UNIT 3

CONTEMPORARY ART TECHNIQUES AND PERFORMANCE PRACTICES

Contemporary artists employ techniques that are avant-garde, leaning away

from the mainstream or traditional art. These techniques combine different mediums
called mixed media in many kinds of contemporary art. Yet, every technique of an artist
is a unique perspective about his/her art such as the perspective of the graffiti “writer”
and the street artist that one has never seen before.

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Our environment has a pool of unlimited resources of indigenous art materials

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utilized by the artist through his/her creative executions. Out of these materials, a local
artist applies different techniques in exploring both the functional use as a tool and the
aesthetic value of the artwork as a source of the artist’s enhanced skill and talent. The

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result is a work of art that is beautifully handcrafted, and dramatically executed that
deserves some credit.
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Performance practices, on the other hand, is dance-based, music-based, theater-
based or a combination of all three, and performed live on stage, on television, and on
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the streets like Dinagyang and Ati-Atihan. This is further discussed in Lesson 3 of this unit.
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SETTING UP GOALS
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At the end of the unit, you will have been able to:
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1. identify local art materials/mediums applied in handicrafts or any work of

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art;
2. recognize the aesthetic values of local materials of different regions;
3. appreciate Filipino folk arts/traditional arts with their characteristics and
style;
4. discuss traditional techniques applied in contemporary arts;
5. appreciate local performing arts and artist; and
6. identify some local types of performing art practices.

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 Lesson 1

LOCAL MATERIALS IN CONTEMPORARY ARTS

GETTING STARTED

Both ancient and modern Filipino artists over many millennia used almost the

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same local and indigenous materials in their art works that have developed and
accumulated in the Philippines from the ancient times to the modern period. Art works

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have evolved to adapt to the changing times, and in one way or another, to feature the
important events of the period and major products of the region from which a certain
craft has been derived. With the development of civilization and the influences of foreign

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artists, Philippine art has been honed. Some foreign influences may be evident in these
art works, but many modern Filipino artists strive to preserve local color in visual,
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performing, and literary arts to reflect the art works’ personality and character that are
truly Filipino and particularly indigenous to the region they represent.
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From painting to printmaking, from weaving to sculpting, and from literary

writing to performing arts, local arts speak so much of the region’s cultural identity and
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diversity, traditional and non-traditional practices of its people, and its wide range of
available art mediums. Many of these local materials used by different artists are
discussed in Lesson 1.
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WARMING UP
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Pair-up with a classmate.

Make an artwork using indigenous or any available materials such as leaves, flower
petals, pebbles, scratch paper, juice containers, plastic bottles, etc. that you can find
around the campus (Be resourceful.). As you create, relate the work to your present
emotional state, to the environmental, social, economic, or political issues. Be an artist
who expresses pent-up emotions through his/her artwork. Present your work in class and
explain the feeling/emotion expressed in the work, the materials used, and the
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techniques you applied to create such artwork. Create a title for such work. Use the table
below to explain it.

Title of Artwork:

Local Materials Techniques Feelings/Emotions/Issues

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TUNING IN
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Contemporary handcrafted arts derived from local materials of the indigenous

communities of this country have already gained global attention. The intricacy and
uniqueness of the original designs have made them popular and earned international
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recognition like the traviesa art, the decorative lanterns of San Fernando, Pampanga, the
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noted shell crafts of Mactan, Cebu, and the promising fiber industry of Luzon, Visayas,
and Mindanao. The 21st century urban art, such as graffiti art, street art, and
commissioned murals, has also paved its way to gain public acceptance.

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 The following is a list of local materials found in the regions of Luzon, Visayas, and
Mindanao.

LOCAL ART MATERIALS FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES

LOCAL MATERIALS

I. Fibers
Abaca, known as Manila hemp, is a species of banana and grown as a commercial crop
extracted from the leaf-stems/sheaths that
contain the valuable fiber. The fiber was

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originally used for making twines and ropes.

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This natural fiber is giving the country
millions in return for its export. Today, a new
market for abaca is flourishing in the textile

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industry – abaca denim. The crop is
originally grown in the Philippines. Other
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fibers derived from abaca are bakbak (a
strong brown fiber used for furniture) and
sinamay (woven from processed abaca stalks).
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Uses:
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Decorative paper, bags, carpets, water-resistant clothing, denims, gowns (Pia

Wurtzbach’s blue gown, designed
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by Francis Libiran, was made from

pure abaca fabric), home decors,
furniture, tea bags, bank notes,
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mats, fishing nets, ropes, bins,

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slippers, frames, boxes,

decorative accents (like
Christmas decors made of
sinamay), decorative jars,
hammocks, hats, etc.

Bakong (tiger grass), a peculiar aquatic plant that was once considered a water pest
and irritant in Sta. Teresita, Cagayan until 2012, has become a new component in
woven products. Now, “the water pest has dramatically transformed into a potential

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gold mine. It can now be an alternative raw material for elegant and sophisticated
furniture designs never before seen in any industrial exposition” (De Yro, 2016, p.1).

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Uses: se
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Fashion accessories, wall decorations,
gift boxes, fruit trays, door mats, paper,
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fabrics, furniture, and ropes

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Piña is one of the important cash crops in the country being used to make textile-
based products. The Philippines is an ideal
home to grow pineapple and it is the second
largest exporter of pineapple in the world
next to Thailand. They are grown
abundantly in Polomolok, South Cotabato
(Dole), Bukidnon (Del Monte), and in some
parts of Luzon and Visayas. In Visayas, Aklan
is recognized to be the biggest producer of
piña fibers in the Philippines, and piña
weaving is its oldest industry. Piña’s long,

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fine, and luxurious threads come from its

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leaves. Its strands are resilient and strong. It has a slight luster similar to silk, and is
washable. The fiber goes well with cotton, abaca
(piña-jusi), and silk (piña-seda/silk). Piña fabric in

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this country is the finest in the world.

Uses:
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Clothing (Barong Tagalog, Filipiniana
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dresses/national costume, and wedding gowns),

bags, scarves,
shawls, table
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linens, furniture
upholstery, and
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many more.
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Water lily (water hyacinth), considered a nuisance for clogging waterways, is now a
good source of income for the communities of
Las Piñas, Cotabato, and other provinces.
Utilizing the plant could help reduce
environmental problems and generate
employment opportunities. Filipino innovators
introduced water lily leather made from the
plant’s stalks. The result is eco-fashion
innovation, unique to the Filipino identity
(Lifestyle, 2016). Water lily produces coarse
fiber with high gum content unsuitable for yarn

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production; however, the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) was able to

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convert the fiber into spinning yarns blended with either polyester or cotton.

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Bags, shoes, slippers, baskets, trays, hampers/laundry baskets, tissue and wine
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holders, Christmas lanterns, decors, furniture, place mats, etc.

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Hampers/laundry baskets, tissue and wine holders, Christmas lanterns, decors,

furniture, place mats, etc.

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II. Urban Reuse and Environmental Materials

Mt. Pinatubo Volcanic Rocks (hard rocks,

formed by cooling and hardening of molten
material called magma) and Lahar (hot or cold
mixture of water and rock fragments flowing
down the slopes of a volcano). They are non-
traditional materials experimented by Rey Paz
Contreras to sculpt human figures.” His true
interest was to make use of ethnic motifs and
old symbols that would gain contemporary

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expression. He pioneered the development of
community-based people’s art”. He also

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explored other materials such as:

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Uses:
Figurines, pottery, glass, lahar ash
paintings, statues, building materials,
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Statues, furniture, floors, shelves, wine

racks, bowls, wooden ornaments, etc.
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Logging refuse utilizes the log’s roots and branches

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to create any work of art. The artist’s aim in using this

material is to support reforestation program in the
provinces.
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 Traviesa or hardwood railroad tracks are railroad sleeper refuse that were severely
damaged and some of them were about more than 100 years old. This material was
used in sculpture and practical tools.

Recycled Materials such as bottles, caps,

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advertising banners, tetra-packs, soda cans,

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straws, newspapers, incandescent bulbs, plastic
spoons, and many more transform trash into
usable, trendy, and fun goods. An art work made

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from recycled materials is unique and truly
individual.
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Bags, home accessories and furnishings, vases, picture frames,

wine bottle dispensers, footwear, etc.
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 Mindoro Jade (nephrite) is a mineral abundant in
Mindoro. The Iraya Mangyans risk their lives just to
mine for this mineral. “Despite the hazards and the
meager income they get out of it, the natives stick
to the only source of income they’ve known all
their lives” – mining for nephrite. Most recent sites
of this mineral are in Batanes, Cagayan Valley,
Palawan,
Zambales, Siargao,
and Surigao del
Norte.

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Necklaces,
bangles, earrings, rings, pendants, bracelets, pen
holders, figurines, and other ornamental objects

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III. Design Trend. The following materials can either be bought locally or customized by
an artist using available local art materials as embellishment.
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Minimalist Art Materials in Modern Homes Elaborate details and loud styles are
rejected in a minimalist design such as moldings, wood carvings on built-in cabinets and
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furniture, excessive use of fabrics, and elaborate use of colors. Its theme is classic design
and its essence is functionality.
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Chrome and glass are both used in modern minimalist

designs. Chrome or stainless steel is seen in faucets, door
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knobs, furniture frames, legs, cabinets, handles, and

railings.
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Glass allows maximum use of natural lighting as seen in

glass houses or homes with large glass windows, doors,
and wall panels.

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Key furniture pieces
Coffee tables,
make great focal point.
staircase railings,
One must choose
chairs, home
furnitures that do not only
accessories, window
look great but also fit
sills and frames,
perfectly, and practically.
counter tops, and
Another thing to consider
appliances
is the functionality of a
piece of furniture for the
intended space.

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Open space also refers to open floor plan or open
concept design is now a trend in modern minimalism.

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It minimizes the use of small enclosed rooms to allow
a person to experience the freedom and grandeur it
lends. The wall division between the kitchen area and

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the living room is torn down to achieve an open space.
Though an immaterial substance, space that is
inherently diffused and formless, is another element
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utilized by minimalists in their interior designs.
Consoles, windows,
doors, walls, cabinets,
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table tops
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Dining set, living room

set, bed, console side
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tables, cabinets, etc.

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IV. Large-Scale Art Materials are used in huge art that is larger than life.

Street Art is a
kind of painting
similar to the
paintings featured
by Filipino Street
Art Project (FSAP), Boysen’s Project, and Pilipinas

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Street Plan (PSP) that provided an insight into the

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street art scene in the Philippines and exposing the
traditional Filipino designs and patterns. It was
inspired from graffiti art. Most artists of street art
have received formal art training. Materials used
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were: acrylic, spray paint, stencil, pen markers, stickers, and acrylic paste on Manila
paper. The images are projected on billboards, building walls, concrete fences, public
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transportations, and screens.

Urban Graffiti is loosely used inter-changeably with
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street art. It was once regarded as an act of

“vandalism” which is a public offense and often seen
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as an eyesore. Most graffiti artists are self-taught,

and they are called writer because their medium is
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word-based; whereas, street art is image-based. The

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materials used in graffiti art are the same as street

art’s.

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 Mural paintings
(commissioned and non-
commissioned), full wall
mural decals (wall paper),
contemporary wall mural
interiors (computer-

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generated illustrations)

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