Art and You

Lesson 1
What is contemporary art?
Contemporary art is defined as the art of the “now.” These are the artworks that are produced
in the present. It is difficult to define the actual starting point of contemporary art since the
present is in constant motion, and what we might consider as contemporary art today might not
be true in the future.

What is art? Have you ever wondered what

Art is a tool for communication whether it is a painting or art is? Is it only about
a performance as long as it is a venue for one to convey or paintings and sculptures found
in museums? How about the
express a thought, emotions, or aspirations: it is
jingles we hear in commercials,
considered art. Every artwork reflects the artist and his/her or those decorations on our
society. food, is that considered art?
Art offers us a chance to learn and understand artists and
the regions where they belong through their works.

Art is one of the earliest and most basic form of communication.

Art is defined as the manifestation or use of the various creative disciplines. It is produced by
human creativity and skill to express oneself. It comes in many forms or disciplines such as
literature and media arts but the most familiar of which is the visual and performing arts.

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS

Visual Art
Art, as mentioned, is the tangible It is a term used to describe a wide array of artistic
output of creative expression. It is disciplines that are appreciated primarily through sight.
represented through its different
forms and disciplines such as Visual arts include the different art forms and disciplines
literature, culinary arts, media
such as FINE ARTS, DECORATIVE ARTS and
arts, visual arts, and the
performing arts. CONTEMPORARY ART FORM

fine Arts
The term “fine arts” was first used to describe the art forms created primarily for its
APPEARANCE rather than its practical use.

The Poetry of the Sea Butterflies RAMIL TAWASIL was born

in 1969 in Sulu, a painter who
studied Architecture at the
Western Mindanao State
University from 1987 to 1992.
EXAMPLES OF fine Arts
1. Drawing – is the art of technique of 5. Graphic Art – is an art of
representing an object representation, decoration, writing or
printing on flat surfaces together with
the techniques.

2. Painting – a picture made by putting 6. Calligraphy – is the art of making

paint beautiful handwriting.

3. Sculpture – a piece of art that is made 7. Architecture – is the art of science in

by carving or molding clay designing and creating buildings.

4. Print – a mark made by pressure

 DECORATIVE ARTS
also known as decorative crafts, these are the artworks that are both aesthetically pleasing and
functional.

EXAMPLES OF DECORATIVE Arts

1. Textile Art 5. Earthenware

2. Glassware

6. Metal Craft

3. Jewelry

4. Furniture 7. Interior Design

 CONTEMPORARY ART FORMS
include recently conceived art styles and techniques that are not easily categorized with the
previously mentioned forms.

EXAMPLES OF CONTEMPORARY ART FORMS

1. Assemblage 4. Performance art

5. Digital art

2. Collage

6. Land art

3. Installation

7. Conceptual art
 CONTEMPORARY ART VS CONTEMPORARY ART FORM

CONTEMPORARY ART is defined as all artworks that produced in our present

lifetime. These artworks can be expressed using the traditional art forms such as
paintings, sculptures, pottery, etc. or can be produced using new art techniques such
as installation, assemblage. etc.

There are numerous and still emerging forms of contemporary arts. The list is
continually expanding with new art forms being invented due to the development of
technology.

Performing Arts
Performing arts are meant to be enacted in front of a live audience.

THREE TYPES OF PERFORMING ARTS

1. Music

▪ Music is a universal form of art.

▪ It is defined as the manipulation of sound and silence.
▪ It blends the different elements such as PITCH, RHYTHM, DYNAMICS, TIMBRE, and
TEXTURE to create sound.
▪ It is performed by utilizing different instruments, vocal techniques, and styles.
▪ It can be performed live or recorded and can be prepared in advance or improvised.
Music Genres:
a. ART MUSIC
➢ It is the umbrella term used to refer to music that stems from WESTERN
CLASSICAL MUSIC. It is usually presented and preserved through written
musical notations that were developed in Europe.
b. POPULAR MUSIC
➢ It generally refers to music that is accessible and commercially available to the
public. It is played or disseminated through different mass media outlets such as
radios, television and the internet.
c. TRADITIONAL MUSIC
➢ These are musical forms that are community and culturally based. It is diverse
with one community or group often having a different form from another. It is
learned and preserved by passing it to one generation to another through oral
communication and actual performance.

2. Dance
➢ It is defined as regulated and deliberated order of body movements. These
movements have aesthetic value and are often performed accompanied with music.
➢ Examples:
Ballet, Belly dance, Break dance, Improvisational dance, Hip-hop dance, Modern
dance, Contemporary dance, Traditional dance
3. Theater
➢ Theater or play is a branch of performing arts that often involves the integration and
combination of the visual and performing arts.
➢ It is defined as a fine art where actors or actresses perform experience, whether real or
imagined, in front of a live audience.
➢ The performers make use of gestures, music, song, dance, and visual arts to help
communicate the story in front of an audience.
➢ EXAMPLES:
Mime, Puppetry, Tragedy, Opera, Musical Theater, Traditional Theater

WHY DO ARTISTS CREATE ART?

Recognition
Some artists create art in hopes of ❖ DOLPHY, THE
gaining fame and fortune. Some artists KING OF COMEDY
use art as their means of livelihood. (Rodolfo Vera Quízon
Some artists, due to their reputation and Sr.)
talent, have become not just critically - He is better known
acclaimed but have earned financial by his stage names
success as well, such as: Dolphy, Pidol, and
❖ SHARON CUNETA Golay, was a
(Sharon Gamboa Filipino comedian and actor. He
Cuneta-Pangilinan) is widely regarded as the
- She is a Filipino country's King of Comedy for
actress, singer, his comedic talent embodied by
television host, and his long roster of works on
commercial endorser. She is stage, radio, television and
referred to as the "Megastar" of movies.
the Philippines for her
unparalleled success in the In the field of visual arts, RONALD
entertainment industry. VENTURA (1973) made history when
his painting the “GRAYGROUND”
❖ VILMA SANTOS was sold in an auction at Sotheby’s Hong
(Maria Rosa Vilma
Kong for almost 47 million pesos in
Santos-Recto)
2011. It set a new record at the time,
- She is a Filipino
actress and beating the record set by fellow Filipino
politician. She is artist Geraldine Javier a year before.
known as the
Star For All
Seasons for her various roles in
different genres of her movies
and holds the titles of Grand
Slam Queen, Queen of Queens,
and the Longest Reigning Box
Office Queen of Philippine
Cinema.
 Worship
Not all artists create for personal
recognition. Some do it to glorify their
creator.
❖ Joey Velasco (1967-2010)
He was known for his rendition of
Christian themed artworks.

Impulse
Some artists create art because they are driven by impulse. It is
their passion; nothing makes them happier than doing their
chosen art. These artists consider art as life and spend their time
doing nothing but such.
❖ Celerio is credited to have written over 4,000 songs.
- PASKO NA NAMAN (1965)
- ANG PASKO AY SUMAPIT (1933)
- KAHIT KONTING PAGTINGIN
- BASTA’T MAHAL KITA
- SA UGOY NG DUYAN (1948)

Self-Expression
Artists, without a doubt, create art for self-expression. They express ideas and emotions that
might not be adequately expressed through words. Each artwork is a reflection of each
individual artist’s personality, making each artwork unique.

FILIPINO ART TENDENCIES

Prof. Felipe M. De Leon Jr.
A professor of art studies and as of writing the current chair of the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Through his studies, he suggests that there are several characteristic tendencies seen in
Philippine Art. He also relates these tendencies with the communal instinct of the Filipinos. As
mentioned, Filipinos are social creatures and their art is influenced by this. Even if an artist has
studied and trained abroad, these predisposed characteristics can still be even felt albeit diluted.

1. BROADEST ASPECT TECHNIQUE

- Filipino artworks often try to show the many sides of an object, depicting how Filipinos
think it looks like rather than how it is actually seen.

2. MULTIPLE FOCAL POINTS

- Related with the first tendency, many artists use multiple focal points in their
composition in efforts to try to represent the sentiments of the different members of
society.
- The eye has no place to rest which leaves the viewer feeling anxious and uncomfortable.
- This tendency can be clearly seen in the works of the late cartoonist Larry Alcala, whose
works show multiple scenes and events at one point in time.

3. HIGHLY EXPRESSIVE
- Being born in a very social environment, Filipinos are more emphatic, spontaneous,
and emotional. This tendency holds especially true for the performing arts, where
Filipinos excel. In the visual arts, this is carried over through the colorful artworks.
4. POLYCHROMATIC
- Filipinos love color, decorative arts and crafts. This is why costumes and festivals are
bathed in rich, vibrant spectrum of colors.
- Example is installation arts during fiesta

5. MAXIMALISM
- A good example of the Filipinos proclivity to decorate can be seen in the public
transport vehicle, the jeepney. Decorations that range from airbrushed portraits to scenic
landscapes fill up the inside and the exterior of the “dyip”.

6. MULTIFUNCTIONAL
- Creating works that has various uses strengthen the sense of community with people of
different fascination and requirements.

7. RHYTHMIC PATTERNS
- One of the most recognizable tendencies in Filipino art is the stylized and measured
organization of patterns and forms.
- Examples are textile arts and songs.