SIGNIFICANT CONTEMPORARY

ARTS FROM THE REGION

 SCULPTURE
➢Is the most familiar art forms among Filipinos.
➢Philippine Sculptures have undergone changes in terms of shape, form,
content as well as the mediums used. First sculptures were primitive and
native materials used are stones and clays.
➢Ethnic Sculpture has been done using traditional media of wood and
stone, by carving, molding using clays, and casting when using metals.
 Looking at Art:
The Higantes of Angono, Rizal

➢ Higantes started during the Spanish colonial times.

➢ It was borrowed to kampong of binangonan when angono was once a hacienda and
ruled by Spanish hacienderos The Guido.
➢ This higantes was influenced by the Mexican art form of paper-mache brought by the
Spanish priests to the Philippines.
➢ The body of the traditional higantes are made of bamboo and colorful cloth and its faces
of paper mache.
 Looking at Art:
The Sculpture of Paete, Laguna

➢ The name of Paete is derived from tagalog word paet, which means chisel.
➢ In 1887, Jose Rizal described Paete as a town where “carpenter shops” were issuing
images “even those more rudely carved” (chapter VI, Noli Me Tangere).
➢ The master artisan Mariano Madrinan, whose Obra Maestra, the lifelike Mater
Dolorosa, was honored by the King of Spain with the prestigious award in Amsterdam
in 1882.
➢ The town was proclaimed “the Carving Capital of the Philippines” on march 15,2005.
➢ Today the town thrives mainly on sale and export of woodcarvings and taka (paper
mache), tourism, poultry industry, farming and fishing.
 Looking at Art:
The Taka of Paete, Laguna

➢ Taka refers to paper mache using carved wooden sculpture used as mold.
➢ Taka was pioneered by Paete local, Maria Piday. Piday was also a maker of local
toys such as yoyo and the small acrobat hand puppet.
➢ In the 1970’s Tere Afuang, a knowledgeable practitioner of the craft, popularized
the craft.
➢ Common and traditional subjects of taka include the chicken, horse, carabao,
maiden which is made primarily for local use.
 Looking at Art:
The Giant Lantern Festival of Pampanga

➢ The Giant Lantern Festival is an annual festival held in December (Saturday before
Christmas Eve) in the city of San Fernando in the Philippines. The festival features a
competition of giant lanterns.
➢ Because of the popularity of the festival, the city has been nicknamed the “Christmas
Capital of the Philippines.”
➢ It was 1931 that electricity was introduce to the San Fernando lantern, thus sparking
the birth of the first Giant Lantern Festival.
➢ The first lantern festival was held to honor President Manuel L. Quezon.
 Looking at Art:
Saniculas Cookie Mold Carvings of Pampanga

➢ Saniculas cookies are arrowroot cookies that have the image of St. Nicholas
molded on it, hence the name Saniculas.
➢ Legend has it that if you consume these cookies when one is ill, you get healed and
recover in a shorter amount of time than it would usually take.
 Looking at Art:
Singkaban or Bamboo Art of Bulacan
➢ Singkaban is the art of shaving bamboo into artful creations that can be used as
decor for arches or for home.
➢ Singkabans are artfully-made entrance arches used during fiestas and other important
events in bulcan.
➢ The art is most prevalent in the old towns of Hangonoy and malolos.
 Looking at Art:
The Bul-ul of Ifugao
➢ A Bul-ul is carved wooden figure used to guard the rice crop by the Igorot of
northern Luzon.
➢ Bul-uls are used in ceremonies associated with rice production and with healing.
➢ Bul-ul is important to Ifugaos because they belief that they can have abundant
harvest when this is placed near rice granaries.
➢ Commonly represented as seated on the ground, with arm crossed over his
upraised knees.
➢ Bul-ul has a simplified form, and is traditionally carved from narra or ipil wood or
sometimes stone.
 Looking at Art:
Okir Design of Maranao

➢ Okir is the term for geometric and flowing designs which are often based on an
elaborate leaf and vine pattern and folk motifs that can be usually found in Maranao
and Muslim-influenced artwork, especially in the southern Philippines, and in some
parts of Southeast Asia.
➢ An ancient proof of okir’s style of flowering symbols is the torogan, the ancestral
home of the highest titleholder in a Maranao village. It is a symbol of power and
prestige usually adorned during festivities.
 Looking at Art:
The Sarimanok of Maranao

➢ The Sarimanok is a legendary bird of the Maranao people who originate from
Mindanao.
➢ It comes from the words “sari” and “manok.” “Sari” means cloth or garment, which
is generally of assorted colors. “Manok” means chicken.
➢ It has become a ubiquitous symbol of Maranao art.
➢ The sarimanok has become a symbol of prosperity, good luck, and to a degree a
cultural icon among the people of the Philippines but especially of the proud
Meranao and is a testament to their strong cultural identity.
 Looking at Art:
The Torogan of Maranao

➢ The Torogan or Bahay Lakan is a type of house indigenous to Maranao communities

which is a symbol of high social status. Such a residence was once a home to a Sultan
or Datu in the Maranao community. There are still torogan’s which are a hundred
years old.
➢ The best known are torogans in dayawan, Marawi City and some others located
around Lake Lanao.
➢ The last remaining habitable torogan, was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by
the National Museum of the Philippines in 2008.
 Looking at Art:
The Hagabi of Ifugao

➢ The Hagabi of the Ifugao is a long wooden bench placed under the eaves that
surrounds the house.
➢ It signifies an individual or family’s wealth and prestige belonging to the rank of
Cadangyan (wealthy) who can afford to perform the “hagabi feast.”
➢ Today, the hagabi feast is conducted by the ifugao’s for the purpose of building a
modern house instead of making a wooden couch
➢ Though much of the tradition behind the hagabi was lost but the General Feasting
still remains.
 Looking at Art:
Pabalat or Borlas de Pastillas of Bulacan

➢ The Pastillas in Bulacan are wrapped with decorative wrappers known as

Pabalat or Borlas De Pastillas.
➢ The Pabalat or Borlas are made of Japanese papers, which are cut with
intricate designs.
➢ Fiestas are not complete without this elaborate paper cut pastillas wrappers
often used as decorations, table centerpieces, as well as souvenirs.
 Looking at Art:
The Puni or Palm leaf folding of Bulacan

➢ Puni refers to the art of a coconut leaf weaving. Puni is a tagalog term from the
province of Bulacan which means to beautify or decorate with the use of
Coconut leaf .
➢ It was originally intended to create artful toy for kids however, puni can also be
used to create woven baskets, bags and even fans. The most common
permutation of puni arts is the Palaspas we see every Holy Week.
WEAVING

➢ Weaving in the Philippines has different forms, functions and materials, they also
vary in design and techniques used.
➢ Most of the common forms of weaving in the Philippines are in the forms of hats,
mats, baskets, bags and textiles.
 Looking at Art:
The Malong of Maranao

➢ The Malong is a traditional “tube skirt” made of handwoven or machine made

multi-colored cotton cloth, bearing a variety of geometric or okir designs.
➢ Hand woven malongs are made by Maranao, Maguindanao and T’boli weavers
on a backstrap loom.
➢ The Malong can function as a skirt for men and women, a turban, a dress, a
blanket, a sunshade, a bedsheet, a “dressing room”, a hammock, a prayer mat on
other purposes
 Looking at Art:
Tribal Costumes of B’laan, Kalinga, T’boli and Bagobo

B’LAAN

➢ Are one of the indigenous people of Southern Mindanao in the Phillipines, they are
famous for their brassworks, beadwork and t’nalak weave.

KALINGA

➢ The Kalinga are called the “peacocks of the north” because of their attention to
appearance and dressing. Kalinga means enemy, a name that the bordering
inhabitants called this because of their head hunting attacks.
 T’BOLI
➢ The T’boli distinguish themselves from other tribal groups by their colorful
looks, bracelet and earings. This tribe is famous for their complicated beadwork,
wonderful woven fabrics and beautiful brass ornaments.

BAGOBO

➢ The Bagobo are proud people with proto-Malayan features. They have ornate traditions
in weaponry and other metal arts. They are noted for their skill in producing brass
articles through the ancient lost-wax process. These people also weave abacca cloths of
earth tones and make baskets that are trimmed with bead, fibers and horse hairs.
 Looking at Art:
Pagbuburda of Laguna and Batangas

➢ Pagbuburda or Philippine embroidery is an art used an art in decorating textiles

which was brought to the Philippine by the Spaniards.
➢ Needle work was considered as an important accomplishment for women and was
part of the curriculum in girls schools throughout Spanish times.
➢ Different methods of embroidery or decorative sewing arts were subsequently
developed by the Filipinos.