Brief History of the

Philippine Art
Prepared by: Jed A. Tomarong
 Contemporary Art
• Contemporary art is the art of today, produced by
artists who are living in the twenty-first century.
Contemporary art provides an opportunity to reflect
on contemporary society and the issues relevant to
ourselves, and the world around us. Contemporary
artists work in a globally influenced, culturally
diverse, and technologically advancing world.
 Ethnic Era (Pre-Colonial Era)
• Time: Pre-13 AD
• Characteristics of Art: Integral to life
• Distinct Features: Arts for ritual purposes
or for everyday use. Art starts to go beyond
mere craft but starts to have decorative
elements, meaning, and context
 Spanish Era
• Time: 1565 - 1898
• Characteristics of Art: Faith and Catechism
• Distinct Features: Art was used to propagate the
Catholic faith through beautiful images. Frias
used images to explain the concepts behind
Catholicism, and the stories of Christ’s life and
passion
 American Era
• Time: 1898 – 1941; 1946
• Characteristics of Art: Secular Art Forms
• Distinct Features: American brought the public
school system and a system of governance.
Three approaches in art were introduced:
Classicism, Pointillism, and Impressionism
 Japanese Era
• Time: 1941 – 1945
• Characteristics of Art: Orientalizing
• Distinct Features: The Japanese made some
changes in the system of education. Their
music were also introduced. Some paintings
portrayed the cruelty of the Japanese.
 Modern Era
• Time: 1946 – 1969
• Characteristics of Art: National Identity
• Distinct Features: Writers and artists
posed the question of national and
identity as the main theme of various art
forms.
 Contemporary
• Time: 1970 – Present
• Characteristics of Art: Social Realism
• Distinct Features: The artworks are made by
artists who are living in the 21 st Century. mirrors
contemporary culture and society, offering the
general audiences a rich resource through which
to consider current ideas and rethink the familiar.