Contemporary Philippine Arts in the Region for SHS students

1. Contemporary
Philippine Arts in the
Region
ISLAMIC ERA (13TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT)

2. ISLAMIC ERA
• How did Islam influence art before the coming of Spanish
colonizers?
Islamic is characterized by geometric designs and patter selecting
focus from the believers. Even before the coming of Spanish
colonizers, Islam was already well entrenched in Southern Philippines.
Filipino Muslims recognize that they belong to an ummah or a
of believers. Central to the Islamic faith is the doctrine of or unity of
God. This belief emphasizes the impermanence of nature and the
incomprehensible greatness of the Divine Being.
In Islamic art we can observe how artist are influenced by the notion
of the Tawhid, we will find that the interior of mosques are covered
with elaborate patterning in the form of reliefs to draw the attention
away from the concrete object, in other words away from human
forms and nature” toward the contemplation of the divine” ( source:
Faludette May Datulin et. al , 2016. Contemporary Philippine Arts of
the Regions p. 19)

3. Happenings during Islamic
era
1. Sultanate of Sulu was established Sayyid Abbubakar
2. Quran or holy text was introduced
3. Building of religious school called Madrasah
4. Natives from Yakans , Basilan and Zamboanga were converted
to Islam
5. Islamazation process In Mindanao became strong.
6. Islam became the religion and as a way of life of people in
Mindanao (Tausug, Maranao, Maguindanao, Yakan, Samal,
Badjao).

4. SPANISH ERA (1521 – 1898)
What kinds of art developed during Spanish Colonization?
 Art became a hand maiden of religion, serving to propagate the Catholic
faith and thus support the colonial order at the same time.
 Religious orders were dispatched to convert the natives to Catholicism as
part of the larger project culturally as religious art, lowland Christian art or
folk art. During this period, cruciform churches following the shape of the
latin cross were built.
 In keeping with the prevailing, they were characterized by grandeur, drama,
and elaborate details that purposely appealed to the emotions. The use of
adobe, limestone or brick and the construction of thick buttresses or wing
like projections reinforce the church structure to make it more resistant to
earthquake. In other words, the result is a fusion of both native and
European elements, prompting some art historians to refer to the style as
colonial baroque or Philippine or tropical baroque. (source: Faludette May
Datulin et. al, 2016. Contemporary Philippine Arts of the Regions p. 31)

5. Important Happenings
related to art during Spanish
era
 Chinese artisans were engaged in making icons or saints made
in wood or ivory
 Colonial churches were built Western musical instruments
were introduced, pipe organ, violin, guitar, and piano
 Catholic liturgical music was introduced in 1742 Choral music
to boys were introduced and created the first Filipino
 composers named Marcelo Adonay (1848 – 1928)
 Musical form based on Catholic faith have emerge in the
Pasyon – the biblical of Christ’s passion chanted in an
improvise melody.

6. Important Happenings
related to art during Spanish
era
 Secular music was formed; the awit and the corridor –
these were the two musical forms based on European
literature and history.
 Kundiman became a vehicle for conflict – the lyrics were
that of unrequited love, except that the love object was
the Philippines who would be cleverly concealed as
beautiful woman.
 Mangyans made the baybayin script made of bamboo
poles cut into smaller nodes that are carved used to
composed short poems, expressing one’s feelings and
other emotional concerns.

7. Important Happenings
related to art during Spanish
 Pomp and pageantry of religious processions were introduced.
 Zarzuela was introduced, it was an opera which features singing and dancing
with prosed dialogue which allowed the story to be carried out in a song.
 Severino Reyes and Hermogenes Ilagan were awarded as the most distinguished
playwrights as they wrote zarzuela in Tagalog
 Honorata “ Atang” dela Rama awardeded as the most celebrated leading actress
 The first Senakulo was written in 1704 by Gaspar Aquino de Belen Komedya
were also introduced; komedya de santo (it centers on life of Christ ) and Secular
Komedya.
 Folk dances such as carinosa, pandango, polka , dansa and rigodon, habanera,
and tango were introduced.
 Visual arts, and paintings must be visual interpretation of biblical texts center to
Catholic devotion ex. Heaven Earth and Hell by Jose Dans ( 1850)
 Reprographic art of printmaking was introduced, Doctrina Christiana is an
example, the first printed book in the Philippines compiling song lyrics,
commandments, sacraments and other catechetical material.
 Juan Luna ( Spolarium) won gold medals and Felix Resurrection
 Hidalgo (Virgenes christianas expuestas al populacho) won silver medals

8. FamousArtistsand theirartworksduring
Spanishera:
• Visual Arts:
1. Damian Domingo – water color albums of tipos
2. Juan Luna – Spoliarium, Espana y Filipinas
3. Felix Resurrection Hidalgo – Virgenes christianas expuestas al
populacho
4. Lorenzo Guerrero - The Water Carrier
5. Simon Flores – Portrait of the Quiazon Family
6. Jose Dans – Heaven , Earth , Hell
7. Esteban Villanueva - Basi Revolt

9. Miniature painters
1. Antonio Malantic
2. Isidro Arceo
3. Dionesio de Castro
4. Justiniano Assuncion

10. Artist
• Engraver
1. Francisco Suarez
2. Nicolas Engraver
3. Laureano Atlas
4. Felipe Sevilla

11. Musician Composer
• Marcelo Adonay
• Theather Artist
• Honorata “Atang” dela Rama
• Writers:
• 1. Severino Reyes - Zarzuela
• 2. Hermogenes Ilagan – Zarzuela
• 3. Gaspar Aquino de Belen - Senakulo