Art of the 21st century emerges from a vast variety of

materials and means. These include the latest electronic

technologies, such as digital imaging and the internet;
familiar genres with a long history that continue to be
practice with great vigor, such painting; and materials and
processes once associated primarily with handicrafts, re-
envisioned to express new concepts. Many artists
regularly and freely mix media and forms, making the
choices that best serve their concepts and purposes.
(Robertson, n.d.)
Contemporary art forms have been classified as: painting, architecture, sculpture, literature, music,
performing and film. It is not restricted to individual experience but it is reflective of the world we live in. It
is artwork that is created by today’s contemporary artists. It has a world view and is sensitive to changing
times
General characteristics of contemporary art: Philippine Contemporary Art is generally process-based
and integrate various mediums and art forms
Elements and principles of contemporary art: pattern, repetition, rhythm, balance, contrast, emphasis,
movement, and unity /harmony.

Contemporary Art is art made and produced by artists living today (J.Paul Getty Museum)
It is not restricted to individual experience but it is reflective of the world we live in. It is artwork that is
created by today’s contemporary artists and has a world view, and is sensitive to changing times
Modern Art is referred to as “Traditional” compared to Contemporary Art. Contemporary Art is the art
of the present, which is continuously in process and in flux
Philippine Contemporary Art was an offshoot of social realism brought about by Martial Law; arts
became an expression of people’s aspiration for a just, free, and sovereign society

Architecture - the art and science of designing buildings and (some) nonbuilding structures. It is also the
style of design and method of construction of buildings and other physical structures.

Film - a motion picture made primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit, often of an
experimental nature or having an unconventional or highly symbolic content, aimed
typically at a limited audience.

Literature - refers to writing; considered to be an art form or any single writing deemed to have artistic or
intellectual value, and sometimes deploys language in ways that differ from ordinary
usage.

Music - art concerned with combining vocal or instrumental sounds for beauty of form or emotional
expression, usually according to cultural standards of rhythm, melody, and, in most
Western music, harmony.
Painting - is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called
the "matrix" or "support"). In art, the term painting describes both
the act and the result of the action (the final work is called "a painting")

Performing Arts - Performing arts refers to forms of art in which artists use their voices, bodies or
inanimate objects to convey artistic expression. It is different from visual arts, which is
when artists use paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects.
Sculpture - an artistic form in which hard or plastic materials are worked into three dimensional art
objects. The designs may be embodied in freestanding objects, in reliefs on surfaces, or in
environments ranging from tableaux to contexts that envelop the spectator.

Module 3
With the advent of technology, art in the Philippines is no longer confined in galleries where only the rich and
privileged have access to. Nowadays, you can now look and admire some of the best contemporary arts in the
Philippines by simply opening your mobile phones, iPads, or laptops, making Philippine arts and culture more
accessible now than ever. Moving beyond traditional and standard museum fanfare, Philippine art now moves in a
way where common folks can digest what lies beyond the mixes of colors, decipher messages under the guise of
emotion-filled tunes and melodies, and capture the beauty which words alone cannot purely describe.

To familiarize yourself with the modern art scene in the country, we will study about Filipino contemporary artists
and their works.

Nona Garcia is perhaps one of the bestknown artists in the Philippine art scene at the moment. Born in 1978 in
Manila, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from the University of the Philippines. Based primarily in
Baguio, her work has been exhibited in countless galleries both local and abroad.. Nona Garcia is known for
employing the use of stark realism to bring into question what the true meaning of representation is. Her use of
photorealism centers everyday objects, cultural artifacts, or people, inviting the viewers to explore the
environmental, sociopolitical, and personal histories of her subjects. Although famous for her paintings, she also
employs the use of paper cutouts, x-rays, and lightboxes in her works.

Andres Barrioquinto’s multi-awarded work is both striking and unforgettable, and his iconic and surreal painting
style has made him successful in the local and international art scenes. A graduate of the University of Santo
Tomas fine Arts program, Barrioquinto has been fondly called the Dark Man of Philippine Art due to his use of the
macabre in many of his works. He has participated in shows both in the country and abroad, including Singapore
and Taipei. In addition to this, he also had a recent major showcase of portraits at the National Museum in
November.

Leeroy New When it comes to the history of Philippine arts and culture, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more
distinctive style across a variety of mediums than Leeroy New’s. A native of General Santos City, New graduated
from the Philippine High School for the Arts and the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts. His work has
garnered him a number of accolades and awards, including the 2005 Metrobank Art Awards, the 2009 Ateneo Art
Awards, a nomination for the 2011 Signature Art Prize in Singapore, the 2012 CCP 13 Artists Award, and the 2014
Metrobank Foundation Award. eeroy New has employed a variety of mediums for his artwork, including
production design, public art, product design, and wearable art. However, he’s perhaps best known for his iconic
sculptures, which blend together a variety of shapes, colors, and forms to challenge the viewer. New’s lifelong
fascination with monsters has led him to create pieces that are out of this world, making him one of

the most prominent names in the Philippine sculpture and visual arts scenes. His work has also been featured in
television shows such as Bagani (2018).
Nikki Luna .One of the most prominent female artists in Philippine arts circles today, Nikki Luna’s work brings
together advocacy and art. Luna is a graduate of the University of the Philippines’ Fine Arts program, focusing on
visual art. Luna’s work is notable for highlighting issues of women, including the issues of rape, sexual harassment,
domestic workers, and migrant workers. She authored the book I Love My Body (2018), highlighting body positivity
and awareness.

Rodel Tapaya is one of the top names in Philippine painting and visual art, and his work has garnered him critical
acclaim both in the country and abroad. Born in 1980 in Montalban, Rizal, Tapaya first broke out into the scene
when he won the Nokia Art Awards in 2001. This enabled him to take drawing and painting courses in prestigious
institutions such as the Parsons School of Design in New York, USA, and the University of Helsinki in Finland.
Additionally, Tapaya won the 2011 Signature Art Prize, was named one of CCP’s 13 Artists of 2012, and has been
shortlisted several times for the Ateneo Art Awards, among others.

Tapaya’s first solo show outside the country was in 2008 and was entitled Rodel Tapaya: Folkgotten. This marked a
shift in subject matter and medium, and Tapaya began to explore the themes of Philippine mythology and folktales
for which he’s known today.

Ernest Concepcion is well known for his highly complex and experimental paintings, which play with texture and
color to create images that arrest the viewer’s eyes. Born in 1977, he graduated from the University of the
Philippines with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. He has participated in a number of art residences in New York, where he
stayed for several years. Concepcion has exhibited in galleries both in the Philippines and in the United States,
including solo exhibitions and group shows. He has also received the CCP’s 13 Artists of 2015 award, among others.

Concepcion is notable for his use of color and texture in his artworks. His paintings are abstracted reflections on
Philippine history, social issues, and the human experience. By experimenting with composition, form, color, and
textures, Concepcion’s works challenge the viewers’ preconceptions of what is or isn’t possible in art.

Annie Cabigting is one of this generation of artists’ technical masters, and her work is well-known both for its
adherence to real life form, and for its ability to challenge the viewer. She graduated from the University of the
Philippines with a Major in Painting in 1994,

Dex Fernandez is a rising name among young artists in the Philippines, and it’s immediately evident why. Perhaps
best known for his cartoonish, manylegged subject “Garapata,” Fernandez’s work is playful and street-smart,
bringing a modern sensibility to many of Manila’s galleries.

Oscar Villamiel is a familiar figure in the Philippine art world, and his visceral, multimedia installations are both
instantly recognizable and unforgettable. Villamiel’s work is well-known for its use of salvaging, with the artist
using found materials or old, recycled parts to create entirely new works. His 2014 installation art about the
Philippines, Mga Damong Ligaw, employed the use of over 10,000 excised carabao horns that flowed from the
gallery walls onto the floor. Instead of focusing on prized objects, his art brings to the foreground discarded junk
and cast-off, mundane items. By doing this, he highlights the stark beauty that can often be found in these
discarded pieces.

Geraldine Javier is a Philippine visual artist whose work foregrounds the tension between dynamic contrasts.

Javier has cited Roberto Chabet as one of her top influences, and she herself takes a similar cerebral approach to
her artwork. Her work emphasizes complexity, both of subject matter and form. In addition to iconography from
her Roman Catholic upbringing, she also touches on the concepts of death, emotional violence, relationships, and
social tensions. Rather than touching on the social realism and political commentary of her predecessors, Javier
instead paints subjects that are highly personal and specific. Thus, she invites the viewers of her artwork to look at
the internal rather the external, making her a favorite of galleries and collectors alike.