This document discusses local materials used in contemporary Filipino art. It provides examples of various plant-based materials commonly used, including abaca, bamboo, buntal, buri, coir, nito, pandan, raffia, rattan, tikiw, and tikog. For each material, it describes what the material is and gives examples of artistic products created from that material, such as furniture, baskets, jewelry, and paintings. The document suggests that using diverse local materials from different regions of the Philippines allows artists to uniquely express their cultural heritage and traditions in new and innovative ways.

1. LOCAL MATERIALS USED IN
CONTEMPORARY ART

2. “LOCAL”

3. LOCAL
• belonging to or connected with a particular place
or area that you are taking about or with the place
where you live
• examples: local hospital, local church, local music

4. “LOCAL MATERIALS”

5. LOCAL MATERIALS
• the resources that can be found readily in large
quantity at a particular location or area at a certain
time
• materials that can be used to fabricate (create) a
finished element (product)
• materials that could be abundant in some area but
are not available in another

6. What are some of the local materials
used in contemporary art?

7. Abaca
• Abaca belongs to the family of
bananas.
• Its fiber has a natural luster of
colors ranging from pure white
to ivory and dark brown.
• Famous products out of this
local material include: slippers,
ropes, twine, hammock, frame,
display jar, and Chelsea chair.

8. Chelsea chair

9. Abaca Tree

10. Bakbak
• Bakbak is the outermost
covering or the leaf sheath of
the abaca stalk, usually
braided or twined to make a
flat thick durable sheath.
• The strong brown fiber is used
to make furniture, mats, boxes,
bins, display jars, armchair,
and the famous Cecilia dining
table.

11. Bamboo
• Bamboo is used as a raw
material in creating many
products. It is typically used in
construction, or textiles, and as
musical instruments or
weapons.
• Famous products created from
this local material are Kubing,
bungkaka, tongatong,
angklung, pateteg, and
gabbang.

12. Gabbang

13. Buntal
• Buntal are cylindrically shaped
fibers with supple ivory white
strands that are durable,
pliable, and with good dyeing
qualities.
• Famous products created from
buntal are: bags, shoes, desk
accessories like pen holder,
picture frames, file trays,
wallets, place mats,
lampshades, window blinds.

14. Buntal Plant

15. Buri
• Buri is extracted from matured
leaves of the buri palm with
fiber that is durable and
resistant to moisture.
• Famous products created from
buri are: hats, bags, baskets,
memorabilia boxes, perfume
tray, and other woven
products.

16. Coir
• Coir is fibrous material
surrounding the fruit of the
coconut tree.
• Indoor or outdoor fiber
carpets, wall covering,
doormat, trellises, and geo-
textiles are some of the
products made of the coconut
coir fiber.

17. Nito
• Nito is a plant belonging to the
fern family that grows
abundantly in the hinterlands
of Mindanao.
• Bags, bread tray, lampshade
and decorative jars are the
commonly created products
out of nito.

18. Nito Bags

19. Pandan
• Pandan is a tropical plant that
is processed and transformed
into splints that are being used
as a raw material. Baskets,
hats, picture frames and bags
are the known products made
from this local material.

20. Products made of Pandan leaves

21. Raffia
• Raffia is a fiber extracted from
unopened buri leaf in three (3)
stages, which is woven into
fabrics or used as wall
coverings, upholstery material,
folding doors and window
hangings.

22. Raffia
• Many products that are being
made from this local material
include: hats, placemats,
folder, shoes, slippers, boxes,
portfolio and ladies’ bags,
placemats, circular boxes,
document boxes.

23. Rattan
• Rattan belongs to the palm
family which can be high or low
climbers, single stemmed or
clustered rattan species.
• One can see baskets, picture
frames, furniture and other
novelty items, Zoya lounge chair,
Valencia queen size bed, Rest
divan, wall coverings, upholstery
materials, folding doors and
window hangings out of this
local material.

24. A product made of Rattan

25. Tikiw
• Tikiw is a large, erect, and
aquatic or marshy herb plant.
Found in Central Luzon and
Mindanao, it abounds in
freshwater swaps, and in newly
opened rice land at low altitude.
• Baskets, hampers with lids,
bags, rugs, carpets, placemats,
jars and other decorative items
are among the products that can
be made of Tikiw.

26. Tikog
• Tikog belongs to sea grasses. It
is a native reed plant used as a
raw material for mat weaving.
• Other products that result from
using this local material include:
bags, decorative mats, hampers,
newspaper racks, table mat,
waste bin, tower candle holder,
wall decors.

27. Tikog plant

28. Ilongot Jewelry (pearl, readhombil beak, plants,
metals)

29. Ifugaos’ “Hagabi” chair (narra)

30. Blood Painting by Elito Circa (aka “Amangpintor”)

31. ACTIVITY
Local materials available in our region may not be
available in other regions.
Other regions’ local materials may not be available
in our region.
Do you think it is an advantage for our culture as a
country? Why?

32. NOTE:
• Given the rich indigenous materials found in
different areas of the Philippines, more and more
artists will surely find new and innovative ways to
express themselves.
• Not only will they be able to present their cultural
heritage – they will definitely be able to surprise us
with their avant-garde artworks that are still rooted
in Filipino culture.