National

Achievement Test

Contemporary Philippine Arts From

the Regions
 Ethnic
Tradition
Angono Petroglyphs
The Angono Petroglyphs is situated in
Binangonan, Rizal. It was discovered
by the National Artist, Carlos
“Botong”
Francisco, in 1965. There are 127
human and animal figures engraved
on the rock wall and dated back to
circa late Neolithic
Manunggul Jar
Manunggul jar is found in
Manunggul
Cave, Lipuun Point, Palawan in the
early 1960s. Manunggul jar is a
burial
jar which signifies the belief of
early
Filipino in life after death.
Banga
Banga literally means pots. The
Banga or pot dance is a
performance of Kalinga of the
Mountain Province of the
Philippines. This dance shows
the elegant grace of Igorot tribe
and the skill and strength of women.
Spanish
Colonial
Tradition
Langit, lupa, at Impyerno by Josef
Luciano Dans
This wall painting by Josef Luciano Dans
will be found in St. James the Apostle
Church in Paete, Laguna. This painting
was
dated 1850 and depicts the heaven,
crucifixion of Christ; earth, Adan and
Eve;
and hell, sinners with different
transgressions.
St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral

St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral is

located in Burgos, Vigan City,
Ilocos Sur. The original structure was
built in 1574 and replaced as a church
in 1641. The cathedral follows a Baroque
architectural design.
American
Colonial
The Making of the Philippine Flag
by Fernando Amorsolo
This painting was made by
Fernando Amorsolo, “Grand Old
Man of Philippine Art” and born in
Manila. It shows a reminder of the
reminder of traditions and customs
of the Filipino.
Contemporary
Arts
Traditions
Cinco Marias (Tres Marias Series)
by Federico Aguilar
Alcuaz
Federico Aguilas Alcuaz was
born in Santa Cruz, Manila. Cinco
Marias (Tres Marias Series)
depicts the variety of domestic
activities (Guillermo, 2007).
Art Installation in Sand Dunes of Paoay
by Leeroy New
Leeroy New is one of the
Philippines contemporary artists.
He is born in General SANTOS City. This
art installation of Leeroy New was
made for the La Milagrosa Festival in
Ilocos Norte. According to Leeroy New,
the art installation symbolizes the great
festivals, feasts and celebrations
(Lape𝑛̃a, 2012)
ELEMENTS
OF
ARTS
Space

In visual arts, space pertains to

emptiness which may either be positive
space or negative space. Positive space
refers to a part which is enclosed in a
shape, while negative space refers to the
opposite part which the shape is
enclosing.
Line
In visual arts, a line is a series of connected
points. It may come in two characteristics: form –
curved, dotted, or broken lines; and direction –
vertical, horizontal, or diagonal lines. Different
types of lines may convey different meanings. For
example, a horizontal line usually suggests
calmness, vertical lines may convey strength,
diagonal lines create an impression of action,
curved lines create an expression of gradual change
of direction, and circular line may pertain an
abrupt change of direction.
Shape and Form

Shape is an area that is enclosed by a line or

lines.
Shapes are two dimensional figures with height
and width. There are different kinds of shapes
and these are geometric shapes (triangle,
squares, rectangle, etc.), organic shapes (shapes
found in nature, e.g. shape of a leaf or cloud),
abstract shapes(asymmetrical and free flowing
shapes). Meanwhile, forms are three dimensional
figures. Its dimensions are height, width, and
volume. Unlike shapes, it has more depth.
Color

In visual arts, color is associated with

the natural phenomenon in our
environment.
Scientifically, when a light passes
through a prism, it will produce
different hues of different
wavelengths. These colors may
pertain to lightness, darkness,
coolness, or warmth.
Value

In visual arts, value is considered

a property of a color which
pertains to its lightness or
darkness.
Texture

In visual arts, texture is the element

that appeals to our sense of feel on
things, rough, smooth, bumpy, or
slippery. It pertains to the surface of
an art piece.
PRINCIPLES
OF
ARTS
Proportion

Proportion refers to the relationship

of the size of elements in a body of
art. For example, when drawing a
human standing beside a house, it is
important to ensure that the size of
the human is proportional to the
size of the house.
Harmony

In visual arts, harmony is the unity

of the artwork, specifically about
the arrangement of
the related elements.
Variety

In other terms, variety may be

referred to as diversity. This
means adding multiple,
different elements to break the
monotony of an artwork and
make it more interesting.
Movement

In arts, movement is the

illusion of motion in a
painting,
sculpture design, or in a
piece of art.
Rhythm

This refers to the repetition of

certain elements to
produce a pattern. In visual arts,
repeated design elements
may create a certain flow and
may lead the viewer’s eyes.
Balance
Balance refers to the even and
equal distribution of elements.

Emphasis
Emphasis is a principle which
may refer to the greater impact
given on a certain element.
Performing Arts

A person doing certain actions and

movements in front of an audience
that go along with sound in a space
and time is called Performing Arts.
This is different from other art forms
because it uses mainly the human
body as its medium.
Rhythm The flow of different elements in
music like fluctuation, movements, or
variation.
Pitch Highness or lowness of sound
Melody The sequence of a tones organized
as a whole.
Musical Notations The method of
representing by a system or set of marks,
signs, figures, or characters used in music.
Harmony The blending of synchronized
musical notes in one chord.
Timbre The sound quality of a musical tone.
DANCE/ KINESTHETIC
Human Body The main medium of
performing arts.
Arrangement or pattern The
combination of movements and steps
which enable the dancer to perform in a
coordinated manner.
Time and space This is where
performing arts depends on. The other
elements must all come together to
complement the available and selected
time and space.
THEATRE/ DRAMATICS
Stage direction Directions indicating
movement, blockings or positions in
the
performers’ speaking, movement, and
acting.
Narratology The narrative structure of
the act.
Scenic design The creative layout that
creates the background or scene to
match the performances.
VISUAL ARTS
Two-Dimensional 2D It has length and width which
makes it flat. Examples are drawing, mosaic,
photography etc.
Three-Dimensional 3D
Other than length and width, three-dimensional art
has volume. Examples are carving, etching,
molding, and installing.
Multi-Dimensional
This kind of visual arts uses length, width, mass,
time and space as its dimensions and it uses various
techniques such as Lashed construction, Truss
Construction, Post and lintel
construction, Cantilever and Arches.
 PHILIPPINE
CONTEMPORARY
ARTS
PAINTING

Painting 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.
Luzon
The Sketch, Victorio Edades

Visayas
Magellan’s Cross, Raul Agas

Mindanao
Salaam (Peace), Rameer Tawasil
SCULPTURE

The sculpture is an art form in

which hard or plastic materials are
worked into three dimensional art
objects. Filipino sculptors came to
be known in the middle of the 19th
century.
These are some of the sculptures
in the Philippines.
Luzon
The Bonifacio Monument By
Guillermo Tolentino

Visayas
Sandugo (Blood Compact)
By Napoleon Abueva

Mindanao
Six Ladies in Durian by Kublai Millan
ARCHITECTURE
Architecture is the art and practice of
designing and constructing buildings
Luzon
Cultural Center of the Philippines,
Leandro Locsin
Visayas
Cadiz Church, Leandro Locsin
Mindanao
Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Francisco
Manosa
FILM
Film is a form of visual art use to
imitate experiences that communicate
ideas, stories, or feelings with the use
of moving images. It is also called a
movie or motion picture.

Luzon Himala, Ishmael Bernal

Visayas Muro-Ami, Marilou Diaz-Abaya
Mindanao Mindanao, Brillante Mendoza
LITERATURE
is a term used to describe written and
sometimes spoken material. Derived
from the Latin word literature meaning
"writing formed with letters," literature
most commonly refers to works of the
creative imagination, including poetry,
drama, fiction, nonfiction, and in some
instances, journalism, and song. These
are some examples of Philippine
literature.
MUSIC AND THEATER
Music is a collection of coordinated sound
or sounds. According to Ramon P. Santos
in his article entitles Contemporary
Music, Contemporary music in the
Philippines usually refers to compositions
that have adopted ideas and elements
from twentieth-century art music
in the West, as well as the latest trends
and musical styles in the entertainment
industry
Theatre is a collaborative form of
fine art that uses live performers to
present the experience of a real or
imagined event before a live
audience in a specific place. The
performers may communicate this
experience to the audience through
combinations of gesture, speech,
song, music, or dance.
DANCE

Dance, the movement of the body in a

rhythmic way, usually to music and
within a given space, for the purpose of
expressing an idea or emotion,
releasing energy, or simply taking
delight in the movement itself. Dances
in the Philippines vary from Region to
Region and below are some dances of
the different regions.
NATIONAL ARTISTS OF
THE PHILIPPINES

(PAMBANSANG ALAGAD
NG SINING NG
PILIPINAS)
bestowed by the Philippines on
Filipinos who have made
significant contributions to the
development of Philippine Art.

The Order is administered by the

Cultural Center of the Philippines by
virtue of President Ferdinand Marcos's
Proclamation # 1001 of April 2, 1972
and the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts.
 CATEGORIES

MUSIC
composition
direction
Performance
DANCE
choreography
direction
performance
THEATER
direction
performance
production design
 LITERATURE

poetry
fiction
essay
playwriting
journalism
literary criticism
 VISUAL ARTS

Painting
sculpture
printmaking
photography
installation art
graphic arts
performance art
imaging
FILM AND BROADCASTING/
BROADCAST ARTS

direction
writing
production design
cinematography
editing
camera works
performance
ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND
ALLIED ARTS

architecture design
interior design
industrial design
landscape architecture
fashion design
Fernando Amorsolo

Fruit Gatherers (1953),

Sunday Morning going to
Church, Dalagang Bukid
Carlos “Botong” Francisco
Harana (1957), artworks seen in Manila
City Hall

Leandro Locsin
Cultural Center of the Philippines - CCP

Napoleon Abueva
Judas’ Kiss (1955)
FATHER OF MODERN FILIPINO SCULPTURE
Abdulmari Imao
Sarimanok 1975
GAMABA: Gawad sa
Manlilikha ng BAYAN
Award
The Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan
or the National Living Treasures
Award was institutionalized
through Republic Act No. 7355 in
April 1992.
The following categories will be given
an award:

folk architecture
ornament,
maritime transport
textile or fiber art,
weaving
pottery and other artistic
carving,
performing arts,
literature,
graphic and plastic arts,
SUPPORT SYSTEMS
OF PHILIPPINE ART
 National Commission for Culture and the
Arts
The National Commission for Culture and
the Arts is the overall policy making body,
coordinating, and grants giving agency for
the preservation, development and
promotion
of Philippine arts and culture; and an
executing agency for the policies it
formulates
Cultural Center of the Philippines

The mission of the Cultural Center of the

Philippines is the leading institution for the
arts and culture in the Philippines by
promoting artistic excellence and nurturing
the broadest publics to participate in art
making and appreciation
National Museum
The National Museum is an educational,
scientific, and cultural institution that
acquires, documents, preserves,
exhibits, and fosters scholarly study and
public appreciation of works of art,
specimens, and cultural and historical
artifacts representative of the unique
cultural heritage of the Filipino people
and the natural history of the
Philippines
Metropolitan Museum of the Philippines

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is one

of the major museums in the Philippines.
The museum was among the first to
develop and extend its audience by
embracing the philosophy of art for all,
adopt a bilingual approach in exhibition
texts, and implement a vigorous
education and community outreach
program.
BenCab Museum

The BenCab Museum houses the permanent

collection of Philippine National Artist Benedicto
Cabrera (BenCab) in several galleries, as well as
venues for art shows and exhibitions. The Bencab
Museum is committed to the promotion of arts, and
the preservation, conservation and protection of the
environment and culture and traditions of the
Cordilleras. This commitment of the museum is an
expression of the artist’s gratitude to the country
that nurtured and inspired an artistic career that
continues to grow, mature, and fascinate
Art Fair Philippines

Art Fair Philippines is the premier

platform for exhibiting and selling the
best in modern and contemporary
Philippine visual art. The fair aims to
mirror the vibrant local art scene
and continue to generate support for
Filipino art practitioners
Manil ART

Manil ART is the Philippines' premier

international art fair. It showcases the best
in contemporary visual arts for the
development and promotion of Filipino art
and culture locally and internationally.
Manil ART elevates the standards and
celebrates the dynamic Philippine art
scene through various art exhibitions
connecting world class artists,
institutions, and the community.
Finale Art File

Finale Art File is considered as a premier

gallery institution in the Philippines. It
showcased hundreds of exhibits by some of
the most talented names in contemporary
visual arts. It has successfully balanced the
demands of a commercial establishment and
an artistic venue. This gallery occasionally
features experimental works that push
artistic boundaries and challenge audience
expectation
Kublai Art Gallery and Davao
Contemporary Art Gallery

The Kublai Art Gallery and Davao

Contemporary Art Gallery is a unique
cultural expression of Davao’s visual artists.
The gallery showcases various works by
Mindanao’s famed artist Kublai Ponce-
Millan, as well as different artists from the
city
Thirteen Artists Awards

The Thirteen Artists Awards mark the

turnings in and of Philippine
contemporary art, to update its
modernizing potential and to assess how
artists today engage with other forces in
the art world
What is medium?

Medium is defined as the

material, or the substance out of
which a work is made.
Through these materials, the
artists express and communicate
feelings and ideas.
What is technique?

Technique is the manner in which

artists use and manipulate materials
to achieve the desired formal effect,
and communicate the desired concept,
or meaning, according to his or her
personal style (modern, Neoclassic,
etc.). The distinctive character or
nature of the medium determines the
technique
For example stone is chiseled, wood is
carved, clay is modeled and shaped,
metal is cast, and thread is woven.
Technique involves tools and
technology, ranging from the most
traditional (for example carving,
silkscreen, analog photography, and
filmmaking) to the most contemporary
(digital photography, digital
filmmaking, music production,
industrial design, and robotics).
Medium and technique in contemporary art
have become more and more integrated,
such that the works have crossed
boundaries between art and science, and
between mediums and techniques. The
works are also using contemporary mediums
and techniques based on digital and
electronic technology, as well as
reformulated traditional methods.
painting can be in red chip (clay mixed
with water) designs embellished on
the ritual pottery of the Philippines
such as the acclaimed “Manunggul
Jar” which is an example of a burial
jar. Philippine pottery has been a long
tradition and evidence of this
pottery-making has been found Sanga-
Sanga, Sulu and Laurente Cave in
Cagayan.
painting is manifested in the tattoo
tradition of early Filipinos who are
now referred to as pintados or the
“Painted People” of Visayas. Various
designs referring to flora and facing
with heavenly bodies decorate their
bodies various colored pigmentation.
Maranao, who are well-known
for the “Naga Dragons” and the
“Sarimanok Craved” and
painted in the beautiful
Panolong of their Torongans or
King’s house
INDIGENOUS ART

The Itneg people are known for their

intricate woven fabrics. The
“Binakol’, which features designs
that incorporate optical illusions
woven fabrics of the “Gadang”
people usually bright red tones.
Their weaving can also be identified
by beaded ornamentation.
A folk artist of Pantabangan and a
pioneer for using indigenous
materials, natural raw materials
including human blood. Many
Filipino painters were influenced by
this and started using these
materials including human blood.
Many from onion, tomato, tuba,
coffee, molasses and other
materials available anywhere.
The lumad people of Mindanao such as
the “B’Lan”, “Mandaga”, “Mansaka”,
and “T’Boli” are skilled in the art of
dying abaka fiber known as “Manila
Hemp”. The fiber is dyed by a fiber
called “Ikat.” “Ikat” fibers are woven
into cloth with geometric patterns,
depicting human, animal, and plant
leaves.
Sarimanok is the most well-known design.
The figure represents a fowl with wings,
feathered tail and a head decorated with
ornaments of scrolled and painted motif of
leaves, spirals and feather-like forms. It
usually stands on a fish, and another one
hangs from its beak. The wooden figure
usually perched atop a bamboo pole, stands
among decorative flags during wedding and
other festive occasions.
“ Hagabi”, a wooden chair of Ifugao, which
symbolizes his status as a citizen in their community.
It depicts the wealth and power of the owner who is
called “Kadanagyan” or a person who belongs to the
higher in their society. Only the rich can afford to
own it together with a ritual after the completion of
their chair. This chair is made of Narra or Ipil-Ipil and
the original design is called
“Ginulding-Gulding”, meaning like agoat-like head.
At present Hagabi may have a different shapes one
end which is called “Ngiwi”, is like the head of an
animal with an elongated nose and two big ears.
OKIR-a-Datu/Okir (men’s design)

This kind of art has two main artistic

style. One is carved-line. Wood carving
and metalworking called “Okir” similar
to the Middle Eastern Islamic Art. This
style is associated with men. The other
style is geometric tapestries and is
associated with a boat-like imaging. In
okir design, the scroll is the dominant
feature in the men’s work composed of
various spiral forms.
Okir-a-Bay (ladies’ design)

In contrasts, the zigzag, and angular forms

are the dominating motifs in women’s
geometric art ‘Okir-a-Bay” (ladies design).
The most popular of the “Malong”, style is
the land cap which is either dominantly red,
yellow, green, blue or violet. Red is the
favorite color along with yellow; these colors
stands for royalty or aristocracy. Often, men
wear the red land cap and the women the
yellow.
Kampilan

The Bagobo are proud people with proto

Malayan features. They have ornate
traditions, weaponry and other metal arts.
They are noted for their skills in producing
brass articles through the ancient lost-wax
process. These people weave abaca cloths
of earth tones and make baskets that are
trimmed with beads, fibers and horse’s
hair; weapons made by Muslim Filipinos
such as “Kampilan”,are skillfully carved.
KUT-KUT ART

This is a technique combining the Oriental and

European art process. It is a highly collectible art
form. Very few known art pieces existed today. The
techniques was practiced by the indigenous people
of Samar Island between early 1600 and late 1800
A.D. Kut-Kut is an exotic Philippine art form based
on early century techniques –graffito, encaustic
and layering. The merging of these ancient styles
produces a unique artwork characterized by
delicate swirling interwoven lines, multi-layered
texture and an illusion of three-dimensional space.
They performed songs and dances to celebrate
festive occasions.
Music
The early music of the Philippines featured
a mixture of indigenous Islamic and variety
of Asian sounds. Spanish settlers and
Filipinos played a variety of musical
instruments,
including flutes, guitar, ukulele, violin,
trumps and drums. They performed songs
and dances to celebrate festive occasions.
By the 21st century, many of the folk songs
and dances have remained intact all
throughout the Philippines.
Modern day Philippine music
featured several styles. Most
music genres are contemporary
such as Filipino
rock, Filipino hip-hop and
another musical style. Some are
traditional such as Filipino folk
music
Dance

Philippine folk dances include the

“Tinikling” and “Carinosa.” In the
southern region of Mindanao, some
are popular dance showcasing the
story of a prince and a princess in the
forest. Bamboo exploits every
positions of these clashing poles
ARCHITECTURE

nipa hut Filipino contemporary house

The Spaniards introduced stones as housing
and building materials. The introduction of
Christianity brought European churches and
architecture which subsequently became
the center of the most towns and cities.
Spanish architecture can be found in
Intramuros, Manial, Vigan, Lipa Batangas,
Ilo-Ilo, Jaro Zamboanga City,
Bacolod and other parts in the Philippines.
The nipa hut (Bahay Kubo) was the most
common form of house among the native
Filipinos. It is characterized by the use of
simple materials such as bamboo and
coconut as the main source of wood.
Cogon grass and nipa palm leaves
and coconut fronds are used as roof
thatching.
Contemporary architecture has a
distinctively western style although
PreHispanic housing is still common in rural
areas. American style suburb gated
communities are popular in the cities,
including Manila and the surrounding
provinces. Islamic and often Asian
architecture are depicted on buildings such
as Mosque and Temples.
The Philippines has been blessed with
a lot of local materials according to
previous discussions. Some of these
are Abaca, Bakbak, Bamboo, Buntal,
Buri, and many others that
are constantly being developed by
talented Filipinos
Singkaban

Based on the book (Sandagan, 2016),

Singkaban is a type of Filipino art of shaving
a bamboo for home decors and bamboo
arches for weddings, mass gathering, fiesta,
and as welcome signage of a town, city, or
village in the country. It is broadly utilized
as enrichment amid town celebration in
Bulacan. Experienced workers who strive to
shave bamboo, layering to make curls and
sensitive twirls to reach the unique art in
this field.
Puni

According to (Flores, 2018), Puni is a

traditional art of leaf folding.
It is an ancient art of weaving that uses
elongated leaves. It is one
of the recognized crafts in the weaving
industry.
Pabalat

As featured by Galvez in 2016, the province

of Bulacan is known for making Pastillas de
Letche one of the Filipinos' favorites. It is
made from carabao’s milk and sprinkled with
white sugar. After this is done, it is wrapped
in plain white paper and then placed in
packages to be released to the market.
Taka

Taka (Laguna)
Paete, Laguna is one of the most colorful and
creative places in the Philippines. The name
Paete is derived from the word chisel
which is an important tool used for
sculpture. Taka or Paper Mache was first
recorded in the 1920s when Maria
Bangue made a paper toy. The papers were
molded from wood carving and glued with
paste
Pagpapalayok or Potterymaking

Some pottery makers in Pasig import clay

in San Mateo, Rizal. The first step is
passing the clay through the mill. Then,
they shape it in a mold made from
"Plaster of Paris." Next, they put the clay
on the potter's wheel. After it's done on
the wheel, it will be buff and smoothen
the pot
Sanikulas Cookies or Panecillos de San
Nicolas

Atching Lilian also makes Panecillos de San

Nicolas, whom Filipinos believe to possess
healing properties. Arrowroot is the main
ingredient in baking the said cookies. The
arrowroot plant was inherited from her
ancestors. They had to plant the arrowroot
and wait eight months for the roots to
mature.
Pagbuburda

Embroidery is an art of decorative stitching,

especially by hand. Pina and Jusi are
traditional fabrics used by the bordadoras.
But Piña is more special because it is decent,
soft, refined, durable, and not hot. Ang Jusi
(Chiese term for raw silk), on the other
hand, is a lightweight, flimsy, and ecru
colored fabric regarded by the bordadoras as
the best material for embroidery
SUBJECT
subject refers to anything that
represented in an artwork. It can be an
object, person scenery, colors and etc. even
though subject can be the center of an art
some masterpiece do not have subjects.
When we are talking about subject, there are
two types of arts. Arts that have
subject are called Representational or
Objective Arts. These arts present stories,
images, representations, symbols, etc.
Examples are graphic arts, literature,
sculpture, painting, and theater arts.
Representational or Non-
Objective Arts.
These arts attract straight through
the senses.
Examples are musical
arrangement, architecture,
weaving and other functional art
FORM

Form refers to the physical

characteristics of an art. It is about the
utilization of the elements of art such as
line, shape, form, space, color, value,
and texture. And these elements are
arranged based on the principles of
design in creating masterpiece.
METHODS

Methods refers to the framework of the

production. It provides the skeletal
plan that will serves as the guide for
the whole production. It contains the
objectives or goals, material,
procedures, manpower assignment,
target date of finish.
MATERIALS

Materials refers to the artwork

presented on a production such as the
script on a drama, music and lyrics, or
choreography. It is the center of the
production that consist the concept
that is expressed through art.
MACHINE

Machine refers to the mediums,

machinery, tools, or equipment to be
used in a production. On a theater
production machines are the physical
materials such as stage lighting,
sound systems, or any technical
medium.
MANPOWER

Manpower refers to the team of people

assigned to a specific role. It can be the
director, producers, choreographers,
dancers, artist, or crew. Because of
them the whole process of creating the
production can be fun and it will be
easier to accomplish.
 Materials in
Contemporary
Arts
Often, artists will most likely use
materials available to them; this
means that the resources their
locality have is important for their
art. The “local” can refer to material
that is easily available, like bamboo.
The local can also refer to wherever
the artist finds himself or
herself.
 Diokno Pasilan, a neo-ethnic
musician-visual/performance artist
and one-time art director from Negros
the “local” involves various places:
Baguio, Bicol, Palawan (where he
resided for a long period), and most
recently Victoria, Western Australia,
where he resettled.
This process entails interacting and
immersing with host communities.
Digital Tagalog,
a collaboration between Lani Maestro
and Poklong Anading, artists who are
known for creating multi-sensory
environments that come out of their
research about the contexts of spaces
and communities. Shown in Mo Gallery
in 2012, Digital Tagalog used
bamboo to construct physical nodes and
create sounds.
Agnes Locsin used the
techniques of modern dance to
reinterpret a component of the
Moriones Holy Week festival of
Marinduque. The Moriones narrates the
story of Roman centurion Longino’s
conversion to Christianity upon the
healing of his blindness by the dying
Jesus whom the soldier had been
ordered to guard.
Ang Post Office.
First staged at the PETA (Philippine
Educational Theater Association) Center, this
adaptation of a tragic 1910 tale of a dying
Indian boy coming to know of the world
through the people he encounters in the
course of a day was restaged at TXS, Xavier
University, Cagayan de Oro. Finding parallels
in Philippine contemporary society, the local
staging made references to local culture:
characters playing taho (a semi-liquid soya
variant) and sampaguita vendors.
Fugtong: The Black Dog
by the community theatre group,
Aanak di Kabiligan (Children of the
Mountains) which was organized
through the efforts of the Cordillera
Green Network. The production
revolves around a folk story about a
family ostracized for keeping a black
dog commonly perceived as bringing
bad omens.
Lani Maestro produced as a
commissioned
project called Limen (2014) in
France. Here, she carefully
considered where the work was to
be placed, how people might relate
with it, and what sort of past or
backstory the site had. The
space is known as the Bata compound
and was primarily an industrial site.
The sculptor uses metal, wood, stone,
clay, and glass. Sculptures fall within
the category of “three-dimensional”
arts because they occupy space and
have volume. Pottery is a form of
sculpture. Other examples are nudes or
figures such as Guillermo Tolentino’s
Oblation, ritual objects such as bulul
wood carvings in the Cordillera, or the
santos or carvings of saints in Christian
churches.
The architect uses wood, bamboo,
bricks, stone, concrete and various
building materials. Buildings are
also called “three-dimensional”
arts because like sculpture, they
occupy space and have volume.
However, architecture has the
added element of time, since we
move into the structures.
The painter uses pigments (e.g.,
watercolor, oil, tempera, textile
paint, acrylic, ink, etc.)
on a usually flat ground (wood,
canvas, paper, stone wall such as in
cave paintings).
The printmaker uses ink printed or
transferred on a surface (wood,
metal plates, or silk screen) that is
in keeping with a duplicating or
reproducing process. Prints and
paintings are further classified as
“two-dimensional” arts, because
they include the surface or ground
on which coloring substances are
applied.
The musician uses sound and
instruments (including the
human voice). A T’boli chanter
sings creation stories in a way
that is different from a classical
singer or pop music singer
influenced by the Western
music scale.
The dancer uses the body and its
movements. Dance is often
accompanied by music, but there
are dances that do not rely on
musical accompaniment to be
realized. Dance can tell stories,
but at other times, they convey
abstract ideas that do not rely on a
narrative.
The theatre artist integrates all
the arts and uses the stage,
production design,
performance elements, and script
to enable the visual, musical,
dance and other aspects to
come together as a whole work.
The photographer and filmmaker use
the camera to record the outside
world. The filmmaker uses the
cinematographic camera to record
and put together production design,
sound engineering, performance, and
screenplay. In digital photography and
film, the images can be assimilated
into the computer, thus eliminating
the need for celluloid or negatives,
processing chemicals, or print.
The writer of a novel, poetry,
nonfiction and fiction uses
words.

The designer, the performance

artist, and the installation artist
combine use of the
range of materials above.
The UP Chapel is made out of works made
by individual National Artists practicing in
the various arts. The architecture is by
Leandro Locsin; the crucifix is by
Napoleon Abueva; the floor mosaic by
Arturo Luz, and the Stations of the Cross
are by Vicente Manansala who was
assisted by Ang Kiukok. In 1968, the
chapel was the site of a performance
created by another National Artist, Jose
Maceda. His piece combined indigenous
voices, and instruments, and a prayer
sung in Tagalog.
Art is considered an “artifact,”
when it is directly experienced and
perceived. It can be spatial and
static or unmoving (e.g., a painting
or building, or a novel) or time-
based and in motion (e.g., a live
theater production, mobile
sculpture).
Contemporary artists
are producing artworks
that are more process-
based, site-specific,
interactive, and
collaborative