LESSON 1:

ART IN THE PHILIPPINES

Historical Background

Three Major Traditions

1. Ethnic tradition
2. Spanish Colonial Tradition
3. American Colonial and Contemporary
Traditions
ETHNIC TRADITION
• Art forms are influenced by the geographical
location and the experiences of the Filipinos.
• Dances – in the highlands dance steps were imitations of
the movements of a certain animals like bird.
-- Near the sea were mimics of the movement of the
fishes.
• Visual arts – pottery, weaving, wood carving and metal crafting
• Architecture – Filipinos used materials such as anahaw,
bamboo, cogon, cane, rattan.
• Folk Literature - folk speeches, songs, and narratives.

• Theater Arts – tribal presentations and rituals depicting

their beliefs.
• Music - our ancestors have indigenous musical
instruments like bamboo flutes and brass gongs.
 SPANISH COLONIAL TRADITION
• Religion and Secularization greatly influenced the art in
the Philippines
Art form – they replaced with western art form.
The friars were supervising the practice of arts in
the country.

* Literature - classified into religious and secular prose and

poetry.
Visual Arts – they introduced painting and sculpture which
mostly religious matters.
• Theater Arts – secular and religious play like “komedya”.
• Dance – religious dances commonly performed.
Secular dances like fandango, polka and
minuet.
Music - they introduced piano. Bands and orchestra
multiplied as zarzuelas and operas became prevalent.
Architecture – stones and bricks were used in
constructing buildings like churches, houses and
government offices.
 AMERICAN COLONIAL AND CONTEMPORARY
TRADITION
• Declaration of Independence Day June 12, 1898.
• They brought many changes in the politics, economy,
education and culture of the Philippines.
Education – there are Filipinos who went abroad to
study.
those who study abroad they came back
carrying the concept of modern art.
the way of art making affects by:
• Urbanization
• Consumerism
• Rise of the middle class
• Change in the political system.
• Secularization
• Emergence of new technology
• Due to technological innovations, , the experimental approaches
in developing art rose above traditional art pravtices .
• New forms of expression came which were avant-garde in
nature.
• Modern art- refers to the practices of art in the 1860’s-90’s
• Contemporary Arts – refers to the recent and current practice of
art ranging from the 70’s-present. It mirrors the society and
culture of the present times.
• Artist experimented different materials and methodologies and
produced non-conventional art works.
Questions:
1. Distuinguish the differences between the different art
traditions?
2. What comtenporary arts?
Exercise: Write E if the statement belongs to Ethnic, S for Spanish,
and A for American.
____1. Filipinos develop choreographies by mimicking movements of
animals.
____2. Technological innovations affected art making resulting to non
conventional artworks.
____3. Zarzuelas and operas became popular in this period.
____4. Religion and secularization influenced all art forms.
____5. Poetry, weaving, wood carving, and metal crafting are the form
of visual art.
____6. Painting and sculpture were the most popular forms of visual
arts.
7. Filipinos studied abroad and later on introduced new ideas in
art making.
8. Avant-garde artworks enter the scene.
9. Bricks and stones were predominantly used in constracting
buildings.
10. The geographical location and experiences of the Filipinos
were the main factors in art production.