Integrative Art as Applied to Contemporary Art

Learning the country’s art and its artist will broaden your understanding of who you are
and where you belong. Contemporary art encompasses many different art forms, from
traditional media such as paintings and drawings to a more developed approaches that use
digital media to create works that incorporate both sound and image.

Contemporary art is a product of refined traditional art which evolves from

generation to generation. It is defined as the art of the “now”. In this module, we will
discuss different contemporary art forms and practices found from the various regions in
the Philippines.

7 Major Forms of art: Painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, music, film, theater

- Emotional expression
- Tolstoy - to be created by humans
- Art 3 Process (Feeling - Recalling - Expression)
- A simple piece of object become something greater

What is art?
● Art is one of the earliest and most basic form of communication. It is seen in the
prehistoric visual artworks like the cave drawings and other artifacts. \
▪ Art is a tool for communication. It is a venue for a person to convey or express a
thought, emotions, or aspirations whether through a painting or a performance.
▪ Art offers us the chance to learn and understand artists and the regions where they
belong through their works.
▪ Art is a tangible output of creative expression.
▪ Art is produced by human creativity and skill to express oneself.
▪ Art comes in many forms or disciplines such as music, dance, theater, visual arts,
literature, film and broadcast arts, architecture, and design.

Why study art?

• Studying art teaches us to distinguish and understand the individual differences we
all have that in part make us unique. It makes us more sensitive to others.
• Studying and creating art helps develop our decision and problem- solving skills.It
helps us to realize that there is more than one correct solution to a problem.
• It nurtures imagination, promotes originality and innovativeness which are valued in
almost all businesses today.

Why do artists create art?

● Recognition - Some artists create art in hopes of gaining fame and fortune.
Some artists use art as their means of livelihood, as seen with many visual
artists, musicians, and movie stars. Although it would be unfair to generalize,
many contemporary TV and film stars are motivated to join the entertainment
business due to the potential of huge earnings. Some artists due to their
reputation and talent, have earned financial success. Their source of income
depends on who patronizes their art.
- Dolly De Leon (Golden Globes Awards - “Triangle of Sadness”)
● Worship - Some artists create art to glorify their creator. This is evident in many
religious structures in the ancient world, like the pyramids, Hindu temples, and
the temples of the Greeks and Romans. Songs were also created for worship.
● Impulse - Some artists create art because they are driven by impulse. It is their
passion, and nothing makes them happier than doing their chosen art. These
artists consider art as life and spend time doing nothing but such.
- “Art is my life and life is art” - Yoko Ono (The ceiling painting)
● Self- expression - They express ideas and emotions that might not be
adequately expressed through words. Each artwork reflects each artist’s
personality and experiences, making an artwork unique.

We will be concentrating on the various contemporary visual and performing arts.

Visual art is a term used to describe a wide array of artistic disciplines that are
appreciated primarily through sight. Visual arts include different art forms and disciplines
such as: fine arts and decorative arts.

Fine arts are artworks we readily associate with art. The term “fine arts” was first
used to describe the art forms created primarily for its appearance rather than its
practical use. Now, this term was used to include artworks that came about from
emerging technology and artistic innovation. Examples of Fine arts are:

➢ Drawing ➢ Graphic art

➢ Painting ➢ Architecture
➢ Sculpture - Wall painting
➢ Print

Decorative arts, also known as decorative crafts, are artworks that are both
aesthetically pleasing and functional. Unlike fine arts, decorative arts were not
only beautiful but are useful as well. Many artists consider the decorative arts as
a lower version of art; makers of these artworks were not considered as artist but
rather as craftsmen. Examples of decorative arts are:

➢ Textile art ➢ Earthenware

➢ Glassware ➢ Metal craft
➢ Jewelry ➢ Interior design
➢ Furniture

When artists use their voices and/or their body movements to communicate artistic
expression, that is performing arts. Performing arts are often categorized into three
types: music, dance, and theater.
Music is a universal form of art. It is defined as the manipulation of sound and
silence. It is performed by utilizing different instruments, vocal techniques, and
style. It can be performed live or recorded. It is considered as the least tangible
of all arts.
Dance is defined as regulated and deliberated order of body movements. These
movements have aesthetic value and are often performed accompanied with
music. Dance comes in many forms and styles, some of them are ballet, break
dance, hip- hop, and folk dance.
Theater or play is a branch of performing arts that often involves the integration
and combination of the visual and performing arts. The performers make use of
gestures, music, song, dance, and visual arts to help communicate the story in
front of an audience. Examples of theater arts are the following: mime, puppetry,
tragedy, and opera.

Contemporary art forms refer to artworks that are results of new techniques,
technology, and mediums. Most contemporary visual artists in the Philippines
produced works that fall into the fine arts category. Majority of the contemporary arts
produced in the Philippines are paintings, drawings, and sculpture.

Paintings may be defined as a two- dimensional form of art that showcase

artistic expression created on a flat surface. Images were made by applying pigment
on a prepared surface using one or combination of the following tools like brush,
palette knife, spray, and finger.
The common thematic categories in paintings are the following:

● Religious themes were the primary subject for the artworks during Spanish
colonial times. At present, many religious themed paintings can be seen in the
murals of many churches.
● Historical themes can be seen in the works of Carlos “Botong” Francisco whose
masterpiece depicts Manila’s historical events.
● Portraiture paintings were used to commemorate personalities and were seen
in many formal institutions such as government offices. It has been a symbolism
of one’s rise to power and wealth.
● Still life is a work of art that portrays inanimate objects. It was traditionally
composed of a basket or bowl of fruits and flowers in vases on a table. o
 Landscapes depict the beauty of the outdoors. It can be that of the natural
environment such as the countryside and other rural scenery.
● Nude, as a subject of painting in the Philippines, was rare before the 20th century
but since then it has been accepted and became popular subject in
contemporary visual arts.
● Genres are paintings whose themes showcase people doing everyday activities
and chores. Miniature genre paintings were very popular as souvenirs to tourist
during the 19th century.

Most contemporary artists do not limit themselves to a particular theme. They

will experiment and venture to other subjects to express themselves better. Some
contemporary artists would also try out other visual media like sculpture. Sculptures
are artworks that are three- dimensional. They are made by either adding or
subtracting materials. Subtraction is used in carving, while addition is seen in
sculpting techniques like molding, casting, and welding. Wood carving is used to
create and decorate items like furniture, utensils, shelter, and transportation. This art
form has existed throughout the history of the Philippines and still alive in many
cultural hubs in the country.

Contemporary Performing Arts

Filipinos are bursting with talents. We are considered as a source of world
class performers whether in music, dance, or theater. There will always be Filipinos
that attest to our country’s artistic giftedness.
Filipinos love to sing. No celebration is complete without a karaoke or videoke
machine. Contemporary music in the Philippines is a product of our indigenous
traditions and colonial influences. Filipino music, though still influenced by foreign
music, eventually developed a more “Filipinized” flavor by using vernacular in lyrics
and creation of wholly original compositions. Examples of musical forms that are still
seen in the present are the following:
● Kundiman is an art song that signifies love and affection for someone and
performed as a solo vocal composition combined with an instrumental
accompaniment to achieve musical harmony. The traditional kundiman is rarely
heard at present except for the occasional radio play in AM radio. The kundiman
is often mistaken for harana, which is another Spanish- influenced musical form.
Harana is a traditional courtship ritual in the Philippines wherein a suitor
serenades his object of affection. Harana is almost always performed by a man
while the kundiman can be performed by both genders.
● A ballad is traditionally a song that narrates an event in a community. There are
many traditional ballads all over the country and the style varies from region to
region and from one ethnic tribe to another. At present, the term ballad has been
applied to describe love songs. A balladeer is an artist whose set of songs are
primarily romantic songs.
● Chamber music is a form of instrumental music composed by a small ensemble
wherein each part is played by one, as opposed to an orchestra where a part is
performed by group of musicians.
● Choral music is a musical composition intended to be performed by a group of
singers called a choir. The choir is arranged according to voice categories and
the early choirs in the Philippines performed in churches, singing religious hymns
during the mass. This is still practiced today with many churches and religious
groups having their own choir composed of talented volunteers. Perhaps the
most well- known school choir is the choral group of the University of the
Philippines, the Philippine Madrigal Singers or “Madz”.
● Liturgical music are songs intended for Christian church services. Many
musicians have adapted liturgical music to reflect contemporary musical styles
and forms. Some of these artists are Ryan Cayabyab and Gary Valenciano.
● Opera is a combination of both music and theater. It is a sung drama that entails
collaborative efforts of singers, dancers, composers, and choreographers. The
 opera was introduced in the Philippines in the middle of the 1800s.
● Popular music or pop music is used to describe music that is readily available
to the broad populace. It is an umbrella term that encompasses a multitude of
different genres of music such as RnB, rap, rock and hip hop. Many of the popular
music played in the Philippines are Western imports that become a strong
influence in many contemporary singers and artists. Filipino musicians create
their very own version of pop music by combining the Western style with Filipino
taste. Pinoy pop or Filipino pop music came about when Filipino musicians
wanted to create music that they can call their own. These composers and
musicians focused on the youth for support and gave birth to early Pinoy rock.
Rap is a music genre that became popular in the late 1980s in the Philippines. It
originated from the African- Americans and is distinctive of its fast and rhythmic
narration accompanied by electronic music. Pinoy pop music continues to
struggle against foreign songs for airplay, whether it is from the West or from
other Asian countries like Korea and Japan. Filipino musicians have not given up;
they continue to write music, adapting to the ever- changing taste of the public.
● Protest songs are songs that bring to light injustices and inequality in society.
These seek to inspire nationalism and heroism from their listeners. Bayan Ko is
one of the most popular and recognizable example of a protest songs. Although it
was made almost a century ago, this song is still used in many protest
movements because of the strong emotional effect it has on its audience.
Dancing, like music, is very popular in the Philippines. It is a way to bond and share our
talents with the rest of the community. This can be seen on how we can easily join in
the latest dance craze and post it online. Here are some of the contemporary dance
forms found in the Philippines:
▪ Aerobic is a dance routine made into an exercise program. It is usually
accompanied by upbeat pop music. Over the years, there have been many
variations of aerobic dancing examples of which are jazzercise, aero hip
hop, ballroom dancing, belly dancing, and Zumba.
▪ Ballet is both a dance and theater art. It originated from the European court
spectacles and was later brought by the Americans. There are different
contemporary reiterations of the ballet form namely: modern ballet, opera
ballet, and folkloric ballet.
▪ Folk dance is the different dances performed by various cultural groups
throughout the country. It is often performed during rituals, festivals,
fiestas, and other community celebrations. Some folk dances are integral
to festivals such as Ati- atihan of Aklan, the Masskara of Bacolod, and
Sinulog of Cebu.
▪ Street dance is a term used to describe vernacular dances, or dances that
developed within the community. It is a dance form that began in urban
open spaces, such as parks, streets, and yards rather than in formal
dance studios. Street dance became more common in the Philippines in
the 1980s coinciding with the popularity of punk and rap music.

Many says that theater is the ultimate art since it is a collaborative art form
that combines the various disciplines of art such as literature, visual arts, music, and
dance. Theater as we know today came during the Spanish colonization. It was used
in tandem with the other disciplines of art to spread Christianity. In the 1880s the
sarswelas were a popular form of entertainment for the Filipinos that showcased love
stories of the upper class peppered with comedic situations. The drama was also
introduced to the Filipinos. This theater form tells stories about the struggles of
everyday life. The sarswela and the drama were important to the development of
Philippine theater since they depicted a more realistic view of the lives of the Filipino.

Ex. Hintayan sa Langit (Juan Miguel Severo)

Here are the different contemporary theater forms in the country:

● The absurd is a genre of modern play that deliberately exaggerates the events
and situations to emphasize a point.
 ● The stage- show or bodabil is a theatrical presentation of various acts and
performances. These performances may be a production of the following:
comedy skits, circus acts, musical and dance numbers, acrobatics, and magic
shows.
● Children’s theater are plays that are either performed by children or by adults
for children. In both cases, the primary audience are children. This type of
theater production is intended to educate, inspire, and encourage creativity and
value formation.
● Melodrama is a nonmusical play that is intended to elicit tears and emotional
attachment to the characters. The main characters of these melodramas are
often victims of tragedies and suffer cruelty from the people around them but in
the end will rise triumphantly.
● The dramatic monologue is a type of play wherein an individual actor speaks
and acts out the character’s thoughts and emotions. This one person
performance is often used for the audience to better understand the main
character.
● Tula- dula or play poem was developed by the University of the Philippines in
the 1970s. It is minimalist in attack wherein a poem is dramatized by a narrator
who recites the piece and two or three actors provide the movement and the
sound effects.
● Musical theater are plays wherein music is an essential part of production. This
includes traditional Filipino theater such as the sarswela and ritualistic dramas.
With the love of Filipinos for music, it is not surprising that it is one of the most
popular forms of theater. The affinity of Filipinos for musicals are also seen with
the number of broadways musicals that are staging sold- out shows such as Les
Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked to name a few.

IV. REMEMBER
• Art is one of the earliest and most basic form of communication. It is seen in the prehistoric
visual artworks like the cave drawings and other artifacts.
• Art is a tool for communication. It is a venue for a person to convey or express a thought,
emotions, or aspirations whether through a painting or a performance.
• Art comes in many forms or disciplines such as music, dance, theater, visual arts, literature,
film and broadcast arts, architecture, and design.

• Recognition- Some artists create art in hopes of gaining fame and fortune. Some artists
use art as their means of livelihood, as seen with many visual artists, musicians, and
movie stars.
• Worship- Some artists create art to glorify their creator. This is evident in many religious
structures in the ancient world, like the pyramids, Hindu temples, and the temples of the
Greeks and Romans.
• Impulse- Some artists create art because they are driven by impulse. It is their passion,
and nothing makes them happier than doing their chosen art.
• Self- expression- They express ideas and emotions that might not be adequately
expressed through words. Each artwork reflects each artist’s personality and
experiences, making an artwork unique.

● Visual art is a term used to describe a wide array of artistic disciplines that are
appreciated primarily through sight. Visual arts include the different art forms and
disciplines such as: fine arts and decorative arts.
● Fine arts are artworks we readily associate with art. The term “fine arts” was first used to
describe the art forms created primarily for its appearance rather than its practical use.
● Decorative arts, also known as decorative crafts, are artworks that are both aesthetically
pleasing and functional.

Performing arts are often categorized into three types: music, dance, and theater.

Music is a universal form of art. It is defined as the manipulation of sound and silence. It is
performed by utilizing different instruments, vocal techniques, and style.
Dance is defined as regulated and deliberated order of body movements. These
movements have aesthetic value and are often performed accompanied with music.
Theater or play is a branch of performing arts that often involves the integration and
combination of the visual and performing arts.
• Contemporary art forms refer to artworks that are result of new techniques, technology, and
mediums. Majority of the contemporary arts produced in the Philippines are paintings, drawings,
and sculpture.

Paintings may be defined as a two- dimensional form of art that showcases artistic expression
created on a flat surface. The common thematic categories in paintings are the following:

o Still life
o Religious themes o Landscapes
o Historical themes o Nude
o Portraiture paintings o Genres

Sculptures are artworks that are three- dimensional. They are made by either adding or
subtracting materials. Subtraction is used in carving, while addition is seen in sculpting
techniques like molding, casting, and welding.

Contemporary music in the Philippines is a product of our indigenous traditions and colonial
influences. Examples of musical forms that are still seen in the present are the following:
▪ Kundiman is an art song that signifies love and affection for someone and performed as a
solo vocal composition combined with an instrumental accompaniment to achieve
musical harmony.
▪ A ballad is traditionally a song that narrates an event in a community. ▪ Chamber music is
a form of instrumental music composed by a small ensemble wherein each part is
played by one, as opposed to an orchestra where a part is performed by group of
musicians.
▪ Choral music is a musical composition intended to be performed by a group of singers
called a choir.
▪ Liturgical music are songs intended for Christian church services.
▪ Opera is a combination of both music and theater. It is a sung drama that entails
collaborative efforts of singers, dancers, composers, and choreographers.
▪ Popular music or pop music is used to describe music that is readily available to the
broad populace. It is an umbrella term that encompasses a multitude of different genres
of music such as RnB, rap, rock and hip hop.
▪ Protest songs are songs that bring to light injustices and inequality in society. These seek
to inspire nationalism and heroism from their listeners.

Here are some of the contemporary dance forms found in the Philippines:
- Aerobic is a dance routine made into - Folk dance is the different dances
an exercise program. It is usually performed by various cultural groups
accompanied by upbeat pop music. throughout the country.
- Ballet is both a dance and theater - Street dance is a term used to
art. describe vernacular dances, or
dances that developed within the
community.

Theater is the ultimate art since it is a collaborative art form that combines the various
disciplines of art such as literature, visual arts, music, and dance. Here are the different
contemporary theater forms in the country:

▪ The absurd is a genre of modern play that deliberately exaggerates the events
and situations to emphasize a point.
▪ The stage- show or bodabil is a theatrical presentation of various acts and
performances.
▪ Children’s theater are plays that are either performed by children or by adults for
children.
▪ Melodrama is a nonmusical play that is intended to elicit tears and emotional
attachment to the characters.
▪ The dramatic monologue is a type of play wherein an individual actor speaks and
acts out the character’s thoughts and emotions.
▪ Tula- dula or play poem is minimalist in attack wherein a poem is dramatized by a
narrator who recites the piece and two or three actors provide the movement
and the sound effects.
▪ Musical theater are plays wherein music is an essential part of production.