CORE SUBJECT

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS

FROM THE REGION
_____ SEMESTER, SY _____________
QUARTER 1, MODULE 1
CONTEMPORARY ARTS FORMS
AND THEIR PRACTICES FROM
VARIOUS REGIONS

1
Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Region – Grade 11/12
Self-Learning Module
___ Semester Quarter 1 – Module 1: Contemporary Arts Forms and Their Practices
from Various Regions
First Edition, 2021

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Published by the Division of Romblon

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OIC-Asst. Superintendent: Mabel F. Musa, Ph.D., CESE

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Rogel M. Mortel
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 Lesson CONTEMPORARY ART FORMS
AND THEIR PRACTICES FROM
1 VARIOUS REGIONS

INTRODUCTION

Hello Senior High! In this lesson, you will learn to:

1. describe the various contemporary arts forms and their practices from various regions.

Hi there, before we proceed, let us first take time to reflect the following questions:

• Have you ever traveled to the different regions of the Philippines?

• What have you observed their artistic expressions?
• How did you react to these different forms of artistry?
•
The previous module covered various contemporary art practices of the region. It
aimed to provide students with an appreciation of a broad range of styles in various disciplines
considering their elements and principles, and engage them to an integrative approach in
studying arts.
In this module, we will discuss about the different contemporary art forms and their
practices from various regions. This module aims to widen the scope of appreciation of artistic
values of the students

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 LESSON AND PRACTICES

Discussion

Contemporary Art Forms and Practices

I. Contemporary Fine Arts

https://www.master-and-more.eu/en/masters-fine-arts-and-music/

Contemporary Painting
Painting, one of the oldest and most popular way of artistry, is the expression of ideas
and emotions, with the creation of certain aesthetic qualities, in a two-dimensional
visual language. The elements of this language—its shapes, lines, colors, tones, and
textures—are used in various ways to produce sensations of volume, space, movement,
and light on a flat surface. These elements are combined into expressive patterns in order
to represent real or supernatural phenomena, to interpret a narrative theme, or to create
wholly abstract visual relationships. The choices of medium and form, as well as the artist’s
own technique, combine to realize a unique visual image.

1. Landscape Painting – refers to an artwork whose primary focus is natural

scenery, such as mountains, forests, cliffs, trees, rivers, valleys, etc.
2. Abstract Painting – is an art that does not attempt to represent an accurate
depiction of a visual reality but instead use shapes, colors, forms and gestural
marks to achieve its effect. This form demands a good background in drawing and
pre-planned concept of painting.
3. Figurative Painting - is generally; art depicting the shape of things, objects, places
and perceptions. Creating a likeness. Things are draw and painted as exactly as they
are perceived in the real world. Huma images are commonly used as references in
these types of painting throughout the history.

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 4. Watercolor Painting – is considered to be one of the most primitive types of
painting. It is familiarly used by beginners or by children in most of their activities in
school. It is usually mixed with water and put it on paper.
5. Oil Painting – is painting in oil colors, a medium consisting of pigments suspended
in drying oils. The outstanding facility with which fusion of tones or color is achieved
makes it unique among fluid painting mediums; at the same time, satisfactory linear
treatment and crisp effects are easily obtained. This medium is a great means in
achieving a more realistic look in an artwork.

Painters and their works:

• Victorio Edades introduced modern visual art through his art exhibition which shocked
many Filipino audiences due to his different style in painting. Instead of using visual
bright and happy colors, he used dull and dark hues in his works with the life of the
laborers, workers and lower sector of the society as his subjects.
• Modernism garnered a larger influence since there were institutions created like the
Art Association of the Philippines by Purita Kalaw-Ledesma and the Philippine
Art Gallery by Lydia Villanueva-Arguilla, which supported modern art movements.

Contemporary Sculpture
One of the most familiar art forms among Filipinos are carvings and molding of gods
and heroes through native medium. At present, because of the variety of materials and
techniques that can be used in sculpting, artists are given wider freedom and a more flexible
platform in creating expressive art. This art form requires physical strength and a good
understanding of objects in a 3-dimensional perspective.

1. Molding – this refers to an additive process where a material in added and shaped into
a desired form. This process usually includes the use of clay or wax.
2. Carving - involves cutting or chipping away a shape from a mass of stone, wood, or
other hard material. Carving is a subtractive process whereby material is systematically
eliminated from the outside in. Materials used are commonly wood, marble etc.
3. Casting - Sculptures that are cast are made from a material that is melted down—
usually a metal—that is then poured into a mold. The mold is allowed to cool, thereby
hardening the metal, usually bronze. Casting is an additive process.
4. Assembling - Sculptors gather and join different materials to create an assembled
sculpture. Assembling is an additive process.

Sculptors and their works;

• Sculptors like Ramon Orlina and Impy Pilapil explored the use of glass in making
sculptures.
• Eduardo Mutuc is a metalsmith sculptor from Apalit, Pampanga, who created
numerous wood carving and metal art with religious and secular themes.

Contemporary Architecture

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 Architecture is the art and science of designing buildings and other physical structures. At
present, buildings are rich in technological aid that allows architects to be flexible and fully
express their ideas from a concept to a real and tangible infrastructure that accommodates
real people aesthetically and functionally.
Urban housing, multi-story tenements, and government housing projects emerged due to
the increasing population and decreasing land-availability. Because government housing
cannot accommodate all those who need low-cost housing, slums and shanties started to
proliferate. On the other hand, those houses owned by the upper class were characterized a
huge with large front garden. Condominiums also emerged.
Starting from Marcos era, there had been constructions of expressways, convention center,
hospitals, hotels, malls, high rise buildings, amusement centers, etc. All these come with
technological advancements like escalators, elevators, air-conditioning system, computers,
etc.
In the regional set up, residential houses, churches, public markets, business space tend
to imitate the architectural styles in the urban. Also, eco-cultural tourism was introduced.
Theme parks and resorts were developed in tourist spots like Palawan, Davao, Bohol,
Batangas, etc. Given cultural heritage preservation, heritage towns like Vigan, Intramuros,
Dapitan, etc. were given attention.

Architects and their works;

• Metropolitan Theater- Juan Arellano designed the theatre and experimented with
romanticism. Decorative motifs incorporating native plants and variety of colors were
employed in the building.
• Leandro Locsin was a Filipino architect, artist, and interior designer known for his use
of concrete, floating volume and simplistic design in his various projects. He designed
the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

II. Contemporary Visual Arts

https://higherpoetics.wordpress.com/category/museum-of-contemporary-art-moca/

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 Installation Art
The term installation art is used to describe large-scale, mixed-media constructions,
often designed for a specific place or for a temporary period of time. Some of these are
even burned or disposed of after serving their purpose. This type of art is crea ted to
spread awareness rather than profit. It is a combination of various art forms like; painting,
sculpture and even miniature architecture depending on the need for display. Below are the
different types of installation art.

1. Interactive Installation Art – it frequently involves the audience acting on the work
of art or the piece responding to users’ activity. Viewers are encouraged to touch and
comment on the artwork.
2. Concept Installation Art – is simply called conceptualism, is art in which the
concept(s) or idea(s) involved in the work take precedence over traditional aesthetic,
technical, and material concerns.
3. Technology-Aided Installation Art – is an art that basically uses technology in
its presentation and installation. Some forms of this are: Video, Sounds, and
Virtual Reality Installations.
4. Performance Installation Art – is an installation for theatre and dance which
includes careful planning for the execution of movement of performers with the
placement of materials, lights and sounds.
5. Environment Installation Art – is an installation that shows environmental
concerns. Some artists use this installation art to address to natural disasters and
calamities

Installation artists and their work;

Oscar Villamiel had a one-man

show at the Vargas Museum in May
2014. It was entitled Feast and
Famine. In it, he puts together old
books that had been washed away
by the 2009 Typhoon Ondoy.
Adjacent to the installation of books
are three-dimensional works of
abstracted figures and tones
covered by acrylic casing.

(Photo credit to Laya C. Boquiren)

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 In another composite work, Villamiel had a series of boxes
assembled together. Upon closer look, one would see an
old doll. These are reminiscent of dolls collected by
Villamiel from Payatas dumpsite for his participation in the
2013 Singapore Biennale.

The rest of the exhibit spaces in the whole ground of the

Vargas Museum were filled with animal bones inside bird
cages. The idea of decay is present all over the exhibition.

Decay is instantiated in works of different media but they

only become aesthetic when put together inside the space
and once the viewer actively looks and combines the series
of images together, like montage.

(Photo credit to Laya C.

Boquiren)
Public Art
Commonly, these are monuments of heroes, public and religious figures. But due to
the challenges of advancement, artists expand their choice of materials and methods to
meet the global competencies in public art. The following are the types of public art.

1. Commemorative monuments - are monuments of people or group of people who

are considered to be heroes in history.
2. Municipal art - is usually sculptures located in front of government establishment
and academic institutions to instill nationalism and serve as historical landmark to
Filipinos and visitors and educate the young ones.
3. Community-based art - refers to the community-based artistic activity with the use
of different materials available in the area and interaction of people in the community
and the artist. This usually based in deprive or remote areas often used as catalyst
for change.
4. Land art – is a public art that interact with nature and the environment.
5. Campaign–inspired public art - promotes idea by making the idea visible to
everyone. It’s usually set up at places where people are congested.
6. Architectural art - is a public art usually seen on malls or any enclosed concrete
structures.
7. Design-based public art - is decorative and is often placed in parks and in outside
commercial centers. The design usually harmonizes with the surroundings and
infrastructure around the location.

Romblon’s old plaza

has retained its
historical statues of
Dr. Jose Rizal, a
large roaring lion
and a grotto with life-
size image of Our
Lady of Lourdes
Credits to: The Broken Hearted Traveller-WordPress.com

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Mixed Media Art

These are artworks done from mixed materials which is any materials including
commercial garbage. Artist may use their full freedom in choosing materials in a context to
express views and opinion on issues around. The two techniques used in mixed media are:

1. Collage - is a technique when cut out materials, cloth, string and many others, are
pasted on a flat surface that turn into a creative artwork.
Jonathan Benitez - mixed media collage artist in Palawan. His guiding principle is
to answer the question: “How can I express the spirit of this age?”
2. Assemblage - is a technique of putting objects together by welding or adhesion of
a new concept.

Photography

1. Photography and Reality - is a photography that depicts reality. Most of its

photographs depict true happenings or really exists in reality.
2. Nature Photography - are photographs of nature, landscape and places we might
not encounter in our lifetime.
3. Photojournalism - is a combination of photography and journalism. Pictures are
used to help the readers, view what is being narrated, like in many newspapers and
magazines.
4. Photographic Alteration – is the use of photographic device to alter or edit images
and add what is being desired in just one touch.
5. Mobile Photography - are photographs taken by a mobile phone

Photographers and their works

Ruston Banal takes ethnographic portraits

of his town of Pampanga. The digital
photograph was exhibited in Pampanga last
July 20, 2021. It also received an invitation
from the Sommerset House Gallery in
London and was featured at the Sony World
Photography Awards 2013.

Ruston Banal. Kuraldal. Image courtesy

of the artist. 2012

Kathleen Espiritu, a resident photographer

of a media artists’ collective called The
Ghetto (ghettomanila.wordpress.com). The
featured work depicts children from one of
the urban poor communities of Old Balara.

Photograph by Kathleen Espiritu. Image

courtesy of the artist. 2014

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III. Contemporary Performing Arts

https://www.giveffect.com/blog/arts-nonprofit-automation/

Theater and Performance Arts

Performance Arts are artworks that are created through actions performed by the
artist or other participants, which may be live or recorded, spontaneous or scripted.
Theatre Art is an art that requires actors and actresses to connect to the audience to
let them experience a real or imagined event through combination of gesture, speech,
song, music and dance, commonly done on stage and are scripted. There are styles that
is commonly seen in Philippine Theatre, and these are: Realism, Combination of Realistic
and Non-realistic styles, The Brechtian Style, Musical Performances, Documentary
Styles, Short Plays.

1. Realism - is a style that shows actual situations of Filipinos which, focuses on

problems and reactions to the socio-economic-political issues encountered.
2. Combination of Realistic and Non-realistic styles - is a style that combines
realistic and non-realistic style.
3. The Brechtian style - is a style brought by German playwright, Bertolt Brecht. He
used devices to tell the audience that is just a theatre and this is not true to life. It is
a style that promotes audience’s reflective detachment and not emotional
involvement.
4. Musical Performances - is a theatre art that uses music in expression of arts. The
issues of tempo, dynamics, pitches and instrumentation are on a performer’s option.
5. Documentary Style - are plays dealing with historical events and life story of a
person.
6. Short Plays - are skits used by starter before jumping into something big. Usually
used by students and teachers as an activity to hook the interest of the student in a
new lesson.

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 Theater Performers:
• El Gamma Penumbra – a Filipino all male shadow play group, best known for being
the winner of the First Season of Asia’s Got Talent.
• Rak of Aegis features the popular songs of 90’s band Aegis while telling the story
of Aileen, a young girl who dreams of becoming a YouTube sensation.

Contemporary Dance

Contemporary dance is a performing art that involves body movement in accord

to the musical beat, for some use it as an expression of thoughts and feelings, releasing
energy or simply joining with the beat of music or into dance movement itself. The
contemporary dance styles that have been popular in the Philippines were disco and hip
hop.

1. Disco Dancing - is a dance style characterized by movement of the hip and pelvic,
some will jump together with the raising of arms to the beat of the disco music. Its
music is a continuous mix of disco songs operated by the Disc Jockey.
2. Hip hop - is a dance style that includes breaking, locking and popping. It is
something made just happened or “freestyle” or spontaneous performance.

Dancers:

• Francisca Reyes-Aquino. She published a research on folk dances that

influenced many Filipino dancers to do similar researches. When she entered the
Bureau of Education, the Bureau integrated folk dances in the educational
system which resulted to its widespread popularity.
• The internationally acclaimed all-male hip-hop dance group Junior New
System, a semi-finalist of America’s Got Talent.
• Billy Crawford is a Filipino-American actor, songwriter and dancer. He started
music and dance career in the United Kingdom and France.

Contemporary Music

Music is beyond words, it has the power to speak through people’s mind, heart
and soul. It can affect the mood, way of thinking and even character and disposition of
people listening to it. Music composition is a little bit complex for it involves mastery and
skill to produce a melody. Some musician developed music through experimentation and
combination of instruments. There are famous contemporary OPM singers, and they are
Freddie Aguilar, Gary Valenciano, Mike Hanopol, Kuh Ledesma and Sharon Cuneta and
many more.

• Freddie Aguilar was very famous of his song “Anak” that had been very popular
worldwide. The song is about a son who goes astray as he grows up.
• Gary Valenciano is known for his ala Michael Jackson moves and religious songs.
• Sharon Cuneta is a very well-known superstar and a love song singer. She
received many awards in music and in acting fields.
• Mike Hanopol is a recording artist, guitarist and a singer. Some of his famous
songs were Katawan and Laki sa Layaw.

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 • Kuh Ledesma is a famous singer from Bacolod City. Some of her famous songs
are Bulaklak; Till I Met You and Sino ang Baliw.
• Yeng Constantino- A Filipina pop rock singer-songwriter. She is referred to as the
Philippine Pop Rock Royalty and is regarded as one of the biggest hitmakes in
Philippine Music Industry.
• Apl de Ap – A Filipino-American singer rapper, singer and record producer. He is
best known as a member of the hip hop group Black Eyed Peas.

PRACTICE EXERCISES
Practice Exercise 1

Search for a sculpture found in your local area then answer the following information
listed below:

Name of sculpture:
Location:
Designer:
Date of Built:
Dedicated to:
My Observation:

Practice Exercise 2

Directions: Aside from the various contemporary art forms and their practices from the
various regions discussed in the lesson, browse one (1) artwork from the internet then answer
the following questions provided in every columns of the table below.

Artwork Describe the What are the Is this artwork

Artwork materials used by observed in our
the artist? region? Explain
your answer.

Thank you for answering the practice exercises. If you answered the practice
exercises correctly, you are now ready to proceed to do the written works. If not,
please try until you have arrived at the correct answers.

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Instructions: Please write your learnings from what has been discussed the above
discussions. Write your learning in your notebook/answer sheet.
Upon reading the lessons, I learned that… ____________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________
And realized that … ___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________

WRITTEN WORKS

Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the correct answer and write it on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. What type of contemporary painting that does not attempt to represent an accurate
depiction of a visual reality but instead used shapes, colors, forms and gestural marks
to achieve its effect instead?
A. landscape painting
B. abstract painting
C. figurative painting
D. oil painting
2. What type of painting refers to an artwork whose primary focus is natural scenery,
such as mountains, forests, cliffs, trees, rivers, valleys, etc.?
A. landscape painting
B. abstract painting
C. watercolor painting
D. oil painting
3. What type of sculptures in which cast are made from a material that is melted down—
usually a metal—that is poured into a mold?
A. assembling
B. carving
C. casting
D. molding
4. What type of contemporary visual arts characterized by large-scale, mixed-media
constructions, often designed for a specific place or for a temporary period of time?
A. installation Art
B. mixed Media Art

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 C. photography
D. public Art
5. What type of public art that is usually seen on malls or any enclosed concrete
structures?
A. municipal art
B. land art
C. commemorative monuments
D. architectural art
6. What type of public art that interacts with nature and the environment?
A. architectural art
B. commemorative monuments
C. land art
D. municipal art
7. What type of photography that combines photography and journalism?
A. photographic alteration
B. photojournalism
C. nature photography
D. mobile photography
8. What style of performing arts that shows actual situations of Filipino which, focuses on
the problems and the reaction to socio-economic-political issues encountered?
A. Realism
B. The Brechtian style
C. Short plays
D. Documentary style
9. Who is the famous singer known for his/her song entitled “Anak” who had been very
popular worldwide?
A. Mike Hanupol
B. Kuh Ledesma
C. Gary Valenciano
D. Freddie Aguilar
10. Who is the singer known for his Michael Jackson moves and religious songs?
A. Mike Hanupol
B. Kuh Ledesma
C. Gary Valenciano
D. Freddie Aguilar

PERFORMANCE TASK
Directions: Write your personal interpretations of the artwork below its meaning or symbolism
and relevance to our present-day circumstances you essay should have a minimum of 80-100
words?

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https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/557813103816662898/

RUBRIC FOR ARTWORK INTERPRETATION

Performance Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs

Areas 10-9 8-7 6-5 Improvement
4-1
Interpretation Ideas are Student Student can Student finds it
reasonable identifies the relate how the difficult to
about the literal meaning work makes interpret the
symbolic or of the work. him/her feel meaning of the
metaphorical personally. work.
meaning and
student is able
to support it with
evidence.
Organization Ideas are Writing Some ideas are
Central point
logically somewhat not logically
and flow
organized and digresses from organized and of article is lost;
well-structured. the central idea. somewhat lacks
distracting organization
and continuity.
Grammar All sentences Few errors in Occasional Dominated by
are well sentence errors in errors in
constructed. structure and sentence sentence
They are free grammar structure and structure and
from grammar; grammar,
grammatical meaning meaning at
errors that confused or times
distract the obscured. unidentifiable.
reader from the
content

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“4 Sculpture Techniques” Getty.edu, accessed July 9, 2021,
https://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/classroom_resources/curricula/sculpture/b
ackground2.html

“Abstract Art” Tate.org.uk, accessed July 8, 2021, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-

terms/a/abstract-art

“Figurative Art” Mallgalleries.org.uk, accessed July 8, 2021,

https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/about-us/what-is-figurative-art

“Green Architecture” Thoughtco.com, accessed July 9, 2021,

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-green-architecture-and-green-design-177955

“Installation Art” Icreativeox.xyz, accessed July 9, 2021,

https://icreativeox.xyz/2017/08/22/installation-art

“Installation Art” Tate.org.uk, accessed July 9, 2021, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-

terms/i/installation-art

“Landscape Painting” Art-is-fun.com, accessed July 8, 2021, https://www.art-is-

fun.com/landscape-painting

“Oil Painting” Britannica.com, accessed July 8, 2021, https://www.britannica.com/art/oil-

painting

“Painting” Britannica.com, accessed July 8, 2021, https://www.britannica.com/art/painting

“Performance Art” Tate.org.uk, accessed July 9, 2021, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-

terms/p/performance-art

Books

Datulin, Faudette May, Roberto Paulino, Aileen Legaspi-Ramirez and Louise Marcelino,
Contemporary Philippine Arts from Philippine Art m the Regions: First ed. Manila,
Philippines: Rex Bookstore, 2016

Ramirez, Veronica Esposo, Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Region: Vibal Group,
Inc., Quezon City, Philippines, 2016

Perez, Angelita Benavides, M.A, Philippine Contemporary Arts: Expressions and

Experimentations. Briliant Creations Publishing, Inc. Quezon City, Phil., 2016

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 17
Practice Exercise 1
Answers may vary
Practice Exercise 2
Answers may vary
WRITTEN WORKS
1. B
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. D
6. C
7. B
8. A
9. D
10. C
Key to Practice Exercises