INTRODUCTION

Dear learner,
Welcome to Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions. This module will help
you understand the key concepts, elements, and principles of various art forms found in
the Philippines.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the unit, the student is expected to:
1 Define art;
2. Discuss functions of art; and
3 Explain art principles.

Learning Content
UNIT 1 Integrative Art as Applied to Contemporary Art
Lesson 1
Definition of Art
According to Webster, art is "human ingenuity in adapting natural things to man's
use. Therefore, an artist uses his genius in transforming God-made things into man-
made things that satisfy his needs, For instance, he converts wood into a religious
image, into a house into a piece of furniture. He transforms plants into cloth which will
late become his clothing, or he turns them into paper which will later become an item or
painting or sculpture.
Art came from the word "ars" which means skill. It is synonymous with skill,
cunning, artifice, and craft, which all mean the faculty of what is devised. Webster,
however, points out, “Art may be used interchangeably with all the other terms but, in its
most distinct sense, it contrasts with them in implying a personal, unanalyzable creative
power; skill stresses technical knowledge and proficiency; cunning suggests ingenuity
and subtlety in devising, inventing, or executing: artifice suggests mechanical skill
especially in imitating things in nature; craft may imply expertness in workmanship or
suggest trickery and guile in attaining ones ends.”
Coiffeurs (hairstylists), couturiers (clothes designers), chefs, wine connoisseurs
(wine tasters), perfume experts, jewellers, body painters (tattooists), milliners (hat
makers), potters, musicians, terpsichorean (dancers), thespians (actors), litterateurs
(men-of-letters), painters, sculptors, and architects share one thing in common. They
are all involved in art. While they differ in the art form, they engage in the arts basically
to earn money. To some artists, producing artworks for sale is a lucrative job. However,
artists have other purposes in engaging in art activities. Some do if to express their
emotions and thoughts, real or imaginary. Others do it to produce things of beauty, like
architectural wonders (Great Pyramid of Egypt and Eiffel Tower of France) and
masterpieces ("Iliad" and "Odyssey of Homer). A big number of artists do it to self-
actualize, for example, a poet writes poems to satisfy his passion for poetry or a
sculptor creates icons to satisfy his craving for images. A small number of artists do it to
immortalize themselves as do painters who do self-portraits (See Fig. 1.3.) or to
immortalize other people as do sculptors who erect monuments of heroes and writers
who make biographies. A few artists do it to inform a do historical dramatists and
biographical essayists. Several engage in art in order to persuade; among them are the
propaganda writers, copywriters, and editorial cartoonists. But most artists intend to
entertain people. That viewers enjoy the sight of beautiful paintings, sculptures, and
buildings give credence to the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson who says, “A thing of
beauty is a joy forever" Listeners are entertained by songs or instrumental music they
hear. Theatre goers are entertained by performers on stage and in the films.

Functions of Art
Art serves several functions which are corollary to its purposes. These functions
include but are not limited to the following personal or individual, social, economic,
political, historical, cultural, religious, physical, and aesthetic.
Personal or Individual Function. Artists have their personal reasons for indulging in
art. The English poet Robert Browning expressed his love to Elizabeth Barrett-Browning
in the form of a poem entitled "My Last Duchess”; Elizabeth did the same by means of
the poem entitled "How Do I Love Thee? Another poet, Edwin Markham, wrote the
poem "The Man with the Hoe" because he was inspired by the painting of a farmer that
he had seen earlier. Similarly, the composer of the song "Vincent” was inspired by
Vincent van Gogh’s painting, "The Starry Night”. Others do their thing because of their
passion for their respective art forms. For instance, Gary Valenciano renders concerts
for free because he loves singing; Geleen Eugenio provides free dance instructions
because she enjoys dancing.
Social Function. Man is a social being and as such he associates with his fellow
beings. This association is evidenced by the choral singing and group dancing in
religious rites and other practices. Oftentimes, houses are constructed by groups of
men for the smallest social groups in a society, the families. Churches are built for
communal worship. A drama is performed by a group of performers called the cast
before a group of viewers known as the audience. Oral and written literatures are
handed from one generation to the next and enjoyed by people of various races and
ages. Jose Rizal’s novels were written to arouse social consciousness. Museums house
paintings and sculptures which are viewed by many onlookers.
Economic Function. Many people believe that it does not pay to be an artist. However,
this belief is negated by these facts. Joanne K. Rowling the author of the best-selling
Harry Potter series, became one of the most highly-paid women in British history. Elvis
Presley and Michael Jackson raked millions for their best-selling records. Paintings of
great painters Such as Da Vinci and Buonarroti are worth millions of dollars now. GMA-
spent millions of pesos for the set of "Indio" and "Encantadia" and the Costume of
Richard Gutierrez in "Captain Barbel."
Political Function. When Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, a patroness of the arts, became
the Governor of Metro Manila, she promoted her political programs by means of the
arts. Part of her beautification program was the painting of murals along national roads
and busy streets frequented by motorists. She was responsible for the building of
edifices in the CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) Complex; these include the
PICC (Philippine International Convention Center), FAT (Folk Arts Theatre, now known
as Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas), and the Film Center. Likewise, part of the Marcos
administration's image-building program for the so called New Society (Bagong
Lipunan) was the writing of compositions inculcating the virtues of self-discipline,
industry, unity, and cooperation.
Historical Function. Paintings, sculptures, architectural works, and other art forms
serve to record historical figures and events. Paintings of French kings, sculptures of
Philippine heroes, tombs of rulers (Pyramids of Egypt and Taj Majal of India), and
religious plays, for example, the cenaculo (passion play), not only commemorate but
also celebrate historical greats. The Our Lady of EDSA shrine is a sterling proof of
Filipinos love of peace and freedom as it reminds those who pass by EDSA of the
bloodless revolution in Philippine history, emulated by other races all over the world.
Cultural Function. Buildings, furniture (chairs, tables, etc.), clothes, and the like form
part of the country's material culture, while music, dance, and language, which is
incorporated in oral and written literature and drama, form part of its non-material
culture. Therefore, paintings, sculptures, architectural works, songs, dances, dramas,
and literary pieces are embodiments of a nation's culture.
Religious Function. Almost all, if not all, art forms evolved from religion. People in the
olden times worshipped their gods in the form of songs and dances. The earliest
dramatic forms were religious in nature. The first Greek paintings and sculptures were
those of gods and goddesses. The first great architectural works were built for religious
purposes: the pyramids were built to entomb the pharaohs, the mausoleum of Rome
served as a cemetery; and the churches and mosques were constructed for religious
worship.
Physical Function. Houses and other buildings are constructed to protect their
occupants and all the others inside them. At times, paintings serve to protect the walls
and ceilings of some buildings, while sculptures serve as columns of some buildings as
in Creek and Roman architecture. Many people claim that dance is one of the best
forms of exercise, while music is a form of therapy. Moreover, a tragedy, one of the
dramatic forms, has a cathartic effect. The visual experience when viewing a beautiful
work of art (an abstract painting, a realistic sculpture, a skyscraper, a musical concert, a
dance show, or a comic play) is an exhilarating experience. Above all, there is no
substitute to the ecstatic feeling one experiences after having completed a work of art.
Aesthetic Function. Artworks serve to beautify... Paintings serve to decorate houses
and other buildings. Sculptures serve to decorate churches and similar edifices. Tall
buildings are sights to behold. Set designs, as well as costumes and props, make
dramas, dance performances, and song renditions not only realistic but also appealing
to the audience.

Art Style and Factors Affecting Style

Every artist has his way of presenting his work. Such is called art style. Such
style is affected by the following factors: geographical, historical, social, ideational,
psychological, and technical.
Geographical Factors. The place where the artist stays influences his works. Marble
sculptures are aplenty in Romblon because marble abounds in that province in the
same way as wooden sculptures abound in Paete, Laguna (named after paet meaning
chisel) where woodcarving is the primary occupation of the male population. Moreover,
Eskimos live in igloos because their place is cold, but in Hawaii, Tahiti, and other Pacific
1slands, the natives reside in grass shacks because theirs are tropical places.
Historical Factors. Historical events exert a great influence on artists, particularly the
writers. Jose Rizal's novels, Noli Me Tangere and El F1libusterismo, graphically
highlight the events that took place in the country during the last century of Hispanic
rule, Victor Hugos Les Miserables realistically depicts the French Revolution. The song
"Magkaisa” is a product of the 1986 EDSA Revolution, while Juan Luna's "Spoliarium” is
a painting of the Filipino oppression by the Spaniards.
Social Factors. Social relationships affect artists, too. The English writer Ben Jonson
composed his "Song to Celia; similarly, the Italian sonneteer Francesco Petrarch wrote
poems for his lady love named Laura. Society at most times dictate the types of
paintings, sculptures, songs, dances, literary pieces, and movies to be produced.
Independent films such as "Kubrador and "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo show present-
day realities in Philippine society.
Ideational Factors. The ideas coming from various people also influence artists. The
Father of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, proposed ideas that have influenced
surrealist painters. The idea that the human body is the most beautiful figure to present
as an art subject gave rise to the school of thought called nudism. Painters opted to
produce paintings of nude males and females. In sculpture, nudism became a fad with
the creation of nude figures of male gods known as Apollo statues. Furthermore,
different ideologies were propagated around the world with the proliferation of essays
and other writings from renowned writers.
Psychological Factors. At times, the works produced by the artists are affected by
their psychological make-up or frame of mind. For instance, the first painting of Edward
Munch, "The Sick Child”, is an effect of his unfortunate childhood experience of
contracting a long illness after losing his loved one at an early age. Vincent van Gogh's
painting entitled “The Starry Night" was believed to be completed during his stay in an
asylum in St. Remy, during the most tormented period in his life. The manuscript of “The
Filipino Is Worth Dying for" assailing the Marcos administration was written by the late
Sen. Benigno Aquino, Jr. when he was still a deportee in the US waiting for his return to
the Philippines.
Technical Factors. Techniques matter as far as artistic styles are concerned. In fact,
painters employ a variety of techniques to make their works unique. Different brushes
produce different strokes. If there are no brushes, painters use their hands, Those
without hands make use of their mouths or feet Moreover, those with airbrushes or
similar equipment produce paintings with the use of such equipment, Additionally,
paintings can be rendered realistically, surrealistically, impressionistically, and so on.

Principles of Art
To come up with attractive artworks, artists must be governed by the five
conventions of artistic compositions. The five principles of art are harmony, balance,
rhythm, proportion, and emphasis.
Harmony. Harmony is the most essential factor in a composition. Also called unity,
harmony is achieved when all the elements of a thing are put together to come up with a
coherent whole. Every part of a work of art is necessary to the composition to the extent
that all the parts exhibit a sense of belonging together and a pleasing relationship with
one another. If one of the parts does not complement the others, then lack of harmony
results.
Balance. Known as physical equilibrium, balance is stability produced by even
distribution of weight on each side of the thing. It is classified into formal or informal.
Formal Balance. Formal balance exists if the weights at equal distance from the center
are equal. It is also called symmetrical balance because the thing displays symmetry
(same measure). Bilateral symmetry is present when the left and the right sides appear
the same; the right side mirrors the left, said of the human body. Radial symmetry exists
when the same measure occurs from the central point to the end of every radius; this
kind of symmetry applies to round objects or those with radii like stars and starfishes.
Informal Balance. Informal balance is present when the left and the right sides of the
thing, though not identical in appearance, still display an even distribution of weight. It is
also known as asymmetrical or occult balance.
Rhythm. Rhythm is the continuous use of a motif or repetitive pattern of succession of
similar or identical items. It can be achieved by alternation (use of two patterns
alternately), radiation (repetition of the motif from the center or toward it), progression
(use of motifs of varying sizes, that is from the smallest to the largest, or vice versa), or
parallelism (use of a pattern with an equal distance from each other). Rhythm is
exemplified by concentric circles, by an alternation of black and white stripes, by
checkered blue and orange squares. It is characterized as repetitive, continuous, or
flowing
Proportion. Proportion is the comparative relationship of the different parts in relation to
the whole. It is the proper and pleasing relationship of one object with the others in a
design. According to Polyclitus, a well-proportioned human body is eight head parts,
that is, the head is one-eighth of the entire human body. Da Vinci came up with his own
measurement of the human body by means of his work, "The Vitruvian Man" When
showing a picture of a nuclear family with a father, a mother, and one child, the father is
shown as the biggest and the tallest and the lone child as the smallest and the shortest.
Emphasis. Emphasis is giving proper importance on one or more parts of the thing or
the whole thing itself. It is achieved by means of size or proportion, shape, color, line,
position, and variety. More often than not, the artist emphasizes the one with the bigger
size or proportion, the one with a different shape or color, the one with striking lines, the
one positioned at the center, and the one that is unique.
LEARNING CONTENT

ARTWORK ARTIST GENRE PLACE OF ORIGIN

Imagine You and
Me

El Filibusterismo

The Angelus

Lord, Patawad

Banawe Rice
Terraces

Mi Ultimo Adios

Malacañang Palace

The Oblation

Our Lady of EDSA

ASSESSMENT
Multiple Choice. Directions: Select the option that best completes the statement and
write its corresponding letter on the blank before the number.

1. The comparative relationship of the parts of a composition to each other is called

___.
a. Balance b. proportion c. unity d. rhythm
2. The giving of proper importance to the parts or to the whole is called ___.
a. Emphasis b. proportion c. harmony d. rhythm
3. Great artists do not die because their works ___.
a. Create beauty b. reveal the truth c. immortalize them d. create order and harmony
4. Paintings of bilaterally or radially symmetrical things show ___.
a. Asymmetrical balance b. informal balance c. occult balance d. all of the above
5. Humanities was derived from the Latin word humanus which means ___.
a. Human b. refined c. cultured d. all of the above
6. When one evaluates artworks, he is into the art study called ___.
a. Aesthetics b. art history c. art production d. art criticism
7. The following are spatial arts, except ___.
a. Painting b. sculpture c. costume design d. set design
8. Realism is best exemplified by the works of ___.
a. Van Gogh b. Van Rijn c. Manet d. Monet
9. Abstractionism is exhibited in the form of ___.
a. Elongation b. distortion c. cubism d. all of the above
10. Surrealism was founded in Paris in 1924 by ___.
a. Duchamp b. Freud c. Matisse d. Kandinsky
INTRODUCTION
Dear learner,
Welcome to Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions. This module will help
you understand the key concepts, elements, and principles of various art forms found in
the Philippines.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the unit, the student is expected to:
1. recognize art forms;
2. identify various contemporary art forms and their practices from the
various regions; and
3. categorize various art forms found in the Philippines.

Learning Content
UNIT 1 Integrative Art as Applied to Contemporary Art
Lesson 2

Classification of Art Forms

Artists abound since there are many genres of art. And the number of artists
keeps on increasing as new forms of art emerge. Based on the sensory perception
involved, the genres of art are classified into visual arts, audio-visual arts, and literary
arts.
Visual Arts. Visual arts are those forms perceived by the eyes. These include painting,
sculpture, and architecture. They are also called spatial arts because artworks produced
under this genre occupy space. They are further divided into graphic arts and plastic
arts.
Graphic Arts. Graphic arts are those visual arts that have length and width; thus, they
are also called two-dimensional arts. They are described as flat arts because they are
seen on flat surfaces. Examples of these arts are painting, printing, drawing, sketching,
commercial art, mechanical processes, computer graphics, and photography.
Plastic Arts. Plastic arts are those visual arts that have length, width, and volume thus,
they are also called three-dimensional arts. Examples or the are sculpture, architecture,
landscape architecture, city planning interior design, costume design, set design,
theatre design, industrial design crafts (for example, handicrafts), and allied arts.
Audio-Visual Arts. Audio-visual arts are hose forms perceived by both ears (audio)
and eyes (video). They are called performing arts in as much as he artists render a
performance in front of an audience, Examples of these are music (vocal, instrumental,
and mixed), dance (ethnologic, social an theatrical), and drama (tragedy, comedy,
tragicomedy, farce, melodrama. etc.). Music, unlike dance and drama, can be purely
audial as when the audience listens to a song played on the radio and does not see the
artist (the singer) perform live on stage.
Literary Arts. Literary arts are those presented in the written mode and intended to be
read. These include prose (short stories, novels, essays, and plays) and poetry
(narrative poems, lyric poems, and dramatic poems). Prose forms differ from verse or
poetic forms in that the former are in paragraph (composed of sentences) form, while
the latter are in stanza (composed of lines) form.

Divisions of Art Study

Humanities or the study of the arts was limited to aesthetics or art appreciation
and/or art history during the second half of the 20th century. With the onset of the new
millennium and the recent developments in various disciplines, the study of humanities
has extended to art production and art criticism. In short, humanities deals with the four
divisions of art study, namely, art appreciation, art history, art production, and art
Criticism
Aesthetics or Art Appreciation. Aesthetics, the science of beauty, is that division of
art study in which the student learns to admire the artists, value highly different works of
art, and appreciate the role of art in society.
Art History. Art history is that division of art study in which the student acquires
knowledge of the artists, their backgrounds, their masterpieces, and their significant
contributions in various fields of art.
Art Production. Art production is that division of art study in which the student learns to
use his creativity and apply his artistic knowledge and skills in producing his own works
of art.
Art Criticism. Art criticism is that division of art study in which the student learns to use
his judgment in evaluating different artworks based on the criteria set.

Integrative Art
 A number of art forms are combined to form an art work. For example an opera
or musical play is a combination of music, dance, and drama. A building is an
architectural work that can have paintings and sculptures as integral parts. Dishes are
products of culinary arts; they may have vegetable or fruit sculptures as decorations. A
t-shirt or another piece of garment may have a design produced through computer
graphics. A novel or another literary piece in book form may have a painting or drawing
as its cover. All these serve to exemplify integrative art. Integrative art may also
refer to the use of art in other disciplines, as in psychology. Art is used in
psychotherapy; psychopathic patients are instructed by psychiatrists to draw or do
artworks which are used as a basis for evaluating the psychological condition of the
patients.

Contemporary Art
Wikipedia defines contemporary art as "art produced at the present period in
time. Contemporary art includes, and develops from, post-modern art, which is itself a
successor to modern art." However, many people equate contemporary art with modern
art. Another online definition is art that has been and continues to be created during our
lifetimes. Simply put, it is art that is contemporary to us.
The period of modernism ends around 1970, which marks the start of the era of
post-modernism. And since post-modernism is the most recent movement in the field of
art, it is considered to be the contemporary art movement. Thus, contemporary art runs
from 1970 until now. "A whole lot of art from the last 30 years (or so) has been
connected with one issue or another: feminism, multiculturalism, globalization, bio-
engineering and AlDS awareness all come readily to mind as subject matter”.
Learning Activity
Directions: Research for art forms found in our region (Region VI) and list them down in
the table according to their classifications.

VISUAL ARTS AUDIO-VISUAL LITERARY ARTS

ARTS
ASSESSMENT
Directions: Name at least one artwork representing the different regions of the
Philippines under each of the given genres.
 REGIONS VISUAL ARTS AUDIO-VISUAL LITERARY ARTS
ARTS
Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM)
Cordillera
Administrative
Region (CAR)
National Capital
Region (NCR)
REGION 1
(Ilocos Region)
Region 2
(Cagayan Valley)
Region 3
(Central Luzon)
Region 4A
(CALABARZON)
Region 4B
(MIMAROPA)
Region 5
(Bicol Region)
Region 6
(Western Visayas)
Region 7
(Central Visayas)
Region 8
(Eastern Visayas)
Region 9
(Zamboanga
Peninsula)
Region 10
(Northern Mindanao)
Region 11
(Davao Region)
Region 12
(SOCCSARGEN)
Region 13
(CARAGA Region)