CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS: REVIEWER

I. HUMANITIES IN GENERAL
What makes a Human Person?
A human person, speaking from diverse perspectives, is a complex individual. Different voices and viewpoints
tell us what a human person is and can be, but they can never perfectly define a human person, but can only
describe it.
Philosophically, a human person can be described as an individual substance of a rational nature, which
literally means that being rational (or using ones mind) makes us different from other species of animals.
Hence, education is important because it sharpens and trains the human mind to achieve its maximum
potential. It trains the person to accommodate the wide ocean of information and live according to it.
Yet studies are not the end-all of human existence. Man is not only limited to being rational, but they are also
persons with a spirit that spurs them to creativity and innovation, which further defines their individuality and
also their solidarity with the human race. Man is also a creative and innovative person: out of it were born the
forms of creative expression and output which enriched individual human lives and institutions from past to
present. The learning, understanding, creation or performance of creative human skills are under the umbrella
of Humanities.
Humanities: Definition and Scope
The word Humanities comes from the Latin term humanus which literally means a human being. It also
describes the different branches of study that deal with the formation and development of a cultured and
refined human person.
Humanities deals with the branches of knowledge that examine the most human in man; with faculties that
distinguish man from other creatures such as thought, language, the capacity for artistic creation, freedom, and
personal history. A society that neglects the humanities loses its direction and fails to discover meaning in the
world.
Humanities: Its Various Disciplines
At present, here is a list of subjects often covered in a humanities course:
I. THE ARTS 4. Literary Arts a. Poetry b. Prose
1. Visual Arts: a. Painting b. Sculpture c.
Architecture II. PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION
2. Auditory Arts: a. Music 1. Mental Philosophy (in general) and Logic
3. Performing Arts: a. Theater/Drama b. Dance 2. Philosophy of Man and Society
c. Film 3. Philosophy of God/Religion (World Religions)

Importance and Relevance of Humanities

1. Human Life
Humanities provides us . . . a way of thinking about and responding to the world tools we use to examine
and make sense of the human experience in general and our individual experiences in particular. The
humanities enable us to reflect upon our lives and ask fundamental questions of value, purpose, and meaning
in a rigorous and systematic way.
By studying what other men and women have believed, created and understood, we can also become better
human beings. We learn more about ourselves, about other people and the world around us.
2. Human Society
Poetry, painting, philosophy and music are not, generally speaking, products of unstructured leisure or
indulgent individuality, rather, they are tangible expressions of the human quest for the good life. Throughout
history, these forms of expression have served the domains of the sacred, the ceremonial and the communal.
And even in the early days of the 21st century, as many time- honored belief systems and practices come under
assault, the arts retain their power to awaken our imagination in the quest for survival, commonality and self-
knowledge.

II. ARTS IN GENERAL

WHAT IS ART?
- Art is subjective in nature, since like all other branches of Humanities, it is not under any scope of
measurement except for the expertise or the capacity of the human person for appreciation.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
- Art has no strict definition, since by trying to define it, one only grasps one or more aspects of art, but
never the whole.
Preliminaries: How can we describe Art?
Normally, most of descriptions of art have the following elements:
1. The artist (with all his expressions, thoughts and creativity)
2. The medium and the methods used in expressing the artists intentions.
3. The audience who appreciates the artists work
ART IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES:
EARLY GREEK CONCEPTION OF ART The Romantics are a school of scholars,
philosophers and artists who emphasized
Early Greek philosophers considered art as
EMOTIONS, FEELINGS and PASSIONS over
MIMESIS or imitation. Art is simply a
REASON, THOUGHT and KNOWLEDGE. For
representation or a copy of the reality that is
them, art does not only represent reality, but also
captured by the senses of the artist.
EXPRESSES the inner emotions, creative spirit
a. Plato and passions of the artist.

Plato, an IDEALIST philosopher, said that art is an
imitation of an imitation. In his work, Republic, he
uses the example of a bed. The painting of a bed
is a copy of an actual bed, which is but a
representation of the ideal form of the bed By
doing so, he further separates art from (his
supposed conception of) reality, thus making it very
inferior or poor.
b. Aristotle
The father of REALISM, Aristotle said that art is still
an imitation, but for him it comes from the real or
actual world (there is NO ideal world for Aristotle).
Art, for him, is a MIRROR OF REALITY around or
within us.
THE ROMANTICS
For the Romantics, art is primarily an expression of
the feelings of the artist, an expression of a deeper
reality.The best way to interpret art is to understand
the original intention of the artist: (remember our
last lesson on CONTEXT?)
1. Leo Tolstoy- art is the contagion (infection,
pagpanakod) of feeling or intentions of the artist
towards his intended audience.
One asks: What do I feel when I
look/see/hear/touch this thing?
2. Benedetto Croce- art Is the expression of
emotion. Emotions, for him, is a primal form of
knowledge. When expressed and evoked in art, the
emotional aspects often take on its full strength
For example, does any of you remember being
touched by a simple video, or crying over a very
sentimental movie?
3. R.G Collingwood- The original intention is the
ART, not the produced ART FORM. What truly is art
is how the person thinks before he creates.
For example, we can have people who are so vivid
in their thinking, but cannot express themselves
using classic methods of art: they can PAINT a
story in their head, but can never EXPRESS one.
THE EXPRESSIONISTS AND CUBISTS
1. Vincent Van Gogh- Instead of trying to
reproduce exactly what I see before my
eyes, I use color to express myself more
forcibly
2. Henri Matisse- What I am after above all is
expression.
THE FREUDIANS AND THE MARXISTS
1. The Psychoanalytic Movement (Sigmund
Freud): Art unearths hidden drives,
intentions, desires, etc.
2. The Marxist Movement: Art is based on
economic realities and socio-economic
inequalities.
Other movements: feminism, sexism, racism,
speciesism, etc.
THE FORMALISTS
1. Impressionists (Monet, Renoir, etc.)
Art is based on immediate visual impressions
which is rendered impersonally.
2. Formalists (Kant, Levi- Strauss, Derrida)
Amputate the art from the artist- only the formal
elements compose the art, not the intent nor the
message.

II. PHILIPPINE ART HISTORY

A. PRE-COLONIAL PHILIPPINE ART
It is believed that the first inhabitants of the Philippines arrived over many thousands of years ago. It is
commonly thought that they migrated over a land bridge, which existed at that time, from the Asian mainland.
The next known inhabitation is when the Negrito or Aeta arrived in the islands. However, they were driven back
by several waves of immigrants from Indonesia, only to be followed by the maritime peoples of the Malayan
islands.
Philippine Indigenous Arts
Sculpture /Carving Weaving
Pottery Physical ornaments
Sculpture (some examples)
Bul-ul are carved Anito figures of the Ifugaos: these represent their ancestral spirit and granary gods. They are
considered as guardians of the house and of the harvest
Sarimanok- The sarimanok is a fictional, legendary bird believed by the Maranao people to be a cock with
bright, multicolored feathers and is said to give good luck. Images of the sarimanok are common in households
all over the Philippines, most specially in Mindanao, where it is depicted in flight or standing atop a fence.
Ang Hagabi ay isang upuang kahoy ng mga Ifugao na sumisimbolo sa panlipunang katayuan ng isang
mamamayan. Ito ay nagpapakita ng yaman at kapangyarihan ng may-ari nito na kadalasan ay isang
Kadanagyan o isang taong nabibilang sa mataas na antas sa lipunan. Ito ay sa kadahilanang tanging ang mga
mayayaman lamang ang may kakayahang mag pagawa nito kasama na ang ritwal na ipinagdiriwang sa oras
na matapos ang pagbubuo nito.
The Torogan is the ancestral home of the Maranao Sultan or Datu. One of the richest survivors of Philippine
pre-Spanish art is Maranao decorative art, described by critics as graceful and rhythmical.The floorbeams of
the houses project beyond the walls, and the ends or panolong, such as the decorative figure, are carved and
multicolored.
Pottery (some examples)
Pottery in the Philippines varies in forms and functions. The forms of the pots are directly influenced by the
functions of the pots and the tradition of the community/local area.
Palayok- is an earthenware jar still used until the present for cooking and food storage
Anthropomorphic Jars:
Manunggul Jar- The Manunggul Jar is a National Treasure of the Philippines. A burial jar, it is
designated item 64-MO-74 in the National Museum of the Philippines, Manila. The jar was found in
Chamber A of the Tabon Cave, one of the Manunggul caves in Palawan. The jar is dated from about
2800 years before the present. It was found by Robert Fox and Miguel Santiago.
Maitum Jar- is another form of burial jar discovered in Sarangani Province. A relative of the Manunggul
Jar, this instead portrays an entire human head.
Leta-leta cave archaeology
Leta-leta Cave, El Nido, Palawan was excavated in 1965 by Dr. Robert Fox. Leta-leta Cave is an
important burial site belonging to the Late Neolithic Period where an assemblage of stone and shell
artifacts associated with sophisticated pottery and nephrite adzes and axes were recovered. Other
materials include stone ornaments and shell beads.
Weaving (some examples)
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 form of hats, mats, bags,
baskets and textiles (clothes and blankets).
Malong- a woven tube skirt made out of woven cloth and filled with geometric designs. These have
two forms of designs, namely: the landap and the okir. Okir, a form of geometric design for the malong,
has two varieties: okir a datu for the men, and okir a bay for the women.
Physical Ornaments (no examples will be given as of this reviewer)
Philippine Tribal Costumes

The Blaan are one of the indigenous peoples of Southern Mindanao, known for their brasswork,
beadwork and the textile tinalak or tnalak. These people wear colorful embroidered native costumes
and beadwork accessories.
The Kalinga are called the peacocks of the north because of their attention to appearance and
dressing. Kalinga is a landlocked province of northern Cordillera, Philippines. Kalinga means enemy,
a name that the bordering inhabitants called this tribe because of their headhunting attacks. The name
stuck and became accepted by the natives themselves.
The T'boli distinguish themselves from other Tribal Groups by their colorful clothes, bracelets and
earrings, this tribe is famous for their complicated beadwork, wonderful woven fabrics and beautiful
brass ornaments.
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 beads, fibers and horse's hair.
How does Philippine folk (indigenous) art reflect nature and the life of the common folk?
 Philippine folk (indigenous) art reflects nature and the life of the common folk through various media
techniques and processes based on the factors of time, climate, resources, ideas and historical and
cultural context.
B. ART OF THE SPANISH COLONIAL ERA
We subdivide our discussion into the following topics:
1. Religious Art, Iconography and 3. Secular Architecture
Architecture
4. Music and Drama
2. Visual Arts
SPANISH RELIGIOUS ART AND ARCHITECTURE
Most surviving examples of Spanish art are often religious (and specifically Catholic) in nature. Statuary in
churches, murals and paintings, small devotional images enhance the devotional and religious life of the
faithful, and serve as their catechism (way of understanding the Christian faith) despite the fact of being
illiterate. Until now, these serve the faithful in these functions and is a moving testimony of both the skill of the
artist and the love of devotees.
Spanish religious art and architecture: TERMINOLOGY
SANTOS- carved wooden images of Christ, Mary CUADROS- (literally, images) painted sacred
or the Saints. images on panels of wood or canvas.
RELIEVES- a Spanish term for bas relief or two- ESTAMPAS- (literally, stamped images) painted or
dimensional images whose features are carved in block printed sacred images in pieces of paper. It
stone or wood. may also appear sometimes on food items (like the
famous Sanniculas cookies, on which an image of
RETABLOS- An assemblage of santos and rilieves,
St. Nicholas of Tolentino, patron of the sick and the
usually as the frontispiece (front piece) of a church
dying, is stamped into)
altar.
ORFEBRERIA- (metalwork) metalworks used to
MURALS- or simply, wall paintings. Walls are
ornament images, or as sacred vessels
coated with a primer (usually plaster-of-paris) and
painted over for stability.
SPANISH ARCHITECTURE
The Spaniards introduced to the Filipino people the 3. Stone-paved roads and bridges- blocks of stone
use of bricks, stone and mortar which strengthened were used as pavements for roads and for bridges
buildings and residences amidst the passing used for the accessibility of people and goods
elements. towards established cities.
They also introduced different stone structures They also introduced the following architectural
such as the following: styles in the Philippines, namely:
1. fortresses- these are fortified stone structures 1. Baroque- Is the use of grandiose architectural
which serve as seats of government or the armed features and effects to accentuate the space.
forces (ex. Fort Santiago)
2. Rococo- A later development of the Baroque era
2. bahay na bato- made of a mixture of stone, which featured intensified architectural figures and
plaster and wood which provided residents a safer shapes along with the usage of gold.
and stronger structure and cool air amidst hot
3. Gothic- Traced back to Medieval times, the
weather. (ex. The stone houses of Vigan and
Gothic architecture featured arches and buttresses
others)
which soar to heights. It is also characterized by
simple and unelaborated spaces.
4. Romanesque- A derivation of Roman fortified walls for the strength and durability of the
architecture which used heavy columns and structure.
SPANISH COLONIAL MUSIC, DRAMA AND DANCES
1. MUSIC
Among the things introduced by the Spanish colonizers in the field of music are the following.

RELIGIOUS MUSIC
1. Gregorian Chant- the liturgical music of the Church from the medieval era to the Second Vatican Council.
This music was used for the celebration of the Sacraments.
2. Devotional melodies and hymns- which served to instruct the people and make Church teachings more
understandable. Examples: Pasyon (a narrative of the Lords Passion), which consists of near-hypnotic tones
which make familiarization of the story easier.

SECULAR MUSIC (some examples)

- RONDALLA- a musical ensemble of stringed instruments which usually accompanies dances and formal
occasions.
- KUNDIMAN- from the Tagalog kung hindi man is a form of love song which was designed as a serenade
made by a man to his woman.
- HARANA- is a courting song for the Filipino expressing his romantic feelings for the woman (usually on her
home).
2. DRAMA: In the field of drama, the Spaniards brought several forms of drama, namely:

Religious Drama (some examples)

a. PANUNULUYAN- a ritual play commemorating the travel of Joseph and Mary to find a lodging place for
Mary to give birth to Jesus
b. SENAKULO- a play which portrays the Passion and Death of Jesus. Sometimes, real people were
crucified in the play.
c. SALUBONG- a play which commemorates the meeting of the Resurrected Christ and his Mother.
Other examples: Santacruzan, Pangaluluwa (for All Souls Day), Moriones

Secular Drama
a. Komedya- a stage play with various themes and genres, and is usually filled with spectacular or comic
effects, staged fighting, and the like to impart morals or to spread message to viewers.
b. Moro-Moro- a play which illustrates the battle of medieval soldiers with Muslim rebels.
c. Zarzuela- The sarswela is a play in prose (less often, poetry) with songs and dances, containing from
one to five acts, portraying Filipino types and situations within the framework of a love story, and
incorporating contemporary issues.
Other examples: Duplo (an ancestor of the balagtasan), Karagatan (a process of selecting a husband, where
the womans ring is thrown into the sea, and whoever gets it becomes her husband)
3. DANCES (among many others) 1. Carinosa 2. Pandanggo sa Ilaw 3. La Jota (with regional variants)
SECULAR VISUAL ARTS
Later on in the Spanish Era, there increased a new class of Filipino persons, of middle class, oftentimes born
mestizo (with a Spanish parent), which gradually became great art patrons. Artists painted according to their
tastes, and one of the genres they used was secular art. Aside from self-portraits or paintings of sceneries,
these ilustrados followed the Spanish trend of making letras y figuras or letters with figures of people and
things as dcor.
In 1821, Damian Domingo opened the first formal fine arts school in the country in his house, the Academia de
Dibujo (Academy of Art). Other ilustrados had the privilege of travelling to Spain to study fine arts. Two famous
artists who studied arts in Spain were Juan Luna and Felix Hidalgo.
Famous works: Felix Hidalgo, Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho (The Christian Virgins
Exposed to the (Roman) Public). Juan Luna, Spoliarium, 1884
C. ART OF THE AMERICAN PERIOD
The Americans brought in Education and Values Formation, with both following the American way of life
(Alice Guillermo, Sining Biswal, 1994, p. 4). Art Illustration, Advertising and Commercial Design gained
popularity and incorporated in Fine Arts. Painting themes still largely favored Genre Paintings, Landscapes and
Still Life; Portraits are reserved for high ranking officials with a more academic approach to make the subject
more formal.
STYLES OF AMERICAN ART (whether for architecture, visual arts, etc.)
1. Neoclassicism- Neoclassical architecture, revival of Classical architecture during the 18th and early 19th
centuries. It is a response to the excesses of the Baroque and Rococo periods: simplicity was preferred over
lavish decoration. (example: the City Hall of Davao.
2. Art Deco also called style moderne, movement in the decorative arts and architecture that originated in the
1920s and developed into a major style in western Europe and the United States during the 1930s. It
characterized by simple, clean shapes, often with a streamlined look; ornament that is geometric or stylized
from representational forms; and unusually varied, often expensive materials. (example: the Metropolitan
Theater of Manila).
3. Art Nouveau- a style of decorative art, architecture, and design prominent in western Europe and the US
from about 1890 until World War I and characterized by intricate linear designs and flowing curves based on
natural forms. (example: Uy- Chaco Building)
FILIPINO ARTISTS DURING THE AMERICAN PERIOD:
With the coming of the Americans also was the birth of the greatest Filipino painters and artists who readily
adapted the trending art forms of the world and suited them to Filipino taste.
1. Fabian dela Rosa- the brightest name in Philippine painting after Luna and certainly the leading Master of
Genre in the first quarter of the century.
2. Fernando Amorsolo- a portraitist and painter of rural landscapes. He is best known for his craftsmanship and
mastery in the use of light. His art styles: Impressionism, Luminism, Realism with subjects inspired by
Philippine genre and historical, nudes and society portraits.
3. Guillermo Tolentino- He is considered as the "Father of Philippine Arts" because of his great works like the
famous "Bonifacio Monument" symbolizing Filipinos cry for freedom and "The Oblation" in UP signifying
academic freedom .
4. The Triumvirate of Philippine Art- composed of Victorio Edades, Carlos Botong Francisco and Galo B.
Ocampo.
5. The Thirteen Filipino Moderns- Victorio Edades, Carlos Francisco, Galo B. Ocampo, Hernando R. Ocampo,
Cesar Legaspi, Diosdado Lorenzo, Vicente Manansala, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Demetrio Diego, Ricarte
Purugunan. Bonifacio Cristobal, Arsenio Capili, Jose Prado.