CO QAH + MELC LW
Course Outline & Quality
Assured Handouts paired with
MELC- Based Learner’s
Worksheet
HANDOUT No. 1
Contemporary Philippine Arts from the
Regions
MELC: Describes various contemporary art forms and their practices from the various regions (CAR11/12IAC-0a-1)
Semester: 2
Week No. 1
Day: 1-4
LESSON: VARIOUS CONTEMPORARY ART FORMS
Art draws inspiration from the society and changes through time. We have always been acquainted with the traditional
art forms that we have little idea about the current art forms that we observe. In this handout, you will learn about the
meaning of contemporary arts and its various forms with examples to assist you in understanding the concepts easily.
TOPIC 1: Contemporary Art Forms
CONTEMPORARY ARTS is art produced by artists in the 21st century. As such, it reflects the issues that shape our
diverse and rapidly-changing world. Many contemporary artists explore personal or cultural identity, offer critiques, or
even attempt to redefine art itself.
A.
CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTS jump off from the traditional visual art forms of fine arts and
decorative arts and crafts.
FINE ARTS
1. PAINTINGS AND
Paintings may be defined as a twoILLUSTRATIONS
dimensional form of art that
showcase
artistic
expression
created on a flat surface. There are
a number of mediums used for
painting such as oil, acrylic,
watercolor, poster paint, pastel, ink,
etc., applied on canvas, paper,
wood, cardboard, etc. Some
contemporary techniques include
collages.

Painting Themes
A. Religious themes in the present
can be seen in the murals of
many churches and in paintings
with social commentaries like
that of Joey Velasco (19672010) and Renato Habulan.
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B. Historical themes can be seen in
the works of Carlos “Botong” V.
Francisco whose masterpiece
Filipino
Struggles
depicts
Manila’s historical events.
C. Portraiture paintings are used to
commemorate personalities and
are seen in many formal
institutions such as government
offices. Two of the portraiture
artists is Antipas Delotavo and
Rafael del Casal, who was the
commissioned artist to create the
portrait of San Pedro Calungsod
in 2020.
D. Still life is a work of art that
portrays inanimate objects.
Notable contemporary still life
artists were Filipino-Chinese
Ang Kiukok and Kapampangan
Vicente Manansala who created
still life paintings that feature
items and ingredients one would
find in a typical Filipino kitchen.
E. Landscapes depict the beauty of
the outdoors. Diosdado M.
Lorenzo veered away from the
realistic scenery depictions to a
more modernist take on
landscape paintings. Manuel
Baldemor of Paete, Laguna
transformed his hometown into
simple geometric forms and
imbibed it with a festive vibe,
while Ilocano artist Prudencio
Lamarrosa was inspired by the
Amburayan River to create his
surreal landscapes.
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F. Nude, as a subject of painting in
the Philippines, was rare before
the 20th century but has since
been an accepted and popular
subject
in
Philippine
contemporary visual arts. Some
artists who did nude paintings
include Ben Cabrera, Cesar
Legaspi, Batangas abstract artist
Romulo Oliazo, etc.
G. Genres are paintings whose
themes showcase people doing
everyday activities and chores.
The Manila-born Mauro Malang
Santos is known for his
collection of fiesta-inspired
paintings. Mario Parial from
Nueva Ecija is praised for his
colorful genre paintings that
feature his distinct style.
H. SCULPTURES are artworks
that are three-dimensional.
Contemporary sculpture in the
Philippines can be classified into
academic or classical and
modern. Classical style follows
the aesthetics of the ancient
Greeks and Romans, while the
modern style is often abstracted
and is not as particular about the
realistic
portrayal
or
representation. Luisito Ac-ac is
famous for his life-life wooden
sculptures and Mario Dayo is
known for his Baroque style
relief murals. Renato Rocha and
Ros Arcilla were influenced by
Abueva. The former was born in
Uson, Masbate and was
critically-acclaimed winning in
different competitions. His style
is described as figurative
abstraction, and he prefers to
work with wood. Arcilla, on the
other hand, has worked with an
array of materials like wood,
jade, aluminum, bronze, and
glass.
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Expressionist sculptors like Julie
Lluch from Iligan City worked on
terra-cotta sculptural portraits of
family and friends which further
developed to her trademark
expressive depiction of women.
Agnes Arellano from Quezon
City creates dramatic sculptures
of cast and modeled plaster and
synthetic marble she calls
inscapes which focuses on the
essential meaning of a figure
rather than just its surface
appearance.
DECORATIVE ARTS
AND CRAFTS
-
Modern sculptors that follow the
modern philosophy include Jerry
Navarro Elizalde from Antique
whose sculptural work is
evocative of indigenous tribal art,
making use of woodcuts and other
found materials; Solomon Saprid
is known for his bronze sculptures
that make use of welded pieces,
giving it a rough impression; and,
Conrado Mercado of Bulacan
who gained fame from his beaten
aluminum reliefs and open-cage
construction.
of the contemporary times stem
from the traditional indigenous
crafts found throughout the
country.
A. POTTERY
In contemporary times, studio
pottery is quite popular. It is a
handmade one of a kind ceramics
that is sought after by collectors.
B. CARVING
Here are examples of timehonored sculptural crafts that are
still seen and made today: The
Ifugao’s rice god or the bulul is
represented through carved wood
and is used as a decorative
element throughout their daily
wares. The Muslim of Western
Mindanao carved geometric
patterns and stylized images of
plants and animals called okir.
Popular decorative motifs are the
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sarimanok and the naga. Similar
carving processes are found
within the tribal groups of
Mindanao like the Tausugs, the
Maranaos, and the Badjaos.
C. WEAVING
Traditional weaving methods can
still be seen in the different towns
in the Ilocos Region. Woven
products such as blankets called
binakol and pinilian are still
popular. In the mountain
provinces, the ikat process is
being revived. This involves a
dyeing process that involves
resist-dyeing and dyeing to
achieve a desired pattern.
Basket weaving is also alive in
regions such as the backpacks of
the Mandaya tribe in Eastern
Mindanao and the decorated bags
of the Bagobo. Also worth
mentioning are the woven baskets
of the Tagbanua tribe in Palawan.
The mats of Basey, Samar
are still famous with their bright
lively colors and embroidered
with flowers, peacocks, and
fantasy settings.
D. METALWORK
Metalwork found in the country
comes in different forms. These
can come as the tiny bells by the
Bagobo that they attach to their
possession and small brass or gold
jewelry pieces like necklaces
decorated with animal figures.
The
Maranaos
from
Tugaya, Lanao del Sure are the
largest manufacturer of brassware
in the country.
NEW CATEGORIES OF
VISUAL ART FORMS
A. COLLAGE
is the method of combining printed
images with other forms of media and
pasted on canvas board. Dina Gadia,
born in Anda, Pangasinan, uses
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Brasswork by the Maranaos
collages to highlight focal interest
while creating new results. Jonathan
Benitez, a Palawan-based painter and
collage artist born in Iligan City,
Mindanao, incorporates collages as a
discourse on consumerism aims of
advertising
and
environmental
awareness.
B. ASSEMBLAGE
is a term used by French artist Jean
Dubuffet in 1952 to describe a series
of artworks made from paper
collages, wood scraps, and other
found objects. Assemblages often
blur the distinction between painting
and sculpture.
Lao Lianben, a pioneer in assemblage
art in the Philippines from Manila
used indigenous found materials for
his artworks in the 1960s. He placed
twigs and small branches on top of
carved wooden panels as commentary
on forest devastation.
Roberto Feleo’s works called Sapinsapin show a combination of different
pieces, both found and made, that
portray traditional, historical, iconic,
and popular images.
C. MOBILE
is a sculptural work that is suspended
from the ceiling or a protruding base.
Contemporary artists who have
created mobiles include bronze
sculptor and designer Eduardo
Castrillo and premier glass sculptor
Ramon Orlina.
D. PERFORMANCE is a mix of visual arts and performing
ART
arts. The medium used in
performance art is the artist himself,
and the artwork is the acting and
movements of the artist. Music and
sound are often incorporated in the
performance. Words and dialogues
are not given as much focus compared
to the movements. To be considered
performance art, a performance
should be done in front of a live
audience. Artists would often include
various disciplines such as digital art,
videos, fashion, etc.
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David
Medalla,
whose
performance of Brother of Isidora
gained him recognition from other
artists both here and abroad. Danny C.
Sillada, another multi-talented artist,
combines music and art in his
performance art.
E. INSTALLATION
ART
involves the arrangement of objects in
a given space. It incorporates different
materials that may include traditional
sculptural materials as well as videos
and digital media.
Installation artists such as Leeroy
New from General Santos City uses
the things around him for inspiration
for his different artworks that range
from fashion, sculpture, and the other
fields of visual arts. Bakawan
Floating Island is his installation that
geared toward the awareness and
rehabilitation of the Pasig River. Aze
Ong, another installation artist, is
known for her trademark crocheted
art pieces. Her art pieces consist of
colorful, organic, and fluid crocheted
pieces inspired by her stay with the
ethnic group of Talaandigs from
Bukidnon. Many of her pieces are
interactive and invite the viewers to
touch, play, and even wear them.
B. CONTEMPORARY PERFORMING ARTS
A.
MUSIC
Among our colonizers, the most
influential to the contemporary arts
would no doubt be the Spaniards.
Through them, the European tradition
has greatly influenced the Philippine
contemporary music. Below are
examples of musical forms that are
still seen in the present.

KUNDIMAN
and HARANA
Contemporary kundiman is often the
modern form using contemporary
vernacular lyrics and accompanied by
electronic musical instruments.
Collections of traditional and modern
reinterpretations of the kundiman and
harana can be found or heard on the
Internet.

BALLAD
The ballad is traditionally a song that
narrates an event in a community. It
must be noted that in modern times,
the term ballad has been applied to
love songs, and a balladeer is an artist
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whose set of songs are primarily
romantic songs.

CHAMBER
MUSIC
It is a form of instrumental
music composed by a small ensemble
wherein each part is played by one
player, as opposed to an orchestra
where a part is performed by a group
of musicians.
Contemporary chamber music
examples include Arlene Chongson’s
Luduyan I and II and Conrado del
Rosario’s Yugto for chamber music
ensemble. Some popular chamber
music groups in the Philippines
include the Clarion Chamber
Ensemble and the String Minstrels.

CHORAL
MUSIC
It is a musical composition intended
to be performed by a group of singers
called a choir. Perhaps the most wellknown choir in the country is the
Philippine Madrigal Singers of the
University of the Philippines. The
“Madz” is one of the most awarded
choral groups in the Philippines and
in the whole world.
Some other well-known and
internationally-recognized
choral
groups in the Philippines include the
Samiweng Singers of Laoag, Ilocos
Norte, the University of Visayas
Chorale, and the Zamboanga
Hermosa Chorale.

LITURGICAL
MUSIC
These are songs intended for
Christian church services. Many
musicians have adapted liturgical
music to reflect contemporary
musical styles and forms. Some of
these artists include National Artist
Francisco F. Feliciano as seen in his
work Mass of Saint Andrew, Ryan
Cayabyab with his work Misa, and
the praise and gospel songs of Gary
Valenciano.

OPERA
It is a combination of both music and
theater. It is a sung drama that entails
collaborative efforts of singers,
dancers, composers, choreographers,
etc. Many Filipino musicians have
adapted the form to reflect more
contemporary Filipino experiences
and tastes. Examples of which are
Felipe Padilla’s Noli Me Tangere, the
first full-length Filipino opera, and
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Reynaldo T. Paguio and Fidies
Asensio’s Mayo Bisperas ng Liwanag
was based on a short story by Nick
Joaquin.

POP MUSIC
Popular music is used to describe
music that is rapidly available to the
public. Many of the popular music
played in the Philippines are Western
imports that become a strong
influence to many contemporary
artists and singers.
Pinoy pop came about when Filipino
musicians wanted to create music that
they can call their own. These
musicians focused on the youth for
support and gave birth to early Pinoy
rock. A product of this genre was
“Ang Himig Natin” by the Juan de la
Cruz band. The musicall group called
Hotdog similarly combined Western
pop with Filipino lyrics and created
what was then known as Manila
Sound.
Pinoy folk music is a genre of Pinoy
pop wherein artists create songs
similar to the Western folk singers.
Newer artists of folk music have
incorporated ethnic instruments and
style from the different ethnic tribes
combining traditional and modern
sounds. Famous folk music artists are
Freddie Aguilar, Joey Ayala, and the
band Asin.
Rap became popular in the
Philippines in the late 80’s. The
pioneers of Pinoy rap were Francis
Magalona
and
Andrew
E.
Contemporary rap artists include
Gloc-9, Abra, and Filipino-American
Apl.de.ap.

PROTEST
SONG
These are songs that bring to light
injustices and inequality in society.
“Bayan Ko,” a collaboration between
Jose Corazon de Jesus and
Constancio de Guzman, is still used
in many protest movements although
it was made many years ago.
Some
protest
songs
tackle
environmental issues such as the band
Asin’s “Masdan ang Kapaligiran”
and Gloc-9’s “Nag-iisang Mundo”.
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C. DANCE
 AEROBIC
DANCE
is a dance routine made into an
exercise program. Over the years,
there have been many variations of
aerobic dancing, usually dictated by
the type of music used. Examples of
which are jazzercise, aero hip-hop,
ballroom dancing, belly dancing, and
more recently the Braziliandeveloped Zumba.

BALLET
is both a dance and theater art. The
modern ballet uses traditional ballet
techniques and style set to
contemporary ideas and subjects. It is
a type of modern dance that uses
contemporary,
and
sometimes
experimental
attitude
toward
traditional dance techniques and
style. This type of ballet os not
limited to the confines of the stage
and can be presented outdoors and in
other unconventional spaces. These
ballet performances tackle prevailing
themes and accompanied by modern
music.
The pioneer of modern dance in
the Philippines is the founder of
Ballet Philippines, Alice Reyes.
Another type of ballet is the opera
ballet and its more modern version
called the rock ballet. This type
combines singing and dancing.
Mahal was one of the first rock opera
ballet in the country, which is a
product of the collaborative efforts of
Abel Labrador, Mon Faustmann,
Rahissan Lahat-Wala, and Julie and
Rose Borromeo. Another was Rama
by Ryan Cayabyab, Bienvenido
Lumbera, and Alice Reyes.

FOLK
DANCE
is the different dances performed by
various cultural groups and is still
performed in these contemporary
times. Some professional dance
troupes that specialize in showcasing
folk dance are the Bayanihan Dance
Company, Darangan Cultural Dance
Troupe of Marawi, and the Tambuli
Cultural Troupe of Tawi-tawi.
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D. THEATER
 ABSURD
It is a modern play that deliberately
exaggerates the events and situations
to emphasize a point. The characters
are often made stereotypes. The
theater of the absurd was first
performed in the Philippines by the
students of Ateneo de Manila in 1967
with the play Ang Paghihintay Kay
Godot that was translated from the
absurd play Waiting for Godot by
Samuel Beckett. Other absurd plays
were soon presented by the Philippine
Educational Theater Association
(PETA) and eventually followed by
other theater companies.

STAGE SHOW
or bodabil is a theatrical presentation
of various acts and performances.
These may be a production of comedy
skits, circus acts, musical and dance
numbers, acrobatics, magic shows,
and the like. Contemporary forms of
this show can be seen during fiestas
and in television variety shows.

BRECHTIAN
THEATER
is an example of a modern theatrical
show. It is also referred to as epic
theater. It is based on Bertolt Brecht’s
proposition that the audience should
not emotionally identify with the
characters or action on stage but
instead stimulate self-reflection and
critical analysis of the events
unfolding in the play. The first
Brechtian-inspired play in the
Philippines was staged by Repertory
Philippines in 1968 with the play
Mother Courage and Her Children.
This was later followed by PETA
with the play The Good Woman of
Setzuan in 1970.

CHILDREN’S
THEATER
are plays that are either performed by
children or by adults for children. In
both cases, the primary audience are
children. An example of which is
PETA’s longest running play Mga
Kwento ni Lola Basyang and
Trumpets Playshop that retell
children’s fairy tales.

MOLODRAMA
is a nonmusical play that is intended
to elicit tears and emotional
attachment to the characters. This is
regularly seen on television.
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
MUSICAL
THEATER
are plays wherein music is an
essential part of the production. This
is seen in Aegis-inspired Rak of Aegis
and the repertoire of Francis
Magalona songs used in 3 Stars and a
Sun both produced by PETA.
REFERENCES
Sources:
Arch. Ganzon, Carlo Luis C. 2016. Journey: Contemporary Arts of the Philippines. Phoenix Publishing House. Manila,
Philippines.
Datuin, Flaudette May, et. al , 2016. Contemporary Philippine Arts of the Regions. Rex Book Store. Manila,
Philippines.
Sayuno, Cheeno Marlo M. 2019. DIWA Senior High School Series: Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions
(Second Edition). DIWA LEARNING SYSTEM INC.
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/437130707551142071/
https://finaleartfile.com/panimula-loob-at-kaluluwa-renato-habulan/
https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/carlos-botong-francisco/
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/21110691974759198/
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https://primer.com.ph/event/2019/03/02/ballet-philippines-tales-of-the-manuvu/
https://news.co.cr/philippines-fights-drug-trafficking-addiction-zumba/49009/
Screenshot from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1w1LjniIkw
https://vientianepe.dfa.gov.ph/consularandoannouncement/152-gala-performance-of-the-philippine-madrigal-singers
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https://www.scoutmag.ph/entertainment/theater/rak-of-aegis-season-7-olivere-20190610
Prepared by:
MA. DONNA B. MERCURIO/ELIGIO B. TIGLEY JR.
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