CONTEXT OF

CONTEMPORARY ART

Chapter 2 Lesson Summary

CONTINUATION…
TOPICS
The Art World
Government Agencies and
Institutions
The Art Market
 THE ART WORLD
The art world is composed of all people involved in the production,
commission, presentation, preservation, promotion,
chronicling, criticism, sale or consumption of art.
Art is therefore a business enterprise and an income-generating
activity that is influenced by the market forces of the art world and
economics of the art sector.
Organizational structure of art can be defined in terms of
CORE ACTIVITIES of art production and the
COLLATERAL ACTIVITIES.
 CORE ACTIVITIES
A. Production of Art-
artists and their studios,
collectives and workshops,
associations clubs, and societies - Arts boards, arts councils, charitable
B. Exhibition of Art
Galleries
- public- national, regional,
metropolitan; commercial;
temporary public or private;
heritage houses, heritage sites
and culture parks
COLLATERAL ACTIVITIES
A. Facilitation of production and
exhibition
funding bodies, art schools and other
educational institutions.
B. Dissemination of art and art
discourse
- competitions; fairs biennales and
festivals, commercial and academic
publishers; internet; film and television
production
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES and INSTITUTIONS
- it is the lead coordinating body among cultural
institutions, empowered by virtue of EXECUTIVE
ORDER NO. 80, which placed the Cultural Center
of the Philippines, the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines, the National
Museum, the National Library of the Philippines, and
the National Archives of the Philippines under the
NCCA organizational umbrella.
- The NCCA is the overall policy-making,
coordinating, and grants-giving agency for the
preservation, development and promotion of
Philippine Arts and Culture.
They also executes policies it formulates, and is tasked
to administer the National Endowment Fund for
Culture and the Arts (NEFCA) – a permanent fund
exclusively for the implementation of culture and art
programs and projects.

-Currently, the NCCA is headed by a 15-member

Board of Commissioners, with members coming from
other agencies and offices such as the Department of
Education, Department of Tourism, the Senate, as well
as the representatives from the private sector.
 AFFILIATE AGENCIES
1. CULTURAL CENTER of the PHILIPPINES (CCP)
2. NATIONAL HISTORICAL COMMISSION of the PHILIPPINES (NHCP)
3. The NATIONAL MUSEUM (NM
4. NATIONAL LIBRARY ARCHIVES of the PHILIPPINES
5. The NATIONAL ARCHIVES of the PHILIPPINES
6. KOMISYON sa WIKANG FILIPINO (KWF)
These representatives comprise the NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD, which
is divided into four sub-commissions - Sub-commission on the Arts, the Sub-
commission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts, the Sub-commission on
Cultural Dissemination, and the Sub-commission on Cultural Heritage. These
commissions are broken down into 19 committees divided by art forms and genre.
(refer on these 19 committees on the e-book, page 23)
6 CULTURAL AGENCIES under NCCA
The CULTURAL CENTER of the PHILIPPINES (CCP or
SENTRONG PANGKULTURA ng PILIPINAS)
- it is mandated to promote excellence in the arts through the
initiation and implementation of activities that aim to improve and
elevate standards among cultural workers, artists, and audiences to
recognize the multiplicity and differences of aesthetic experiences and
standards encompassing the arts, from the grassroots to those
formulated by academy-trained artists.
-the activities the center engages in include, architecture, film and
broadcast, arts, dance, literature, music, new media, theatre, and visual
arts.
The NATIONAL MUSEUM (NM)
-This agency is tasked with the preservation, conservation and
protection of movable and immovable cultural properties for
the enjoyment of present and future generations .
-they offer publications, exhibitions, library services, seminar
workshops, among other activities.
- they takes the lead in the study and preservation of the nation’s rich
artistic, historical and cultural heritage in the reconstruction and
rebuilding of our nation’s past and veneration of the great pioneers who
helped in building our nation.
-Currently, the national network of the National Museum comprises
nineteen regional, branch, and site museums throughout the
archipelago.
The NATIONAL HISTORICAL COMMISSION of the
PHILIPPINES (NHCP)
- it was created in 1972 as the NATIONAL HISTORICAL
INSTITUTE to integrate the diverse functions of various historical
agencies.
- by virtue of R.A. 10086, is responsible for the conservation and
preservation of the country’s historical legacies.
- Its major thrusts encompass an ambitious cultural program on
historical studies, curatorial works, architectural conservation, Philippine
Heraldry, historical information dissemination activities, restoration and
preservation of relics and memorabilia of heroes and other renowned
Filipinos.
 Exhibition, Display and Dissemination of Art
Museums, Galleries, Auction Houses, and Private Collections are
considered the institutions of the art world.
 The “mouseion” of the Greeks laid the fundamental concept for a museum as a
place for education and enjoyment since its first creation on their society long ago.
The first government museum in the Philippines was established under the
AMERICAN COLONIAL POLICY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
In 1901, the NATIONAL MUSEUM started as the INSULAR MUSEUM of
ETHNOLOGY, NATURAL HISTORY, and Commerce under the Department of
Public Instruction by virtue of Act 284 passed by the Philippine Commission.
- CLASSICISTS and MODERNISTS were the famous movement which
happened Modernism was gaining foothold in the country.
Contemporary art forms have started to explore possibilities of
engaging audience outside the context of museum or gallery, or what
some would refer to as the “WHITE CUBE”
“WHITE CUBE” – it is the term that originated from the
manner in which contemporary museums exhibit their
collections on plain, usually white walls in order to focus on
a work on display. However, this idea tends to alienate the
work from the audience. This is a concern with
contemporary art where the interaction between the artist,
audience and the work itself with the context it moves in.
This is where curator comes in
CURATOR – they deal with
the inside and outside of the
gallery setting, not only with
the physical space for the
exhibition and display of art
works, but also presents a
framework in which the
audience may view the work
or set of works.
( refer to page 26 of your e-book for the
works of the curator)
 Support for the ARTS
Section 15 of Article XIV of the 1987 Philippine Constitution establishes the role
of the Philippine government in supporting the arts and creative practices of the nation.

PRIVATE and CORPORATE PATRONAGE

-Art Patronage refers to the support that wealthy personalities and corporate entities bestow on
artists.

-”Patron” in Latin means ‘FATHER’, hence, a patron of the arts is one who
‘begets’ and protects the arts. Often, they are persons of power and wealth, who
commission art for their homes or as a monuments after their deaths to further glory.
-Religious groups have funded the creation of great artworks and monumental cathedrals that
serve their beliefs.
- art is sometimes funded by private donations and corporate sponsorship.
 The Art Market
 It is composed of galleries, art collectors, museums, biennales, art fairs and art
media which are sustained by an economic system.
 biennales - a large art exhibition or music festival, especially one held biennially.

 When the Government service Insurance system (GSIS) paid P46 million for a 110-year-
old Juan Luna painting, it purchased at a 2002 auction in Hong Kong, it sent shockwaves in
the art market. Since then, a number of artworks painted by other Filipino artists, some of
whom are still alive, have been sold for tens of millions of pesos.
 In the fine art market, artists make works to sell through commercial galleries. Gallery
owners take a 50 percent commission on all artworks that they sell.
 In auction houses, art that has been in private collections may be resold. Thus, auction
houses resell art that was already in the hands of collectors, or museums, artists do not
directly benefit from this.
 State Grants and Tax-Supported Art
GRANT – is a sum of money awarded to an artist by a government
agency or private corporation to enable him/her to produce art.
The National Endowment fund for Culture and the Arts (NEFCA)
established by Section 20 of R.A. No. 7356 support Philippine Art and
culture programs and projects, allocates a portion of public funds for
artwork, subventions to art institutions, the organization of art events
locally, regionally or nationally.
The NCCA is a grant-giving governrnent agency which administers the
NEFCA,. The NCCA, through NEFCA, provides financial assistance to
qualified individual artists and art organizations and local government units
in their artistic or cultural pursuits.
 Ponder on this!

In what way can you

participate in the art world?
Discuss the role of young people
in supporting Philippine art.
END OF THE CHAPTER 2
LESSON SUMMARY