This document provides an overview of art concepts like soulmaking, improvisation, and appropriation. It then discusses key characteristics of Chinese and Japanese art, including influences from Confucianism, Buddhism, and nature themes. Finally, it outlines the development of Philippine art from precolonial pottery, weaving, and other forms that reflected religious beliefs and practices of ethnic groups. Common themes across Asian art included everyday life, nature, and symbolism. Stylistically, Chinese art used monumental perspectives while Japanese art was more minimalist and abstract.

1. Soulmaking, appropriation, and
Improvisation

2. Learning Outcomes
 By the end of this lesson, students should be
able to:
1. Explain how meanings can be derived from art;
2. Discuss how improvisation can make an artwork
distinctive; and
3. Identify the issues and problems that can arise
because of appropriation of art.

3. Soulmaking: Making and deriving
Meaning from Art
 In order for humans to make sense of language
and derive meanings from words, semantics and
grammatical rules are important elements to be
considered.
 Context and symbolisms are also considered to
interpret and analyze either verbal or written
works.
 When it comes to art, in order to make sense of
the artwork, it would require understanding the
visual elements where art was grounded on,
especially the principles of design.
 The audience of the artwork must have a certain
level of awareness to the style, form, and content

4.  Style – refers to distinctive handling of elements
and media associated with the work of an
individual artist, a school, a movement, or a
specific culture or time period.
 Form – it is what the audience sees – a finished
product put harmoniously (or not) according to
different principles of design.
 Form is the totality of the artwork, which includes
the textures, colors, and shapes utilized by the
artist.
 Content – includes not only its form but also its
subject matter and underlying meanings or
themes.

5. Improvisation
 It can be defined as doing something without prior
preparation in originative way.
 It has become an integral part of the arts in the
present context.
 The unexpectedness off the changes brought about
improvisation makes the artwork to have a distinctive
quality that creates its individuality and identity.
 When an artist makes his work, he has already an
idea of the elements that will be included in his work.
As he begins to craft his work, he may have deviated
from his original plan. So in essence, improvisation is
evident in the process of making the painting.

6. Appropriation
 It is the use of pre-existing objects or images with
little or no transformation applied.
 Appropriation of art has been a common practice
throughout history.
 If an apprentice painter needs to hone his skills in
his craft, he would be allowed to use his master’s
work to copy.
 It is as if he is trying to explore his personal
application of techniques to something he is more
familiar with.

7.  There are some people who got to the extreme
by believing that appropriation is copying the
exact artwork of an artist and attributing it to his
own.
 This could pose a problem especially with
authorship. The problem arises when the
appropriation artist would get bits and pieces from
other works and incorporate these elements into
his own work.
 When appropriation artists eschew the
responsibility for putting up the details of other
works and integrating them into their own, their
voices and perspectives of other artists get lost
with that of the appropriation art and forgery.

8.  Forgery – crime of false making or copying of
something.
 Two classifications of Forgery: (1) Outright copies
of existing works and pastiches, which are works
that bring together elements from a work and
infusing them to a new work; and (2) Form of
creating an approximate of what an artist would
do by prediction.

9.  The intentions of appropriation artists often
questioned since issues of plagiarism and forgery
sometimes arise.
 Some would argue that the reason behind the
appropriation is that they want the audience to
recognize the images they copied.
 That appropriation would bring about new context
to the original work.

10. “Campbell’s Soup Cans(1962)”

11.  One of the famous works of appropriation would
have to be Andy Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup
Cans”.
 Warhol copied the original labels of the soup can
but deliberately filled up the entire picture plane.
 The idea of putting together soup cans is
something new for the audience.

12. Art in Asia

13. Learning Outcomes
 By the end of this lesson, students should be able
to:
1. Identify key influences to Chinese art;
2. Identify key characteristics of Japanese Art;
3. Compare and contrast Chinese and Japanese
artworks;
4. Trace the development of Philippine art;
5. Discuss the concept of okir; and
6. Explain how art can be a key element in the
formation of a society’s culture.

14. Chinese Art
 China is at the forefront of economic development.
 Its booming economy has led to its modernization.
 History shows that China has been at the leading
edge of development especially in terms of cultural
development.
 Inhabitants in China in the past were able to produce
primitive artisan works.
 The Chinese during the Zhou Dynasty was under a
feudal kind of social system.
 It was parallel period with that of Greece’s Golden
Age: a period when culture, particularly art, has
flourished tremendously.
 Metal works befitting the royal family were produced
in abundance during this time. Jade was also a
popular choice of material for artworks.

15.  Confucianism was the dominant way of life
subscribed to by the general republic.
 Those who subscribed to principles espoused by
Confucius believe that in order for society to
work, one must learn how to sympathize to
others.
 These principles became evident in most
artworks depicting everyday life and how these
social interactions come to play

16.  Chinese also had interactions with Western
missionaries who came from India and brought
some of the Indian influences to China.
 By the start of the sixth century, Chinese artists
started making art that highlighted their very own
culture.
 Paintings usually depicted magical places and
realms that were born out of sheer imagination
while still infusing the Chinese characters that
define their culture.
 It was dominant belief that a great power coming
from a higher spirit is the one moving the artist
and his work together.

17.  Most paintings were done in monumental styles
wherein rocks and mountains served as a barrier
that made a viewer distracted initially from the
main subject of the work.
 Western landscapes usually had a single
vanishing point while Chinese paintings had the
opposite since most paintings aimed to give the
audience a multiple perspectives on the subject.

18.  Porcelain is one of the commonly used items to
make decorative ornaments, such as vases and
jars.
 The focal point in these vases depicts a central
theme: nature.
 They believe that man is an integral part of nature
ensuring that there is a certain balance in it.
 Some of the common overarching themes of
Chinese artworks include everyday activities, war
and violence, death, and nature.
 Chinese artworks are infused with a lot of
symbolisms.
 Art becomes an avenue for the artist to covey his
reflection of the things he is aware of.

19. Japanese Art
 Art in Japan has undergone a series of transitions
and periodization.
 From being an isolated nation to that of
embracing Western influences and
modernization, Japan has transitioned into a
modern cultural mixing pot.
 Based on artifacts such as ceramic figures and
ornaments, it is important to take note that there
are Korean and Chinese influences evident in
Japanese artworks.
 One of the ceramic products created by the
Japanese is called Haniwa. These are ceramic
figures that are made up of clay.

20.  The native religion in Japan is Shintoism.
 Although, this religion subscribes to beliefs such as
being one with nature and embracing the notion of the
existence of many gods, it did not use art to
communicate in beliefs.
 When Japan established trading relations with China,
they did not only trade goods with them but they were
also influenced by the Chinese with religious beliefs
and practices.
 Buddhism became an integral part of Japanese
culture.
 Buddhism temples also became staples in key places.
 Art in essence became an expression of worship for

21.  China also influenced Japan in terms of paintings.
 The Japanese style of painting leaned toward
abstract and naturalistic handling.
 Many artist focused on individual portraits,
elements of nature, and scenes from everyday
life in creating their artworks.
 Japanese adapted a more minimalist take on
their paintings.
 This is stark contrast with the extravagant and
sometimes over-the-top designs of the Chinese.
 The Japanese also developed a kind of painting
called the ukiyo-e , which was crafted through
woodcut prints.
 An example would be the woodcuts of Hiroshige
and Sharaku who had a lasting impact on
Western artists like Vincent Van Gogh and

22. Philippine Art
 Throughout Philippine history, spanning from
precolonial period to the contemporary periods,
different art forms have emerged in the Philippine
art scene.
 Before colonizers came to Philippines, ethnic
minorities have used art not only for daily
activities but also for religious rituals and
practices.
 Most art forms used by ethnic communities
include pottery, weaving, carving, and the use of
metalwork and jewelry.

23.  Pottery is said to be one of the earliest art forms
used by the early Filipino people.
 Manunggal Jar – one of the most prominent
artifacts related to pottery found in Palawan.
 This jar is a representation of the early Filipinos’
religious beliefs and practices.
 It serves as a burial jar, which depicts two men
rowing boat.
 This reflects their believe in afterlife – the
crossing of the body of water is a transition from
life here on earth unto the next.
 Pottery produced items that are of practical value
for the early Filipinos, such as pots for cooking
and large vases for storing.

24.  Weaving – one of the earliest forms of art
expressions in the Philippines.
 One of the most popular artisans of weaving is
the people from the Cordilleras.
 They are known for their colorful woven cloth,
which also have both religious and practical
value.
 The T’boli people from Mindanao are also known
for their woven abaca cloth called t’nalak.
 They use this particular cloth to make ornaments,
which also represent their beliefs through symbol.
 One example is the image of the frog, which is
their representation for fertility.

25.  Woodcarving – depict animals like birds, which
are representations of the religious beliefs.
 Birds serve as the messengers of the people to
the heavens and vice versa.
 In Mindanao, the Tausug and Maranao people
are known for their okir, which are designs
applied to their woodcarvings.
 Their common subjects include sarimanok, naga,
and the pako rabong.
 Sarimanok – stalized design of a mythical bird
either standing on a fish or holding a piece of fish
on its beak.

26.  Jewelry – used as amulets for protection to drive
away evil spirits.
 Naga – forms an S-shape, depicting an elaborate
figure of a mythical dragon or serpent.
 Pako rabong – is like a growing fern with a broad
base.
 The sarimanok and naga are usually used as
ornamental designs for the houses of the sultans.

27.  When the Spaniards discovered the Philippines
during the sixteenth century, they introduced their
religion to the local people.
 Art was used by the Spaniards to propagate their
Christian faith while at the same time, subtly
establishing their foothold in the country. The Church
became the sole patron of arts.
 Art became one of the avenues for Filipino patriots
and nationalists.
 Spoliarium – by Juan Luna,one of the most famous
works that expressed Filipino nationalism and stood
against the colonizers.
 This large-scale academic painting garnered a gold
medal and signified that the reformists could come at
par with European counterparts.

28.  When the Philippine was liberated from the
Spanish rule, the Americans to over to establish a
colonial government.
 They also propagated their culture and beliefs
through the implementation of public school
system.
 Art had a new role in advertising American-
controlled markets.
 Artists focused on modern takes when it comes to
content, form, and subject matter.
 As modern paintings started to emerge, a
triumvirate of artists was formed – Carlos
Francisco, Galo B. Ocampo, Edades.

29.  The 1960s proved to be a period of modernism
and dynamism with a lot of styles, techniques,
and methods emerging.
 Most artworks were reflections of the political,
social, and economic situation of the Philippines
during Marcos administration.
 Beautiful and idealistic imagery was replaced with
aggressive undertones.
 The work were reflections of the general feel of
the people based on the political situation during
that time.

30.  When former President Ferdinand Marcos declared
Martial Law, social realism became norm.
 Most artworks were forms of protest against the
government’s suppression of freedom of speech and
expression.
 Some of the works reflected issues like economic
problems, land reforms, gender rights, worker’s right,
and cultural minorities plaguing the Filipino people
brought about by the Martial Law.
 Photography has evolved into an art form, which
highlights various artistic expressions evident in a
variety of events, scenes, and activities.