UNIT 3
Philippine Contemporary Arts
Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions
1
LEARNING TARGETS
At the end of this unit, the learners should be able
to to do the following:
● Define contemporary arts.
● Identify different contemporary art forms.
● Describe various contemporary art forms
according to historical overview.
● Comprehend the artistic message conveyed
through subject and theme.
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VALUES AND
ATTITUDES
In this unit, the learners should be able to do the
following:
● Develop self-confidence in knowing contemporary arts
in the Philippines.
● Appreciate the diversity of contemporary arts in the
Philippines.
● Increase creativity by critiquing artworks according to
the subject matter and theme used by the artist.
● Explore and learn the significance of the subject matter
and theme in understanding the artist’s message. 3
ART IS EVERYWHERE
The contemporary arts in the Philippines encompass a vast range of
forms, reflecting the nation’s diversity. Filipino artists harness this
diversity to create art that resonates deeply and evokes strong
emotions in their audience. Moreover, as society progresses
technologically and embraces innovation, artists become more
adventurous and resourceful in creating art, bringing a liberal
perspective to their audience.
Understanding modern and contemporary art allows us to connect with
the artist’s intended message by looking at their social, historical, and
cultural backgrounds. This exploration reveals that art is an ever-
evolving, dynamic process. It continuously contributes to our cultural
literacy and fosters a deeper appreciation for the arts. 4
CENTRAL QUESTION
Why is contemporary art
important in society?
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Lesson 01
Contemporary Arts in the
Philippines
Unit 3| Philippine Contemporary Art
Contemporary Arts in the Philippines
6
ART LENS
The availability of new products, tools, and technological
advancements has expanded the creative possibilities for
Filipino artists. They are continuously improving their
skills and exploring new ideas and techniques using
available materials. As a result, contemporary art became
a platform through which artists raise awareness and
discuss societal issues, effectively conveying impactful
messages to their audience.
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Contemporary Art vs. Modern Art
Magsasaka (Farmer) by Vicente
Manansala
Commonly, the term modern is used to describe the present. Being modern
implies being up-to-date and technologically advanced, often associated with
being contemporary.
Art that is new or current is often labeled as modern in contrast to traditional or
conservative. These terms are often used interchangeably in everyday language,
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indicating similar meanings.
Historical Overview
Historical Overview
1970s
Pre- Spanish American Japanese Postwar
Form Contemporar
Conquest Period Period Period Republic
y
religious and
landscape
pottery, body ecclesiastical wartime
,
adornment, icon, and scenes
Paintin portraiture
ornament secular (aggression,
g , genre,
portraiture nationalism,
interior,
(See figure a) atrocities,
still life figurative, non-
(See figure b) symbolic modern,
figurative, art
protest, conservativ
for arts sake,
santos, aspiration e, abstract,
pottery, multimedia,
furniture, for peace), experiment
carving and mixed media,
reliefs, altar propaganda, al, public art
woodwork, free transmedia
pieces, jewelry, indigenizing
Sculptu metalwork, standing
metalwork, and
re and relief,
fiesta, orientalizing
expression public
ornamentation works,
genre
(See figure c)
(See figure d)
Historical Overview
Historical Overview
Postwar 1970s
Pre- Spanish American Japanese
Form Republi Contemporar
Conquest Period Period Period
c y
city
church, plaza planning
complex, parks,
dwellings and town waterfronts,
houses, planning, civic and real estate, safe housing,
shelters, fortification, government accessories, tenements,
worship areas, civic structures, informal settlers,
official buildings and public convention arches,
Architectu
residences, installations, works, public works commercial structures or
re
mosque, private apartments, businesses,
masjid, state residences, residences, condominiums, malls,
edifices commercial offices, subdivisions, low cost
structures, health and housing
(See figure e) cemeteries, public
bridges, education,
lighthouse business
chalet
Contemporary Art vs. Modern Art: Historical
Overview
Figure a. Figure b. Figure c.
Illustration of Visayan Pintado from the Nuestra Señora del Mindanao burial pottery
boxer codex (left) and neolithic burial jar, Santisimo Rosario,
Palawan (right) Damian Domingo
founder of Academia de
Dibujo and Virgen del
Rosario, Peruvian 18th
Century
Contemporary Art vs. Modern Art: Historical
Overview
Figure d. Figure e.
Santos made from ivory wood Paoay Church VIII
Contemporary Art vs. Modern Art
The term contemporary is flexible, and its usage
can vary depending on the context, particularly
in terms of historical and stylistic perspectives.
While modern and contemporary can be used
interchangeably, using them thoughtfully and
accurately is crucial. Understanding these terms'
historical and stylistic contexts is essential to
avoid careless or loose usage.
13
Victorio Edades, the National Artist
for Painting, pioneered the modern
art movement as a response to the
neoclassic style. While the
neoclassical style aimed to faithfully
depict reality, modern artists viewed
it as conservative. Instead of seeking
to replicate and idealize reality,
modern artists altered colors and The Sketch (1928)
by
flattened images, and avoided Victorio Edades
illusions of depth, proximity, and
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perfection.
Neoclassical Style
● Modern art emerged as a groundbreaking and
provocative movement, while neoclassical art offered a
sense of familiarity and comfort.
● Guillermo Tolentino referred to neoclassical art and other
established European styles brought through Spanish
colonization as academic.
● Neoclassicism continues to be taught in academic
institutions like the University of the Philippines College
of Fine Arts, maintaining its place within the academic
curriculum.
15
Fernando Amorsolo Guillermo Tolentino
● The neoclassical style, associated with
prominent artists like Amorsolo and Tolentino,
continues to influence many artists.
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The Birth of Social Realists
● Modern artists such as Romeo Tabuena,
Hernando Ocampo, Vicente Manansala,
Victor Oteyza, Ramon Estella, and Cesar
Legaspi actively addressed the social
conditions following World War II.
● These artists, as pointed out by Aguilar Cruz,
portrayed the issues and challenges faced by
society.
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● The social realists are recognized as inheritors of
● Social realism remains a
significant influence on
contemporary artists.
● An example of this is Imelda
Cajipe-Endaya's artwork
Filipina: Dh, Installation
(1995), which embodies
social realism. However, it
distinguishes itself through
Filipina: Dh, Installation (1995)
its unique style and
medium, as it adopts 18
Stylistic Overview
Stylistic Overview
Postmodern
American or
Form Pre-Conquest Spanish Period Japanese Period
Period Contemporar
y
incipient
triumvirate, 13 collaborative,
Painting moderns, abstract, hyperrealist,
religious (animist religious, neorealist, surreal, new painting
or Islamic), devotional, expressionist
community- secular, formal,
classical,
based, naturalistic junk or scrap,
nostalgic
interethnic (homegrown, duchampian,
relations, miniaturismo, arte covera,
abstract
Sculpture collective history guild), academic neoindigenous,
expressionism
site-specific
performance
art, hybrid
Stylistic Overview
Stylistic Overview
Postmodern
American or
Form Pre-Conquest Spanish Period Japanese Period
Period Contemporar
y
neoclassic,
worship-related Filipino
art deco by
religious (animist and residential, architecture,
Juan
or Islamic), earthquake, urban
Arellano,
community- baroque, international, planning,
Architect Juan Nakpil,
based, Hispanic industrializing, economic zone,
ure Pablo
interethnic revivalist (neo- eclectic neovernacular,
Antonio, Art
relations, Gothic, neo prefab,
Nouveau,
collective history Romanesque, regionalist,
California
Islamic) cosmopolitan
mission style
Cultural Overview
● Aside from style, it is also beneficial to understand
the background and circumstances of the artists and
how their art is disseminated.
Cultural Overview
Indigenous Islamic or Popular or
Fold or Fine or World-
Form Southeast Philippine Urban and
Lowland Based
Asian Muslim Mass-Based
Painting
museum- mass
Sculpture colonial and circulated, artist- produced,
ritual and governance
post-colonial centered, gallery- market
Architectur distributed oriented
e
HITMAKERS
Modern art and contemporary art are often associated,
yet they possess similarities and differences, such as the
following:
1. Historical Differences. In terms of history,
contemporary art refers to the art created in the
present era, constantly representing the present. In
contrast, modern art is often characterized by the
techniques and styles used by the artist during the
art’s creation. Nonetheless, the terms modern and
contemporary can be used simultaneously or
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interchangeably.
HITMAKERS
2. Social Differences. Social realism heavily influences
contemporary art as it addresses current societal
issues. On the other hand, modern art is known for its
unique artistic styles used by the artists. As societal
issues arise, artists increasingly experiment with
techniques to create groundbreaking art.
3. Cultural Differences. With the ever-changing
landscape of technology, contemporary artists often
display their work in traditional galleries. On the other
hand, modern artists embrace digital platforms to
showcase their creations, although their work 23
Stoplight
STOP CONTINUE START
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PHOTO CREDITS
Slide 10: Magsasaka (Farmer) by Kandukuru Nagurjun is licensed under CC-BY-2.0 via Flickr.
Slide 13: Symbolism in Pre-Colonial Filipino Warrior by (no author) is licensed under CC0 via
The Manila Times.
Slide 13: Neolithic Pottery Burial Jar, Palawan 890-710 BC by Gary Todd is licensed under CC0 via
Wikimedia Commons.
Slide 13:
Nuesra Señora del Santisimo Rosario, Damian Domingo founder of Academia de Dibujo and Virgen d
el Rosario, Peruvian 18th Century
by Carlos Indicó is licensed under CC0 via Quora.
Slide 13: Mindanao Burial Pottery - 32843892691.jpg by Gary Todd is licensed under CC0 via
Wikimedia Commons.
Slide 14: Santos - made of ivory wood by (no author) is licensed under CC0 via Preceden.
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PHOTO CREDITS
Slide 14: Paoay Church VIII by lordartworks is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikipedia.
Slide 16: The Sketch (1928) by Victorio Edades by (no author) is licensed under CC0 via HandWiki.
Slide 18: Fernando Amorsolo History & Famous Paintings of Artist by Ki is licensed under CC0 via
Philippine News.
Slide 18: Everyday History by Philippine Star is licensed under CC0 via Facebook.
Slide 20: Filipina: Dh, Installation (1995) by Imelda Cajipe-Endaya by Imelda Cajipe-Endaya is licensed under
CC0 via Facebook.
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REFERENCES
Baclig, Cristina Eloisa. 2020. “Tattoos: The Art that Exhibits Philippine Culture and History.” Lifestyle Inquirer.
https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/374686/tattoos-the-art-that-exhibits-philippine-culture-and-history/.
Eden Gallery. 2021. “Modern Art vs Contemporary Art.” Eden Gallery.
https://www.eden-gallery.com/news/modern-art-vs-contemporary-art#:~:text=Modern%20and%20co
ntemporary%20art%20are,describes%20current%20works%20of%20art
.
Hernandez, Eloisa May P. n. d. “The Spanish Colonial Tradition in Philippine Visual Arts.” Filipino Kastila Tripod.
Accessed .
https://filipinokastila.tripod.com/paint.html#:~:text=For%20the%20first%20centuries%20of,of%20he
aven%2C%20purgatory%20and%20hell
.
Soliman, Michelle Anne P. 2022. “A Retelling of Stories of Filipinas and Histories of the Motherland.”
BusinessWorld.
https://www.bworldonline.com/arts-and-leisure/2022/09/07/472795/a-retelling-of-stories-of-filipinas-an
d-histories-of-the-motherland/
.
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