CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ART FROM THE REGION

 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 Here
are some other examples of the art forms:
An art form that reflects how we present ourselves across the earth’s landscape and like other expressive mediums, it changes with style,
technologies, and cultural adaptations.
 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. The different contemporary art forms are Architecture, Sculpture, Painting,
Literature, Music, Performing and Film
Various Contemporary Art Forms and Their Various Practices from the Different Regions
Visual Arts - Art forms that create works that are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking,
designs, crafts, photography, video, film making and architecture. During the American Period the subject of artworks shifted from rural to
urban setting.

Painting - is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface. In art, the term painting describes both the act
and the result of the action (the final work is called "a painting")

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.

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.

1946 – evident of continual flourishment of modernism. In the field of Poetry during the contemporary period publication of young poets to
campus journals emerged.

“Ang Bayang Malaya” by Amado V. Hernandez, a long narrative piece about a peasant leader. Oppression and fighting for human rights is mainly
the theme. In succeeding poems developed by the Filipino poet’s social protests and realism was the theme and many writers arose because of
the Marshall Law.

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.
- music of the country is classical due to the influence of European which flourished until the 1950’s. then Philippine music evolved into the
combination of classical and traditional or ethnic music.
- Pinoy pop or Filipino pop music took place that covers different forms like jazz, dance hit, folk song revival, rock and roll, rap etc. then OPM
music was born, written and sung by Filipino composers and singers. Alternative music folk balladeers influenced it. Music sprouted out of
protest than later or included theme like filipino values, political and environmental concerns, and other societal themes.
- Original Filipino music Freddie Aguilar “Anak”, Herbert Bartolome ‘’Tayo’y mga Pinoy’’ and Florante De Leon ‘’Ako’y Pilipino’’.
At present different genre like pop, rock and OPM, indigenous music, jazz, rap a mixture of different genre like ethnic rock, and many form
existed also rock bands, pop stars entered the limelight.

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.

Dance - For centuries, dancing and singing have been the principal past time of the people.
The early Filipinos considered dancing as a religious activity. They performed dances in thanksgiving for a fruitful harvest, a victorious battle
and prosperous voyage or recovery from sickness.
- Spanish period, dancing played an important part in the social activities of the Filipinos. Kumintang, a pantomimed song and dance was the
oldest recorded activity among the Christianized Filipinos. The Spaniards introduced different dances such as Fandangos, Lanceros Rigodon,
Carinosa and Curacha. Western cultures and dances of other European countries which later became out traditional folk dances.

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

Theater
Pre-Colonial time
it was in the form of indigenous rituals, games or songs and dances to praise Gods. Pre historic drams consist of three elements myth, mimesis
and spectacles.
These mimetic performances mostly dramatized primitive rituals and epic poetry about deities and mythical legends, where the spirit of the
deities would seemingly possess a catalonan (priest) or babaylan (priestess).During this entranced state, the priest or priestess would consume
the sacrificial offering, which could be in the form of a pig, chicken, rice, wine, or nuts.

Spanish Regime
When the Spaniards reached our shores, they used dramas such as zarzuelas as a pedagogical tool to influence the pagan tribes and teach
them about Christianity and religion.
Comedias were normally performed in the pueblos or village centers to attract more people to the foundation of its regime. The comedia can
last anywhere from 3 to 15 hours through a series of performances. It’s a play in verse that portrays the lives, loves, and wars of moors and
Christians. Sample are moro-moro, linambay, or arakyo.
- Moro-Moro is a secular comedy that dramatizes the war between Christians and Muslims through the forbidden love between the
prince and the princess. The comedy is resolved with the non-Christian being converted to Christianity, or through his or her death,
immediately followed by his or her resurrection.
zarzuela is a form of musical theater that combines spoken word and song that celebrates various Catholic liturgical feasts. Jugar Con Fuego by
Francisco Asenjo Barbieri was the first zarzuela introduced in the country in late 1878 or early 1879. By August 17, 1893, Teatro Zorilla, the
home of zarzuela, was inaugurated.
Throughout the 333 years of the Spanish regime, the Philippines was widely influenced by their culture, tradition, and religion. Today, zarzuelas
and comedias are still being performed, albeit with other cultural influences and contemporary touches.

American Colonization
When American colonial rule was established, the United States introduced the American way of life through education, media, and language.
Their influence on Philippine theatre is most apparent through the bodabil (vaudeville) and the plays and dramas staged or translated into
English.
In 1898, the first bodabil was produced by the Manila Dramatic Guild for the sole purpose of entertaining American soldiers and other
Americans residing in Manila. It was also the first theatrical performance since the revolution.
The bodabil is not a straight-up play. The theatrical performance is, in fact, a mix of songs, dances, comedy skits, and even magical
performances. Local audiences bought-in and productions soon found themselves becoming entertainment spectacles that can be transported
from one town to the next. Not long after, the bodabil was interjected into comedias and zarzuelas, as intermission numbers known as
jamborees.
In the 1930s, the country was introduced to Broadway theatre or stage plays through the westernized education that was provided in most
private schools for privileged children. Shakespearean tragedies and comedies, as well as western classics, were performed in the original
English or English adaptation.

The Japanese Occupation

By the 1940s, when the Japanese took over the Philippines from the Americans, movie actors and actresses could no longer appear in films, as
the Japanese confiscated all film equipment. However, the comedia, zarzuela, and bodabil remained in the country as forms of entertainment
and expression.
Eventually, the bodabil evolved to become stage shows or variety shows with a short melodrama at the end to accommodate the actors and
actresses who moved their craft to bodabil and theatre. Venues such as the Manila Grand Opera House and the Savoy Theatre became homes
of bodabil.
After the war, movies returned to popularity, and the bodabil era slowly lost its luster. Stage shows became small, cheap performances held in
open-air stages in the provinces. Sadly, the bodabil deteriorated decades later to become burlesque and strip shows held in cheap theatres
around American military bases.

Philippine Theatre as We Know It Today

After the Japanese occupation, the Philippine theatre has evolved to become an amalgamation of the various influences such that of the
zarzuela, comedia, bodabil, and western classics. Theatre was largely performed in English during the time, as it became a large part of
classroom education. Zarzuelas - such as “Ang Kiri,” “Dalagang Bukid,” and “Paglipis ng Dilim” became well-known beyond their regions.
By the 1950s, theatre had moved out of classrooms and the concept of paying for a ticket to see a theatrical performance emerged. This
“legitimate” theatre was held in closed theaters – these became events in themselves, not just mere parts of a celebration or religious ritual.

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.
When it comes to theatre and performing arts, Filipinos are never far behind.

Essay: Direction: Answer the following questions in 100 words each. Use your contemporary arts notebook to write your answers on.
1.How did Philippine Contemporary Art evolve?
2.What are the different contemporary art forms?
5 POINT RUBRIC:
5=A Comprehensive /analytical essay
4=B Well-written/includes some analysis
3=C Well-written but lacks balance/lacks analysis
2=D Weak essay/lacks organization/no analysis
1=E Poorly written/barely addresses question