Module 2 - Lesson 6 - Contemporary Arts
Module 2 - Lesson 6 - Contemporary Arts
Module 2 - Lesson 6 - Contemporary Arts
This lesson will discuss the traditional techniques used in contemporary art creations.
This will also introduce the extraordinary or unusual products produced in different
OVERVIEW places in the Philippines. These products are what made the places famous and draw
the people in.
MELC Week 7- Critiques available local materials and appropriate techniques used in
creating art.
GENERALIZATION
Painting
Early Filipinos painting can be in red chip (clay mixed with water) designs embellished on the
ritual pottery of the Philippines such as the acclaimed “Manunggul Jar” which is an example of
a burial jar. Philippine pottery has been a long tradition, and evidence of this pottery-making has
been found in sanga-sanga, Sulu and Laurente Cave in Cagayan. Pottery began the making of
earthenware articles for domestic use as a cooking vessel and storage container. The early pots
were made by hand-molding or the use of paddle and vessel in building the walls of pots. Pottery
traditions continued to develop in certain locals, such as Burnay Unglazed Clay pottery of Vigan,
the pottery traditions of Burnay is among the pottery traditions that have been maintained, along
with those of Leyte and Bohol.
Further evidence of painting is manifested in the tattoo tradition of early Filipinos who
are now referred to as Pintados or the “Painted People” of Visayas. Various designs referring
flora and facing with heavenly bodies decorate their bodies various colored pigmentation. Some
of the most elaborate painting done by early Filipinos that survive to the present are manifested
among the arts and architecture of the Maranao, who are well-known for the “Naga Dragons”
and the “Sarimanok Craved” and painted in the beautiful Panolong of their Torongans or King’s
house. Among the early modernists painters such as Damian Domingo, Juan luna, Felix Hidalgo,
and others. A certain Elito Circa stood out; He is popularly known as “Amang Pintor” who
gained recognition by using his hair to make his paint brushes and reigns his painting with his
blood on the right side corner.
Indigenous Art
The Itneg people are known for their intricate woven fabrics. The “Binakol” which
features designs that incorporate optical illusions woven fabrics of the “Gadang” people are
usually bright red ones. Their weaving can also be identified by beaded ornamentation. Other
people such as the Ilongot make jewelry from pearl, red horn-bill beak, plants, and metals. Some
indigenous materials are also used as a medium in different kinds of artworks especially in a
painting by Elito Circa. A folk artist of Pantabangan and a pioneer for using indigenous
materials, natural raw materials including human blood. Many Filipino painters were influenced
by this and started using these materials such as an extract from onion, tomato, tuba, coffee,
molasses and other materials available anywhere. The lumad people of Mindanao such as the
“B’Lan”, “Mandaga”, “Mansaka”, and “T’Boli” are skilled in the art of dyeing abaca fiber.
Abaca is a plant closely related to bananas and its leaves are used to make fiber known as
“Manila Hemp.” The fiber is dyed by a method called “Ikat.” Ikat fibers are woven into cloth
with geometric pattern depicting human, animal,
and plant leaves.
Figure 4; Sarimanok
Another one is “Hagabi,” a wooden chair of Ifugao, which symbolizes his status as a
citizen in their community. It depicts the wealth and power of the one who is called
“Kadanagyan”, or a person who belongs to the higher status in their society. Only the rich can
afford to own it together with a ritual after the completion of their chair. This chair is made of
Narra or Ipil-Ipil, and the original design is called “Ginulding- Gulding” meaning like a goat-
like head.
At present Hagabi may have a different shapes one end which called “Ngiwi,” it is like the head
of an animal with an elongated nose and two big ears. (Sayseng & Sandagan, 2016)
Islamic Arts
design, the scroll is the dominant feature in the men’s work composed of various spiral forms. In
contrasts, the zigzag, and angular forms are the dominating motifs in women’s geometric art
“Okir-a-Bay” (ladies design). The most popular of the “Malong” style is the land cap which is
either dominantly red, yellow, green, blue or violet. Red is the favorite color along with yellow;
these colors stands for royalty and aristocracy. Often, men wear the red land cap and the women,
the yellow.
The “Bagobo” are proud people with proto Malayan features. They have ornate
traditions in weaponry and other metal arts. They are noted for their skills in producing brass
articles through the ancient lost-wax process. These people weave abaca cloths of earth tones and
make baskets that are trimmed with beads, fibers and horse’s hair, weapons made by Muslim
Filipinos such as “Kampilan”, are skillfully carved.
Figure 6; malong
Kut-Kut Art
This is a technique combing Oriental and European art process. Very few known art pieces exist
today. The techniques were practiced by the indigenous people of Samar. Kut-Kut is an exotic
Philippine art form based on early century techniques “Sgraffito”. Encaustic and layering. The
merging of this ancient styles produces a unique artwork characterized by delicate swirling
interweaved lines, multi-layered texture and an illusion of three dimensional space.
Performing Arts
Music
Dance
Philippine folk dances include the “Tinikling” and “Cariñosa.” In the southern region of
Mindanao, some is a popular dance showcasing the story of a prince and a princess in the forest.
Architecture
The Spaniards introduced stones as housing and building materials. The introduction of
Christianity brought European Churches and architecture which subsequently became the center
of the mosyt towns and cities. Spanish architecture can be found in Intramuros manila, Vigan,
Lipa Batangas, Ilo-Ilo, jaro, Zamboanga City, Bacolod and other parts in the Philippines.
In the past, the nipa hut (Bahay-Kubo) was the most common form of housing among the native
Filipinos. It is characterized by the use of simple materials such as bamboo and coconut as the
main source of wood. Cogon grass, and nipa palm leaves and coconut fronds are use as roof
thatching. Most primitive homes are built on stilts due to frequent flooding during the rainiy
season. The architecture of other indigenous people may be characterized by an angular wodden
roof, bamboo is placed leafy thatching and ornate wooden carvings.
Contemporary architecture has a distinctively western style although Pre-Hispanic housing are
still common in rural areas. American style suburban gated communities are popular in the cities,
including Manila and the surrounding provinces. Islamic often Asian architecture are depicted on
buildings such as Mosque and Temples.
Choose from the following traditional Techniques that you want to draw using your own style
and creativity.
MANUNGUL JAR, SARIMANOK, OKIR ART, HAGABI