CONTEMPORARY ARTS

The traditional arts in the Philippines include folk architecture, maritime transport, famous sculpture in the Philippines, weaving,
carving, folk performing arts, folk (oral) literature, folk graphic and plastic arts, ornament, pottery, and other artistic expressions of
traditional culture.
The National Arts Center is a building complex situated in Mount Makiling, Los Baños, Laguna, the Philippines. The
establishment was inaugurated in 1976. Its theater is the Tanghalang Maria Makiling or the NAC Center, which has an
audience capacity of 1,000 people.[1]
The complex occupies a total area of 13.5 hectares (33 acres) at the Makiling Forest Reservation. Most of its facilities are
operated by the Philippine High School for the Arts except the Pugad Adarna, which is run by the Cultural Center of the
Philippines.[1]
Venues aside from the theater include the Pugad Aliguyon or the Marvilla Cottages, the Pugad Adarna or Executive House, a
two-story clubhouse called the Bulwagang Sarimanok, and the St. Marc's Chapel.[1] The chapel's cross was designed
by Leandro Locsin and features an outline of a crucified Jesus Christ.[2]

What is Traditional Art?

Traditional art is art that is part of a culture of a certain group of people, with skills and knowledge passed down through
generations from masters to apprentices. But on my “art world”, the academic environment, when we speak of
Traditional Art, we are often referring to what we call Classical Art: the ideas that emerged from the Renaissance and
Illuminism about what art should represent to society. These ideas emerged on the Renaissance, but lasted long after,
until the 19th century. and these ideas and concepts are directly connected to Academicism. Academicism is the method
of professionalizing art education, designed, formalized and taught by European art academies, starting on the 16th
Century. There is in the academicism the appreciation of renowned masters, veneration of the classical tradition, and the
adoption of concepts collectively formulated, that had, besides a aesthetic character, also ethical origins and purposes.
And it is about these concepts that I propose to speak. At least, the concepts that I understand, and believe in. But, in
short, the term Classical Art refers to, basically, all kinds of art that existed before Modern Art, before the Modernist
Movement.

Modern and Contemporary art are two distinctly different art era's. Traditional art aimed to represent reality or realism through
narrative. Whereas, modern art aimed to throw aside the tradition of the past and experiment with new ways of seeing and with
fresh ideas about the nature of materials and functions of art.

Contemporary Art

·       What is considered contemporary  art? Why?

Contemporary Art means "art that has been and continues to be created during our lifetimes". Art that was created from the
1960's/1970's up until now is considered contemporary art. This type of art is known to be much more socially conscious than any
previous era has been.

·       What materials and techniques are commonly used within contemporary  art?

Contemporary artworks commonly use a variety of materials and techniques, including new technologies such as computers, three-
dimensional, live elements and performances, etc. Contemporary art also includes the beginnings of installation art and conceptual art,
the use of new materials, the impact of indigenous art, and the rethinking of the "found object".

·       Why do artists choose to use these materials and techniques?

It appears that contemporary artists consider the old methods of modernism as too conformist (a person who follows accepted
behaviour/established practices) or vague (of uncertain, indefinite, unclear character or meaning). Instead, the artists decide to make
their own works of art, using the above stated materials, according to their own style.

·       What are the key subject matters explored?

In contemporary art, many different subjects are explored, there is no specific subject matter that is explored. However, a significant
amount of contemporary artists often reflect and comment on modern-day society. The audience of the piece of work are challenged to
set aside questions such as, "Is the work good?" or "Is the work aesthetically pleasing?" and instead, the viewers consider whether the
art is "interesting" or "challenging". Contemporary artists may also acknowledge and find inspiration in art works from previous time
periods, both in subject matter and formal elements, for example an appropriated artwork. 

·       Provide numerous examples of artworks by different artists to support the arguments made for the above
questions. (Consider structural elements such as composition)

Traditional Art

·       What is considered contemporary art? Why?

Traditional art consisted of many art forms that were relevant to the past. Some of these art forms include paintings, sculptures,
printmaking, mosaics and drawings. Traditional art was prominently created using cultural perspectives and ideas, this means that
different cultures used different materials and processes to display their own cultural ideas. For example, "The Last Judgement" by
Michelangelo, expresses his view of religion and beliefs. And, Raphael's self portrait showed realism, a common traditional technique.

·       What materials and techniques were commonly used within traditional art?     

Materials commonly used within traditional art are paint pencils, charcoal, clay, plaster, brush, pottery wheel, palette knife and others.
Techniques included those that were traditional to art, such as traditional painting and drawing methods. Paintings were a very
prominent form of art and often paintings of architectural buildings such as churches and monasteries that showed religious belief and
respect were common.

·       Why did artists choose to use these materials and techniques?     

Artists choose to use these materials because traditional art was considered cultural and religious in the past and using these different
materials to give the art more meaning and texture about its form. They also used these materials to show the cultural and religious
perspective. Some cultural artworks from Japan use traditional material to show their cultural background as Japanese artist used
traditional woodblock print method to show their traditional style of art. 

·       What were the key subject matters involved?    

Key subject matter involved in traditional art was often religion- and culture-related. Many of the themes present now were
undiscovered, in art, as a means of expression during this time. This meant that art and artists created art that was very similar.

·       Provide numerous examples of artworks by different artists to support the arguments made for the above
questions. (Consider structural elements such as composition)

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) formulates and implements policies and plans that will conserve and
promote the nation's historical and cultural heritage.

PHILIPPINE CONTEMPORARY ARTS Philippine contemporary arts can be described into visual arts, literary arts and performing
arts. Visual art is an expression of artistic ideas through images, structures,

From the previous lessons, did you wonder what are the classifications of contemporary arts? Or
what are the various art forms known from different regions specifically from Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao? Those questions will be answered and explored in this module.
The Philippine Contemporary Art can be classified into seven major art forms. These are painting,
sculpture, architecture, film, literature, music and theater, and dance. Knowing these classifications will
guide us in identifying and exploring different contemporary art forms from the regions of the Philippines.
So, let’s start classifying and exploring the Philippine’s contemporary art forms!

PHILIPPINE CONTEMPORARY ARTS

Philippine contemporary arts can be described into visual arts, literary arts and performing arts. Visual
art is an expression of artistic ideas through images, structures, and tactile work. Some visual artworks
are integrated which means it combines several mediums to create new and unique artwork. Painting,
sculpture, architecture, and film are examples of visual 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. The first paintings here in the Philippines are commissioned works during Spanish colonization.
Here are some paintings from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Luzon Visayas Mindanao

The Sketch Magellan’s Cross Salaam (Peace) by

by Victorio Edades by Raul Agas Rameer Tawasil

https://www.flickr.com/photos/76723269@N07 Redraw by Mr. Mervin Meude

/8722614256/in/photolist-iDgnES-u6jAYuehMFjY/

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 Visayas Mindanao

 The Bonifacio Monument Sandugo (Blood Compact) By Six Ladies in Durian
By Napoleon Abueva By Kublai Millan
Guillermo Tolentino
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eazy360/4239418 https://www.flickr.com/photos/bridex/254
527/in/photolist-7sC8qT-5E2z6L-8vXHFK- 4317912/in/photolist-4SQi5d-c5RbQC
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pambans 7sC5tM-6cecQS-9VKn6t-5npRCn
ang_Bantayog_ni_Andres_Bonifacio_(Bonifacio_Natio
nal_Monument).jpg

Architecture
Architecture is the art and practice of designing and constructing buildings (Cambridge Advanced
Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus). In relation to that, Philippine architecture was characterized as simple,
rational, and functional. In the 20 th century, the young Filipino who studied in American colleges and
institutes introduced the neoclassic style in building structures. However, after World War II, real estate
development started to take place (Sandagan & Sayseng, 2016). To illustrate these architectural designs,
these are some examples from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Luzon Visayas Mindanao

Cultural Center of the Philippines Saint Andrew the Apostle Pearl Farm Beach Resort
Church
By Leandro Locsin By Francisco Manosa
By Leandro Locsin
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/66926550@N04/6098898267/in/photolist-ahWrYp-dvtkUz
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cannlvr/175903 0713/in/photolist -3FruxK-

69Uqu7

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. Moreover, the art form that is the result
of the film is called cinema (Faber & Walters, 2003). The film industry in the Philippines started in 1897.
In the contemporary period, martyr wife, superhero, action, melodramas, and comedies are some of the
usual subjects and themes in the Philippine films. Some films in the Philippines are presented below.

Luzon Visayas Mindanao

Himala Muro-Ami Mindanao

By Ishmael Bernal By Marilou Diaz-Abaya By Brillante Mendoza
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himala#/m https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muro - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Min edia/File:Himala_FilmPoster.jpeg Ami_(film)#/media/File:Muro-ami.jpg

danao_(film)#/media/File:Mindana o_2019_movie_poster.jpg

Apart from visual arts, there are Philippine contemporary art forms that can be described as literary
arts. Literary arts are an expression of ideas through writing. Literary arts can be categorized as poetry,
prose, and drama. In the Philippines, literary arts are greatly encountered in literature.
Literature
According to Lombardi (2020), 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.

• Luzon Visayas • Mindanao

A Blade of Fern by • Panhayhay hin Dead Stars by H.O.
• Edith Ocampo Bungtohanon by • Santos
I Saw the Fall of the Francisco Alvarado Indarapatra at
Philippines by Carlos • An Higugma by Sulayman by
P. Romulo Iluminado Lucente Bartolome Del Valle

Furthermore, there are also Philippine contemporary art forms that can be described as performance 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.

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. Filipino Music had already a rich and unique musical
tradition long before westerners set foot on our native land. Music was present in every stage of our
ancestors’ lives — from birth to death, in blissful or tragic times. Below are some Music from the different
Regions of our country.

Luzon Visayas Mindanao

Pastores Pinalangga Buyayang

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. Some of the
Theater Play in the Philippines are the following.

Luzon Visayas

Tanikalang

Ginto

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nccaofficial/18253662218/in/p hotolist-CafXB-u3RAtb-tP1MQ7
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.
Luzon Visayas Mindanao

Banga Kuratsa
Singkil

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