Maaño, Joan P.

September 13, 2019

CBET-01-301E Art Appreciation

A. REFLECTION ON “SA DUYAN NG SINING”

• Who are the artists featured in the documentary?

There are several artists that were featured in the documentary. Musicians such as Levi Celerio and Lucio San
Pedro, sculptor like Julie Lluch, dancer, Leonor Orosa Goquigco and filmmaker, Kidlat Tahimik. Levi Celerio grew up in
Tondo and learned how to play violin at the age of 11. He also became a scholar at the Academy of Music in Manila.
Lucio San Pedro hails from Angono, Rizal. At a young age of 6 years old, he learned how to play several instruments like
banduria, octavina and banjo. He was able to work while he was studying when he get into the Conservatory of Music at
University of the Philippine in 1932. It was also in UP when he showed interest in Filipino folk songs. During 1943, he
became the Chairman of Composition Department in Centro Escolar Universityband in 1947, he was sent to be a scholar
of Filipino youth orchestra in Juiliard School of Music in America under Professor Bernard Wagenaar. Julia Lluch, before
becoming a sculptor, taught first at an all-girls private school. During 1978, her first-ever exhibit was entitled “If Joaquin
then, Villa or Bust!”. Dancer in the field of ballet, Leonor Orosa Goquinco started her education at Jolo, Sulo at the age of
4. Lastly, filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik, finished his Masters in Business Administration in Economics at Wharton School of
Finance, University of Pennsylvania in 1967. After he finished it, he went to Paris to become an economist but he became
a regular visitor in almost all of art and film festivals. During 1972 at Munich, Germany, he started to become serious for
his career as a filmmaker.

• Discuss the contributions of each artist to the Philippine art.

The artists mentioned above have a lot of contributions in the Philippine Art. Musician, Levi Celerio, was
included in the Guiness Book of World Records as the only human in the world to produce music by the use of a leaf.
During 1930, he started to make melody for a certain film and this was the beginning of his career in the field of musical
scoring. At 1993, he received an award which is “Gawad Urian mula sa Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino”. As of now, he
wrote about 4,000 songs which could possibly be another reason for him to be included in the Guiness Book of World
Records again. He was declared as “National Artist for Music and Literature” in 1992. Lucio San Pedro, wrote songs
specifically folk songs, because of his love for the country. He wants people to appreciate songs of our own. Gather the
folk songs and folk tunes for the preservation. In the year 1991, he was given the “National Artist Award for Music” and
he was also an ASEAN awardee in Singapore. During 1983, Julia Lluch helped in the formation of KALAYAAN, a group of
intellectual feminists. Feminist artists want to change the world. 1980's when she became a renewed Christian which
helped her in becoming an artist. Leonor Orosa Goquinco, founded FILIPINESCAS during 1957. It has 35-40 members
particularly youth. She was honored to be the “Mother of Philippine Theater Dance”. She is the one who used the theme
which is about folk culture. One of her great works is “Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and Core in Dance”. She was
also awarded as “National Artist for Dance” in 1970. Lastly, Kidlat Tahimik believes that the importance of Indio-genius
shall continue to enrich our culture. Culture is not supposed to be stagnant. His son established an installation art in
1998 which is composed of the prayers for Katipunan, influenced by his father.

• Discuss the hindrances each artist experienced before they reached the fame in their own field of art.

Despite of thousand songs wrote by Levi Celerio, he was not able to receive royalties from most of his own songs.
Some of his songs are even distributed without his permission but he don't want to take actions legally. He also said that
the artists here are not well paid. Leonor Orosa Goquinco strongly believes that Filipinos have great talents but there are
factors that hinder them for showcasing their skills. This may be due to lack of support, lack of funds for the costumes,
music, props and musicians, lack of discipline and hard work. She also said that government should help in improving
the field of dance because Filipinos are so talented. Kidlat Tahimik was torn before in choosing which career he should
take because he finished MBA, but then his great passion for arts remained and he choose to be a film maker.
• If you were an artist, what kind of artist will you be? What art field will you explore? Why?

Back in the year 2016 when I first get into the world of arts. I started off by getting simple colored pens and
wrote something. “Calligraphy” it says. From that point, I knew that this was something I want to be passionate with.
Fortunately, up until today, I am still practicing and doing calligraphy when I have free time and when I feel like doing it.
Actually, I considered myself as a self-proclaimed and frustrated artist and I dreamed to be a professional calligrapher
and painter someday. I want to be like those successful artists I saw on Instagram. I really am. So, that's why I would love
to explore more about calligraphy and painting. The history, to know more about the materials they are using, to create
masterpieces just like the works made by those great artists out there, to be able to express myself through artworks,
and to show to the everyone that this my passion. There's a special space for arts in my heart, there is something in
calligraphy and painting that I couldn't explain, but every time I'm doing it, I feel so happy, satisfied and overwhelmed. It
would be great to serve as an inspiration to others to create and don't hate, spreading positivity and love. I am the artist
of my own life, painting my life upon the canvas of reality. I'm going decide what to create, how to create and how to
keep it going.

B. INSIGHT PAPER

1. Why is art ageless and timeless?

Art is ageless because anyone can do art, even a child can do an artwork or even his own masterpiece. I believe
that age doesn't matter when it comes to art as long as you have the passion and determination to do it, you can be
creative in many ways you could never imagined. On the other hand, it is timeless because every generation has their
own era of art. The ideas or emotions expressed with art are ones that are experienced universally, making its value
independent of age or time.

2. Why is art not nature?

Art is not nature because nature itself is art. Art is the interpretation of objects perceived by him as art has been
created by most people all the time. It is the expression of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual
form. Basically, art is the expression of oneself. People can be able to share fundamental emotions through art. Art is not
nature, however I think that nature is artful.

3. Why does art involves experience?

To be able to create something, you must go through it and learn from your mistakes. We do not do things easily
at first, but if we will try and try again, we would be able to get our desired results. Just like in art, nowadays there are a
lot of professional artists out there. Professional, because I believe that most of them have many experiences compared
to those beginners. They already know the “do's and dont's”, the way they work, and they learned from their mistakes.
Creation of art must be something of personal and knowledgeable value. Someone must be well-informed about art to be
able to know how to do it.

4. Does art always have function? If artwork did not have any function, will it remain art?

Art always have a function but it can’t be easily be identified since the function of a certain art depends upon the
context and meaning behind it. The function usually varies based on how it is viewed and interpreted by the one seeing
or doing it. However, its function can be identified be knowing who created the artwork and what genre does it belong to.
Some of the functions of art can be: personal, social, or physical. I think that all arts has function, it only takes a certain
person to notice and appreciate it. Though, the artwork generates itself and ideas and progress and learning come out of
doing the work in a particular way, it will be still be functional. Creative art is a learning process for the artist and in that
way, it can help him to express and know more about himself. I think art should be used not in a selfish way but in a
higher purpose.