Contemporary Arts

Philippine Arts from the

Region
Objectives:

1.Appreciate the history of art in the Philippines

2.Distinguish contemporary period from the other art
period
3.Define contemporary art
4.Familiarize with the significant development in the
Philippine art
 Three Major Traditions
1.Ethnic Tradition – primarily influenced by the
geographical location and the experiences of the Filipinos
-Dance steps were imitations of the
movements of certain animals like birds (High lands),
while near the sea were mimics of the movements of fishes
 Three Major Traditions
1.Ethnic Tradition – (visual arts) pottery, weaving, wood
carving, and metal crafting were dominant
-(architecture) Filipinos used local
materials such as anahaw, bamboo, cogon, cane, rattan,
and other light materials in constructing structures
 Three Major Traditions
1.Ethnic Tradition – (theater arts) tribal presentations and
rituals were the early theatrical performances depicting their
beliefs
-(music) ancestors also have their
indigenous musical instruments like the bamboo flutes and
brass gongs
 Three Major Traditions
2. Spanish Colonial Tradition –tend to replace the Philippine
indigenous arts with Western art forms.
- religion and secularization greatly
influenced the art in the Philippines under the Spanish
regime
 Three Major Traditions
2. Spanish Colonial Tradition –(theater arts) secular and
religious plays like the “komedya” became popular.
- (choreography) religious dances
commonly performed to venerate patrons and saints
proliferated.
 Three Major Traditions
2. Spanish Colonial Tradition – (secular dances) performed
in social functions like the yalse, fandango, polka, and
minuet.
- (music) Spaniards introduced the piano
and other western instruments.Bands and Orchestra
multiplied as the zarzuelas and operas became prevalent.
 Three Major Traditions
2. Spanish Colonial Tradition – (visual arts) Spaniards
introduced painting and sculpture which mostly depicted
religious subject matters
- (architecture) stones, bricks were
predominantly used in constructing buildings like churches,
houses, and government offices.
 Three Major Traditions
2. Spanish Colonial Tradition – Spanish influence was
evident in architecture, the exterior, and interior of the
buildings were embellished with wood carvings or metal
works with intricated decorative designs.
 Three Major Traditions
3. American Colonial and Contemporary Traditions–
(modern art) refers to the practice of art in the 1860s-
1960s
-experimental approaches in developing
art rose above traditional art practices and methodologies
 Contemporary Arts

- refers to the recent and current

practice of art ranging from the
1970s up to the present
 Contemporary Arts
- It uses a combination of different
methods, materials, and ideas that
transcend the traditional way of art
making
 Contemporary Arts
- refers to art made and produced by
artists living today

- provides an opportunity to reflect on

contemporary society and the issues relevant
to ourselves, and the world around us.
 Contemporary Arts
- Works in globally influenced, culturally
diversed, and technologically advancing
world.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PHILIPPINE CONTEMPORARY
ARTS

1. Dominant/Mainstream –foreign influenced,

industry driven, technology assisted, oriented for
mass consumption). Example: Ogie Alcasid and
Sarah Geronimo
CHARACTERISTICS OF PHILIPPINE CONTEMPORARY
ARTS

2. Alternative -(usually social realist and/or advocacy-

oriented)
•Individuals (ex. Joey Ayala, Grace Nono, Kidlat
Tahimik, etc.)
CHARACTERISTICS OF PHILIPPINE CONTEMPORARY
ARTS

3. Traditional/Indigenous (preserves local traditions)

ex. GAMABA awardees – Samaon Sulaiman, Lang
Dulay, etc.
 Seven Major Art Forms of Contemporary Art

1. Visual Arts
 Juan Arellano, Diosado Lorenzo and Victorio Edades
were among those who studied outside the
Philippines
 Victorio Edades introduced modern visual art
through his art exhibition
 After World War II, artists started creating
proletarian art which depicts the art after war
 Seven Major Art Forms of Contemporary Art

1. Visual Arts
 It was also during this period Paris Cubism took its
scene
 In sculpture, Napoleon Abueva became famous for
his modern works.
 Abueva made use of different materials like the
variety of woods, metals, and stones
 Seven Major Art Forms of Contemporary Art

1. Visual Arts
 Art in the Philippines during this period reflects
dynamism, freedom of expression and concern to the
masses
 Seven Major Art Forms of Contemporary Art

2. Literature
 The rise of the nationalistic poetry discussing
poverty, inequality, political turmoil, and other social
problems started during the Marcos Era
 In the area of short story writing, after World War II,
short stories focused on the self-consciousness and
self-expression of the writer
 Seven Major Art Forms of Contemporary Art

2. Literature
 In the area of novels, the production of novels with
sociopolitical themes continued after the World War
II
 Seven Major Art Forms of Contemporary Art

3. Music
 Music was mostly classical during the early American
period due to the influence of the European
 Philippine music continuously evolved, and Pinoy pop
or the Filipino po music took place
 This music is characterized as Western-derived with
English lyrics but with pure Filipino spirit.
 Seven Major Art Forms of Contemporary Art

3. Music
 The OPM is a kind of music purely Filipino and is
composed and sung by Filipino composers and
singers
 The OPM was followed by another form of popular
music called “alternative music”
 Seven Major Art Forms of Contemporary Art

4. Theater
 The American introduced the bodabil or stage show
 The Philippine theater was Americanized
 Filipinos in the field of theater started to experiment
on traditional theater forms like the sarwela,
komedya, and sinakulo
 Seven Major Art Forms of Contemporary Art

5. Dance
 Bodabil dancing became popular during the first
years of the American period
“Bodabil” is a kind of stage show introduced by the
American
 European classical ballet entered the scene
 Seven Major Art Forms of Contemporary Art

6. Architecture
 Philippine architecture was characterized as
simple, rational, and functional
 Juan Arellano, Carlos Barreto and Antonio
Toledo were the 3 architectures who went
back to the country and brought changes in
the Philippine architecture
 Seven Major Art Forms of Contemporary Art

7. Film
 During Marcos regime, the government regulated
filmmaking
 In the contemporary period, Philippine revolved
around a variety of subjects and themes like martyr
wife, superhero, action, melodramas, comedies, ect.