo Mutuc 2004 Central Luzon, Northern Philippines religious and secular art
Plastic Arts
Ilocano/ San Quintin, Abra,
Teofilo Garcia 2012 Northern Luzon, Northern Gourd casque making
Philippines

ACTIVITY
Design a trophy for the National Living Treasures Award or Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan. Your
design should incorporate indigenous arts from the regions.

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM THE REGION