● CONTEMPORARY

PHILIPPINE ARTS
FROM THE Hy.h.hTap on a
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Quarter 1 Module 1
“A JOURNEY TOWARDS THE
MAGICAL WORLD OF
CONTEMPORARY
 PHILIPPINE ARTS”

SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS
FROM THE REGIONS
COURSE DESCRIPTION

This subject covers various contemporary arts practices of the region where the school is
located. It aims to provide students with an appreciation of a broad range of styles in the various
disciplines with consideration on their elements and principles, and engage them to an
integrative approach in studying arts. Through this subject, students will broaden and acquire
the necessary creative tools that open opportunities in pursuing their individual career goals and
aspirations

Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions is designed to stimulate the environment of the
internet. This is to make a challenging and complex subject less intimidating and easier access.
As this module unfolds, we encourage you to imagine yourselves going through an adventure
and a journey of exploration. Sometimes, the Journey may be rough and you will find yourself
lost in the many twist and turns of Contemporary Art. But keep on going; make sure you do not
lose sight of the signposts that will guide you back to the main routes.

Quick tour to your module

The signposts that will function as your guides are:

ENGAGE

Quest- sets the direction of the lesson and the learning

outcomes

Chatroom Flag- Signals that the discussion is

about to begin and lists the key terms to remember
and understand
EXPLORE

Thread- links the lesson to previous and succeeding lessons;

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)-are formative questions. The questions make

us aware of the main information to remember for each subtopic;

Thought Bubbles- are reflective questions or questions that call attention to issues that
we may wish to reflect on, in relation to a particular topic. They complement the FAQs,
and also give us time to pause and catch our breath between long texts, but without
breaking the flow of thought or ideas. Instead thought bubbles spur you to further inquiries
and investigations

TMLSS (to make the long story short)- sums up the

lesson
 SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS
FROM THE REGIONS
EXTEND

D-I-Y (Do it yourself) – are hands on activities;

EVALUATE

Pin It- are summative questions also known as Guide Questions that sum up the ideas
behind the FAQS and the thought bubbles

Level up- are further activities that will serve as basis for the assessment of your
learnings from this module

TL-DR (Too long; Did not read) refers to books and other materials that were used in
formulation of this module

Before we start, I would like to ask you to introduce yourself in the MOST
UNIQUE AND CREATIVE WAY you can think of. Come on, Genius!

NAME:
SECTION:

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS

FROM THE REGIONS SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

● Define the term “contemporary art” in art historical, cultural and
stylistic terms;
● Explain the difference between contemporary art and modern art in the
context of the Philippines’ various histories, cultures, and identities;
● Demonstrate the major characteristics of contemporary art through an
artwork that would require teamwork and collaboration;
STONE ART and PANATANG KABATAAN
● Appreciate the role of contemporary art and artists in Philippine
contemporary life; and
● Understand contemporary issues and their relationship to real life
situations.

FROM THE REGIONS

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS
SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
 FAQ What is contemporary? Is it the same as being modern?
The first difference between the contemporary and modern is historical and chronological, as the
overview of Philippine Art in Lesson 2 will show. Meanwhile, the table suggested by Arts
Studies Professors Fajardo and Flores titled “Historical Overview of Philippine Art “(2002)
below shows a summary of the periods of Philippine Art from Pre-Conquest to the
Contemporary. Please take note that this table includes painting, sculpture, and architecture only.
As you learn more in succeeding lessons, youcanadd on your own data on the other arts like
music, dance, literature, and theater.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW: PHILIPPINE ART

Pre-Conquest Spanish Period 1521- American Japanese Period Postwar 70s-
1898 Period 1898– 1941–45 Republic 1946– Contemporary
Form 1940 1969
Potter; body Religious (icon and Landscape, Wartime scene
adornment, ornament ecclesiastical), secular portraiture, genre, (aggression,
(Figure A) (portraiture). (Figure B) interior, still life nationalism,
atrocities,
symbolic,
Painting protest,
aspirationfor
Pottery, carving and Santos, furniture, Free standing, peace) Figurative, non-
Modern,
woodwork, reliefs, altar pieces, relief, public figurative,
Propaganda conservative
metalwork and jewelry, metalwork, artforart sake,
, abstract,
expression (Figure C) fiesta, ornamentation multimedia,
Indigenizing and experimenta
(Figure D) mixed media,
Orientalizing l, public art
transmedia
works, genre,
idyllic
(Amorosio,
Sculpture Francisco,
Ocampo)

Dwellings and Church, plaza City planning

houses, complex; town parks,
shelters, planning, fortification, waterfronts,
worship areas, civic buildings and civic/gov’t.,
Real estate, safe housing, accessories,
official installations, structures, public
tenements, squatters, convention arch,
residences, mosque, private residences, works,
commercial/ business, condos, malls,
masjid, state edifices commercial structures, apartments, Public works
subdivisions, development, low cost
(Figure E) cemeteries, bridges, residences,
housing
lighthouse offices, health and
Architectur public education,
business chalet
e
Figure 1.1

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS

FROM THE REGIONS SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
FAQ What is Contemporary Art? What is Modern Art?
IfwetalkintermsofArtHistory(refertotheaforementionedmatrix),Contemporary Artcan be
defined asart produced by artists living today.

Figure 1.2. Zyza Bacani (2013)

The picture on Figure 1.2 and the painting by HR Ocampo on Figure 1.3 have the same subject
matter:thepoorandordinarypeopleonthestreets.
Figure 1.2 was taken around 2013, in Hong Kong, where the photographer, Zyza Bacani, who
hails from Nueva Vizcaya, worked as a domestic helper, and is now based in New York on a
scholarship. On her days off, she shot with her Digi camera. Her first camera was bought from
money loaned by her employer. (http://www.interaksyon.com/lifestyle/ny- times-blog-
features-filipino-domestic- workerphotographer)
HR Ocampo’s painting (Figure 1.3) was painted in the early 1960s. At that time, the painting
was considered contemporary. Today, we refer to these works as examples of Modern Art,
produced between the American colonial period to thePost-warperiod. Some Modern artists
continue to produce work till today. In that sense, their works can be described as
contemporary, by virtue of being “of the present.” For example, the National Artist Arturo Luz
continued toproduce paintingsinhis90sandwellintothe21st.However,asseeninFigure1.1the table
of “Historical Overview” his paintings’ hard-edged and minimalist abstract style is
associated with the Modern style of the late 20th century. The “contemporary” is therefore a
fluid term, and its use can change depending on the con-texts, in this case historical and stylistic.
At times, the Modern and Contemporary can be used simultaneously or interchangeably;
however, there is also danger of using them carelessly or loosely. Thus, it is important toknow
the historical, andstylistic contexts of the terms.

Figure 1.3. TheContrastbyHROcampo Figure 1.4. Frugal Meal by Cesar

Legaspi
 SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS
FROM THE REGIONS
Here are a number of artists—young and senior, alike—who paint in styles associated with
Modern Art. National Artist Victorio Edades is credited for initiating the Modern Art movement
that challenged the Neoclassic style, which was dominant at the time he came home from
studying in America before the war. The Neoclassic style depicts reality as closely as possible
and idealizes it. The Modern artists led by Edades challenged what were described as
“conservative” art seen in the works of National Artists Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo
Tolentino. Modernartistsdo notaimto copy andidealizereality;instead, theychangethe colors and
flatten the picture instead of creating illusions of depth, nearness, and farness. Instead of the
beautiful and pastoral, they depict what might be thought of as“ugly”and unpleasant.

At that time, Modern Art was considered new and shocking; Neoclassic Art was familiar and
comfortable. Neoclassic Art is also described by art historians like Guillermo as “academic”
along with other established styles imported from Europe via Spanish colonization. In its
simplest sense Neoclassicism is “academic” asitwas
andcontinuestobetaughtinschools,particularlythethenUniversityof
thePhilippinesSchoolofFineArts(now UPCollegeofFineArts),whereAmorsolo and Tolentino were
most influential. The School of Fine Arts is now the University of the Philippines College of Fine
Arts, where students are being exposed to various styles. The Neoclassicstyleassociated with
Amorsolo and Tolentinocontinueto influence a number of practicing artists who have learned to
paint inthatstyle either formally as artstudents invarious universities where Neoclassic styleis
included in the curriculum or informally through workshops and apprenticeships, or through
self-learning orself-study,asinthecaseofmanyartistsfromtheregions outside Manila.

Today, Modern Art is referred to as “traditional,” compared to Contemporary Art. Contemporary

Artistheart of thepresent, which iscontinuouslyinprocess and influx. Whatiscontemporary
todaymight become“academic” or“traditional” at some point. The styles of Modern Art for
example are now part of art school curricula and have become academic. Thus, the distinction
between Modern Art and Contemporary Art could also be a matter of perception and reception
depending on the contexts, which will be discussed in detail in the succeeding lessons. For now,
it is important that we are aware of the distinction between Modern Art and
ContemporaryArt,theirdifferencesaswellassimilarities.

FAQWhatare the similarities and differences between Modern Artand

Contemporary Art?

Figure 1.5. Carlos Francisco, Magpupukot

Figure 1.6. Fernando Amorsolo, Fishing Scene

 SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS
FROM THE REGIONS
 Figure 1.7. Victorio Edades, The Builders

FigureF1.5 shows Carlos Francisco’s depiction of fishing as a difficult process, while Amorsolo’s
rendition emphasizes calm and placidity. Like Francisco’s Magpupukot (1957), HR Ocampo’s
The Contrast (1940) in Figure 1.3, Cesar Legaspi’s Frugal Meal (undated) in Figure 1.4,
Edades’ The Builders (1928) in Figure 1.7 shows the oppressive condition of the
underprivileged classes. As we shall learn in the historical overview in thenext lesson, Modern
Artists like Romeo Tabuena, Hernando Ocampo, Vicente Manansala, Victor Oteyza, Ramon
Estella and Cesar Legaspi were actively depicting the social conditions in the aftermath of World
War II. Called Neo-Realists by critic Aguilar Cruz, these artists depicted society’s problems and
challenged the Neoclassic rural-pastoral style associated with Amorsolo and Tolentino. The
Social Realists of the seventies are considered heirs of this tradition.

Figure 1.8. Imelda Cajipe Endaya, Filipina DH

Social Realism continues to influence contemporary artists. For example, Imelda

Cajipe-Endaya’s Filipina DH, 1995 is social realist, but the style and medium of the
installation is markedly different. Refer to “The Stylistic Overview” table (Figure 1.9) for an idea
of the difference in style and medium between Modern Art and ContemporaryArt.

STYLISTIC
OVERVIEW
Spanish/Islam America Postmodern/
Form Precolonial
ic colonial n
Modern
contemporar
colonial y
Incipient
triumvirate
13 moderns, Collaborativ
Religious/ abstract, e,
Painting devotional hyper-realis
neorealist,
Secular Formal surreal, t, new
Naturalistic Classical, painting
expressionist
Religious (homegrown, idylitic,
nostalgic Junk/scrap,
(animist or miniaturismo, Duchampian,
Islamic) guild) Academic arte covera,
Community- Abstract neo-
Sculpture based Inter- Expressionis indigenous,
ethnic relations m site- specific,
Collective performance
history (Figure art, hybrid
F and G) Worship-related Neoclassic, Filipino
and residential art deco architecture,
Earthquake (juan International ubran planning,
baroque Hispanic Arellano, industrializin economic zone,
Architecture g, eclectic,
revivalist Juan Nakpil, neovernacular,
(neogothic, Pablo prefab,
neoromanesque, Antonio) Art regionalist,
Islamic) Nouveau, cosmopolitan
California
Mission Style
Figure 1.9
 SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS
FROM THE REGIONS
 FigureF Figure G

Aside from style, it is also very useful to know where the artists are coming from and
the circumstances of making and disseminating their art. With the table titled “Cultural
Overview,” we can see that Contemporary Artists Bacaniand Cajipe- Endaya belong to different
contexts. The latter has been exhibited in galleries and museums, just like the Modern Artists, or
Moderns, for short. Bacani, on the other hand, started exhibiting her works in Internet platforms
like blogs and caught the attention of photographers. She soon became very popular in social,
print, and broadcast media. Now that she is exhibited in museum and gallery space, her work has
now crossed over to the domain of the Fine Arts.

CULTURAL
OVERVIEW
Indigenous Southeast Islamic or
Form Fine or world- based Popular or urban and
Asian (Figure H) Philippine Folk or lowland
mass based
Muslim

Painting Museum-
Colonial and post-
Ritual and governance circulated, artist Mass produced,
colonial (Figure K
and L)
Sculpture
(Figure I and J) centered market oriented
gallery-
distributed
Architect

Figure 1.10

FigureH Figure I

FigureK Figure J

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS

FROM THE REGIONS SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
 Figure L
Ibn Saud Salipyasin Ahmad from Zamboanga, Mindanao comes from a hybrid mixture of the
local Subanen and traditional Maguindanao Muslim cultures. He is acontemporary artist but his
cultural con-text is indigenous Southeast Asian and Philippine Muslim. His style can be
considered “traditional” as it draws on the tradition and intricacy of drafting technique, which
helearnedinatrade school in Zamboanga. Hismedium is
watercolor.Hissubjectmatteristhepeopleofhis locality. His depictions invite us to witness his
culture and its traditions inthe context of today’s changing times.

Figure 1.11. Ibn Saud Salipyasin Ahmad, The Wedding (2015)

FAQ What are the general characteristics of Contemporary Art?

Although contemporary artists like Saudi Ahmad continue to use traditional
mediasuchaswatercolorandoilon canvas,otherslikeCajipe-Endayausemixed media.Someworks
arealsosite-specific,meaning they cannotbe experienced inthesamewayifremovedfrom their
original places of exhibitwhether inthe gallery, out on the streets, in the forest, on the Internet,
etc. They are generally process-based and integrate various mediums and art forms. For
example, the band Sleepyheads integrate performance art, theatricality, and indie music in their
gigs. (See for example https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu. be&v=P5eHQBUb8O4).

Figure1.12. Ili-LikhaArtistsVillage,KabunianDeGuia,theMightyBhutens,KidlatTahimik,
Baguio (Photo byauthor

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS

FROM THE REGIONS SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
 The filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik and his family perform their life as their art and vice versa, as
evident in the art spaces in Baguio which have become associated with a mix of performance,
installation, architecture, and culinaryarts.Itishardto
separatetheartistfromhisspaceofpractice,andhislifework.However,theoutput is not his alone. The
process is collaborative, and the experience is immersive and interactive, such that the art is
never completewithouttheaudience’sactiveinput.

In Lesson 4, we will learn about traditional art, which also adheres to process, community
engagement ad the inclusion of wider aspects of artistic creation. Such features link traditional
art with the current inclination of somecontemporary artists. Not only do these artists
contemporize the traditional, as seen in the worksof
SaudiAhmad,buttheyalsointernalizewithintheirpracticesthekindof processes associated with
themaking and production of traditional art. These are shownin themovement, astheart
historianTerrySmith describesit,“from extreme isolation to total proximity, from individual
alienation to complete togetherness, from a personal particularity to total generality…”

A lot of contemporary art may be collaborative/participative, interactive and process-oriented,

meaning that there is less emphasis on the finished product and a single “author” or creator.
This is not always the case for other works, however. There is a wide range of strategies, media
and techniques under the term “Contemporary Art.” There are works for example that are done
alone by artists in their studios (such as Ahmad, for example) and are therefore not working in
collaboration with others; there are works that are too fragile for direct handling and are not
exactly “interactive,” and so on, and there will be many examples in subsequent lessons that
may or may not exhibit all of these characteristics evenly. Consider the characteristics outlined
in this chapter as starting points toward an understanding and exposure to works that may seem
baffling, or strange, rather than abiding by fixed and unmovable criteria or preconditions that
define Contemporary Art.

HASHTAG GENERALIZATION

My Notes. My takeaways from this

TMLS1S learning Kit

3
 SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS
FROM THE REGIONS
 EXTEND
In thesucceeding lessons, the Contemporary Arts from theregions will be situated in
moredetail withinthe historyofPhilippineArt throughabrief historical overview.

collaborative Let us imagine we are practicing contemporary artists like the ones
discussed above. We will produce a, process- oriented, and integrative art.

You will be watching a simple story entitled “Ang Huling Dahon”. Your Teacher will provide you
the link for that.

After watching the video, you will be creating DIY project made primarily with stones.
You will redefine the use of stones by assembling them in a way that will showcase your
creativity.

Look back in your past, have a glimpse of those memorable events of your life. And from
there you will create your STONE ART. Deadline of submission will be on September 11,
2020.
Kindly prepare also a 1-2 min message about your STONE ART, you will be called to
share it during your scheduled synchronous learning. The rubrics below will be used to
rate your FIRST ARTWORK in this Subject

STONE ART
CREATIVITY 15
RELEVANCE 10
CONTENT 15
CRAFTMANSHIP 10
TOTAL 50 points
 SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM
THE REGIONS
 1. Interms ofhistory, howdoyou define thecontemporary? Howisitdifferent
from the“traditional”or“modern”?
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2. Explain the meaning of contemporary art: collaborative, integrative, and
process- oriented. How do these mediums and techniques differentiate
contemporary artsfrom the“traditional”and“modern”?

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3. How did the collaborative, integrative and process-oriented characters
of contemporary art become more concrete through the process you
went through in thegroup activity?

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4. Artists do not always use new media, such as installations and mixed
media. What makes them “contemporary” anyway? Explain your
answers through historical,stylistic, andculturaloverviews.

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CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS

FROM THE REGIONS
SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT
 PANATANG KABATAAN
CREATIVITY 15
UNIQUENESS/ORIGINALITY 10
CONTENT 15
OVER ALL IMPACT 10
TOTAL 50 points

Directions: Kindly answer the following questions below, check the corresponding
number of your answer. 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest.
QUESTIONS 1 2 3 4 5

How would you rate the

content of this module?
How would you rate
the Instructor?
How would you rate this
module in general?
1. What do you find the most beneficial to you in this module?
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2. What do you find the least beneficial to you in this module?

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CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS

FROM THE REGIONS SAMUEL A. REYES, LPT