SAN JACINTO CATHOLIC SCHOOL, INC.

CPAR 12
San Jacinto, Pangasinan
CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM THE REGIONS 12
GRADE 12 LEARNER’S MODULE # 5 – 2ND Quarter, Week 9 - 10
CHAPTER 5: CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTS IN THE PHILIPPINE REGIONS

Lesson 1: Mixed and Multimedia Art: Combining Art Forms

Art Production
Mixed and multimedia art
It refers to an artwork that is made from a combination of mediums and materials. It can be a combination of
photographs and paintings or stones embedded on wood, for example. Ink can be combined with pastel or layers of textile
painted with acrylic. Instead of using seeds, shells, stones, and fiber as raw material for the artwork, some modern artists
employ commercial garbage – especially the abundant rubbish of the technology, digital, and print industries.

Techniques Used in Mixed Media

 Collage – is an artistic composition of materials and objects pasted over a
flat surface and is usually hung on the wall. Batanes artist Pacita Abad
finds joy in putting together in a creative way the things that are usually
neglected, such as buttons, mirrors, shells, and many other things. Her
collages constitute an unconscious return to tribal modes of artistry,
particularly in the equation of the tactile with the visual.
 Assemblage. As the word implies, it is putting together objects and
combining them in new contexts. Assemblage employs any method of
joining or fastening to make a three-dimensional object. For example, cellphone batteries or computer parts
that are no longer in use are usually disposed of. But artists can pick up the parts, assemble, and transform
these into an artwork. Thus, the objects cease to function as they originally did. They become artworks.
In three – dimensional mixed media artworks such as assemblage, some
artists stuff the objects, including birds, pillow, or other things whose internal
parts can be replaced and transformed creatively into an artwork. “The
purpose they serve is internal to art: to get away from abstraction, calculation,
deliberate design, and cerebral form – to reestablish the status of things as
things” (Feldman 1981, 308).
Tagbiliran artist Omar Dagdayan combines painting and sculpture in his
assemblage entitled John Lennon. He used a real guitar and sculpture the
hands, setting them like real ones playing guitar. The effect is a natural look of
the musician John Lennon.

Art Appreciation

Just like in any visual art, the viewer has to understand the qualities of the artwork to be able to appreciate it. In
mixed and multimedia art, the medium and materials are of primary consideration. Aside from identifying what was used,
you have to analyze how they were put together and what the artwork represents. There are factors that have shaped it
which are part of personal, as well as social life of the artist.
Appreciation of mixed and multimedia art may be guided by a closer look at quality and content. To determine the
quality of the artwork, you can describe the form, materials, and technique employed in the art production process. In
exploring the content of the artwork, analyze the human and social conditions that may have shaped the thinking of the
artist and influenced his or her style.
See how art appreciation applies to Pacita Abad’s Bilog – Bilog on page 4
Quality: Form, Materials, and Technique
Description of the form, materials, and technique
The subject matter of the artwork is shapes and colors. As the title Bilog – Bilog suggests, the colorful shapes
consist of tiny button and mirror circles stitched and embedded into the padded canvas. This style is called trapunto
painting. Buttons and mirrors are stitched on padded canvas and painted acrylic. Collage mixed media, as a medium, best
expresses the artist’s intended effect of two – dimensional effect.
The artwork consists of a variety of irregular shapes, which are characteristics of abstraction. There are no
identifiable figures. Instead, each shape has color that connects harmoniously to the next colored shapes, which are
separated only by different colors of outline. In the upper middle part of the frame are the color hues from yellow to green
and blue. The orange colors break the monotony of pattern and shapes. Texture is heavy as a result of the thousands of
tiny objects stitched on to canvas.
Content: Social Context
Analysis of human and social conditions that shaped the thinking of the artists and
influenced his or her style

The artist expresses herself through colors and tangible materials sewn and attached to the canvas. This process
of art making is important to the contemporary artist. The arrangement of objects within each frame and connecting it to
the next is a part of the creative process. The result is a happy mix of color and texture that is pleasing to the eye of the
viewer. Would it be the same if the colors were painted on a flat surface? Not at all. It will lose its details and the vibrant
effect of the tiny buttons.
The artwork is a celebration of color, feeling, and mood – the things that give meaning to the artwork.

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Lesson 2: Photography and Digital Art: Technology-aided Art

Photography and digital art are the most accessible and manipulated art form used by billions of people around
the globe. Since technology has changed photography, the camera has evolved into different sizes. With the invention of
communication devices with camera, it can now fit into anyone’s pocket so that it is now the most convenient image-taking
gadget. The images recorded through the mobile device can be uploaded instantly through Facebook, Twitter, e – mail,
and many other ways with digital intervention. It is very common to view online photos of anything and everything that
human beings do: what they have for breakfast, daily activities, celebrations, and everything else can be visually recorded
and uploaded for the whole world to see.

Photography

It was introduced to the Philippines by the Europeans. In 1875, “there were seven photographers in the country.
Famous for its lessons in creative photography for amateurs and hobbyists is the Camera Club of the Philippines, which
was formed under the initiative of Manuel de Cartagena. Today, photography is an artistic medium, a tool foe self-
expression and a necessity for the production of various types of art” (Sta. Maria and Pilar 1994).

Different types of Contemporary Photography

 Nature Photography – photographs enable us to view people, landscapes, places, and objects that we may never
encounter in our lifetime. Nature can be captured in its pure form, just like the photograph Which way? By Roger
Rishab Tibon and Asan ang Signal? By Aleta Gabronimo at Mt. Apo Natural Park, Magpet, North Cotabato.
 Photography and Reality – Photography can also present reality in its true form. If words can describe a scene,
photography has the power to show it. The photo above shows a glimpse of a common mode of transportation in
Manila.
 Photographic Alteration – Photography can also offer an illusion and this challenges the standpoint of fidelity of
appearance. Photographic devices can be used for entertainment, documentation, reporting but these devices offer
instant technology that can convert and edit images at one touch. Hence, what is natural becomes an interpretation
that can hide whatever the photographer wishes to conceal and add what is desired to be visible, even when it is
actually not.
 Mobile Photography – Mobile photography is taking pictures using a mobile phone. It is a whole new type or style of
photography that has emerged as a result of significant advances in smartphone cameras.Depending on the
cellphone camera quality and image resolution, photos can be printed as big as 8 x 10 in. However, if it is printed
bigger, the photograph will look blurry and pixelated because of the limited image resolution.
 Photojournalism – As the name suggests, this type of photo is used in journalism. There are photos that accompany
narratives in the newspapers, magazines, and digital media to give the reader a view of persons, places, and events.

Digital Art

Digital art is an art form that uses digital technology as an essential part of the c or presentation process. We have
seen these in cartoon shows on television and lately in movies with digital intervention. Digital artwork can be posted
online through the Internet and distributed electronically in a split of a second and can be viewed by anyo who is hooked
to cyberspace. Some artists print out their digital art and exhibit the as a two-dimensional artwork hanging on the wall
creative

There are different types of digital art electronic-aided digital art, nonfigurative digital art, fantasy digital art, and digital art
as design.

 Electronic-aided Digital Art - Digital art was raised a step higher by the Yuchengco Museum in collaboration wa
Samsung Electronics Philippines, a leading Korean electronics company, when they collaborated with artists on
an exhibition of art with the intervention of technology. An example is the relief sculpture by Leeroy New, which is
made of fiberglass, resin, and acrylic paint. Aided by Samsung's Ultra High Definition Smart TV, cellphone, and
tablet, and supplemented by a mobile application called FACETS, which uses augmented reality technology, the
relief sculpture is transformed into digital art.
 Nonfigurative Digital Art - Contemporary artists who engage in nonfigurative digital art disregard figures and any
semblance to nature, naturalism, and realism. They use geometric shapes, lines, spaces, movement, and color in
their art composition. Ed Coscolluela articulates what his nonfigurative digital artwork means in the artist's
statement.
 Fantasy Digital Art - Fantasy digital artists create worlds, universes, imaginary creatures and combine colors that
can transport the viewer to another world that seem boundless and immensely broad. They take inspiration from
myths, legends, fantasy stories or create their own visual narrative. An example that depicts enchantment and
dreamland is lligan artist Ferdinand Ladera's Enchanted. His control of light leads the viewer's eye from the
foreground to the middle ground then disappears in the background. Light is also reflected against the silhouette
of trees and appear to be twinkling stars. There are deers and other friendly animals jumping around like it was
their playtime under the silvery moon.
 Digital Art as Design - There is a great demand for digital art from the business and commercial industry, leisure
and recreation, airline and shipping industry, communication and media. Contemporary art design is popular
among people in urban places. Because of its digital form, these designs are easily spread and shared
electronically. There is also a growing need for artistic environment to complement the lifestyle of the growing
number of professionals. For example, the millions of Filipinos who work overseas are exposed to various art
styles and so their artistic taste may not be traditional nor local.

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 SAN JACINTO CATHOLIC SCHOOL, INC. CPAR 12
San Jacinto, Pangasinan
CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM THE REGIONS
GRADE 12 LEARNER’S MODULE # 6 – 2ND Quarter, Week 11 - 12
CHAPTER 6: CONTEMPORARY DESIGN IN ART CRAFTS

Lesson 1: From Folk Art to Contemporary Expressions

Contemporary art craft expressions find inspiration in folk art. Folk art pieces are produced by indigenous people,
which are utilitarian, as well as decorative. It uses plants that are abundant locally, such as buri (palm), pandan (seagrass
leaves), abacca, piña, or bamboo.
The contemporary expression inspired by folk arts includes woven products: textile, fabrics, and clothing; bags
and accessories; footwear; home use-products; lampshades; decors; and masks.
Woven products used as clothing, bags, accessories that are based on folk art and design are gaining popularity
locally and globally. This way, our products are not only recognized by more people but also provide employment and
foster development and sustainability of the art craft industry.
 Barong tagalog, or simply, barong, has its origins from the Spanish rule in the Philippines. The colonizers wanted to
distinguish themselves from the indios by making them wear thin and transparent clothing to primarily prevent
carrying of weapons. This piece of clothing had no pockets to prevent thievery and was worn untucked under the
waistband to mark social status. The fabric was made of piña, jusi, abaca, or banana. Through the centuries, the
barong has been worn by Filipino men. Modern fashion designers have created variations of the original barong so
that it is now also worn by women. There is a variety of embroidery design and they come in different colors, such as
red, blue, brown, yellow, green. The polo barong is another variety that was designed to be worn at work. They have
short sleeves and are made of cotton, ramie, or chiffonille.
 Bags and Accessories
Bags of different sizes and shapes can be functional and aesthetic. Ilocos abel fabrics
designed with geometric patterns are both fashionable and useful, especially for students who use
them as bags. In Bacolod, pandan leaves are woven and can be tied with cow leather to make
bags of export quality. In Bicol, rattan and other types of wood are used as bag handles. Banig can
also be used as little purses, as in the case of Tacloban. Ikat is a style of weaving that uses dyeing
process before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design. It is mostly practiced in Cordillera by the Ifugaos and
the ethnic groups in Mindanao. Modern fashion designers make creative use of ikat weave by
turning these into accessories and clothing accents. Pearls are abundant in the southern part of
the country. These make good accessories. In the northern part of the country, natural materials
such as stone, rocks, woods, sticks, animal bones and teeth, shells, feathers, leaves, cloth, or
leather can make neck laces and other accessories.

Footwear
Indigenous materials such as beads, crochet, rattan, and woven fabric are used as
materials for footwear. They prove to be strong, durable, and attractive. Yuchengco Museum
organized a bazaar of handmade Filipino products and handcrafted ware in November 2014 and called it "Habines! And
All Things Handmade Bazaar."
Abaca sandals are decorated with colorful beads in Laguna. Although they do not have high heels like the bakya,
they are preferred for their comfort and attractive design. Sandals made of buri are found in Bohol. Because they are thin
and light, they are perfect for indoors and can easily be kept in the luggage, which is convenient for travelers.

Home-use Products
Because of environmental concerns, we are more selective of the material component of the products that we
use, especially at home. Banig is used for throw pillow cases in Cebu. In Bukidnon, abaca is woven into hats, baskets,
and different types of containers. In Bacolod, trays are made of pandan leaves. In Bohol, rapia makes good material for
bottle holders.
Lampshades
Lampshades can be made from native plants such as buri and abaca. Maria Vinecraft, Inc. of Davao City makes
lampshades from the amlong vine. Bacolod artist Anita Feria uses ceramics and paints these to make ceiling lamps.
Decors
Tapestries are wall decors that are made of woven fabric. These are common in Ilocos and Baguio City. In
Dipolog City, a unique design is in the collection of Andres Bonifacio College. Patrick Gabutina's creative decors are made
of driftwood, dried grasses, and dried flowers. Assembled with sinamay, they are turned into very attractive decors that
can be put on the table during Christmas season.
Masks
In many ethnic tribes in the Philippines, masks are believed to have magical powers. They can serve
as dwelling for ancestral spirits or can be put on the door to ward off evil spirits. Contemporary artists make
masks for decorative purposes. The common color is brown combined with black. Sometimes the masks are
attached to tapestry. The faces are painted with different geometric shapes and colors while the hair of each
mask is made of thread and rope. In Bacolod, the masks are theatrical, comic, colorful, and combined with
painted objects.
Art Appreciation
Just like any visual art, the viewer has to understand the qualities of contemporary design in art crafts to be able
to appreciate it. According to Clifford Geertz, art emerges from a culture. "In their culture and society, (artists) gather
experiences to which the artist is a part." This idea will guide you in your appreciation of the contemporary expression
based on the folk arts. Appreciation of art crafts may be guided by looking into the folk art references, its cultural

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significance, and artistic design and function. Study the guide below.

Lesson 2: Furniture Products

Furniture (kasangkapan) pieces in the traditional Filipino house were simple and functional. These include the
clothes cabinet (aparador), kitchen window rack for drying utensils (banggera), cabinet for food and utensils
(paminggalan), chairs (bangko) and tables (lamesa), and beds made of bamboo (papag) with no mattress. It was the
Spanish missionaries and colonizers who introduced a variety of other furniture pieces such as altar tables, benches,
sofas, cupboards, full length mirrors, dressers, and chests. For the affluent Filipinos, beds were either made of hardwood,
brass, or iron. The gallinera was a long chair with the bottom used to cage roosters. During the 17th and 18th centuries,
Peñaranda in Nueva Ecija, Baliuag in Bulacan, Paete in Laguna, Bacolor in Pampanga, and Malabon were the furniture
centers of the Philippines.

Art Production
So as not to threaten sustainability of our forests, there are policies, moratoria, and laws that disallow timber
extraction in old growth forests and in critical areas as steep slopes, above 1000-meter elevation, stream banks, and
wilderness areas for conservation of biodiversity and gene pools.
This has affected over 2,500 business establishments in the furniture export industry. This has also affected
furniture craftsmen who had to look for alternative materials. The most popular are plastic monobloc lightweight stackable
polypropylene chairs and metal combined with abaca and other plant-based but durable materials.

Famous Filipino Furniture Designers

Ito Kish is an interior designer as well as a furniture designer. His Makati Showroom
exemplifies his aesthetics, a contemporary space with Asian elements culled from years of working
in Indonesia and Malaysia as a visual merchandiser, and from his travels as a retailer. "When you
travel and get to meet a lot of clients, you learn more," he says (Lara 2009). Kish likes tying
together vertical figures with similar form and design. This forms part of his chairs and other types
of furniture.
Vito Selma is a native of Cebu. His pieces of furniture show wood grain and texture. His
lines are very visible, curved, bent, or tied together forming rhythmic patterns suggesting
movement, yet the piece is unmoving. Elegance is the word that best describes Selma's furniture designs.
Kenneth Cobonpue is a world renowned, multi awarded, industrial designer known for his organic designs in
natural fibers and materials. His excellent designs and superb craftsmanship, when set in the proper environment as
Cobonpue envisions it, can instantly transport you to another world.
In Cebu, furniture designers Cobonpue, D'oro Barandino, Debbie Palao, Bernice
Montenegro, Ferdinand "Aztick" Villarin, and Rodriguez sisters Vikki and Paula
exhibited world-class pieces of furniture at SM City Cebu in January 2015. The local furniture
products use combination of geometric and organic, hand woven nylon rope, pliable rattan
with rigid steel, and solid form with transparent volume. The collection consisted of furniture
that manifests integration of material, function, and form, characterized by elegance and
sophistication. The exhibition shows how Cebuano furniture designers make local products
as pieces of art that meet both local and global demands.
Niccolo Jose treats every piece of furniture that he designs as an artwork. They are
organic sculptures, functional wooden accent art pieces, and studio contemporary furniture.
Only an artist who knows human anatomy very well can design furniture in a style that fits the
demand, movement, and measurements of the sitter. Always with comfort in mind, he insists
on "made-to-measure" furniture that negates mass production.
His furniture exhibition "Studio 10.10 Exhibit: The Contrapposto Series" was described as a collection that "puts
emphasis on crafting organic, beautiful, and functional art. The furniture pieces are renditions of thrones used by powerful
and influential beings. Made from reclaimed and recycled wood, the mere presence of the chairs in a room commands
attention" .
Maria Erika S. Masalonga is a graduate of BS Industrial Design from Mapua Institute of
Technology. She won first place at the Green Furniture Design Competition (Student Level). Solace
Rocking Chair, her official entry, is made of woven rattan and abaca rope while recycled aluminum is
used as its metal frame. These materials adhere to the competition's goal of promoting eco-friendly
furniture. The furniture was designed in July 2011 and manufactured by Danilyn's Enterprises Inc.
Through the combined efforts of the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines (CFIP) and
the Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines (PDDCP) to spearhead the
competition, furniture made of sustainable materials such as Masalonga's Solace Rocking Chair are
given the spotlight they deserve. Such events also encourage manufacturers to adopt green design
in their production lines.

Contemporary furniture designs are in demand in business offices. Modular designs offer support for systematic
work and movement in the office. Desks, chair, filing cabinets, and computer are arranged so that the occupant simply
turns the chair without having to cross the room, which can be time consuming.
REFERENCES:
 Ramirez, Veronica E. 2016. Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions. Quezon City: Vibal Group, Inc.
 http://www.artnet.com/artists/pacita-abad/bilog-bilog-JpI6n4REL7UVqXH65FzVVg2
 https://henricainglet.com/2015/11/10/bohol-buhol-group-show-artologist/
 http://mudandart.weebly.com/contemporary-craft-and-design.html

Prepared by: Prepared by: Mr. Teody John V. Fernandez, Ms. Ma. Cherry A. Mercado and Ms. Jenica M. Rocapor
Subject Teachers

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 Checked by: Mrs. Lailanie L. De Guzman, M.Ed.
Gr. 12 Coordinator

SAN JACINTO CATHOLIC SCHOOL, INC.

Evaluation For Contemporary Philippine Arts From The Regions, Module #5, Weeks 9 - 10

Name: ________________________________________ GR./SEC. ____________ Date:_____________ Score: _____

PERFORMANCE TASK
A. Directions: Create your own digital art using photography and mobile cellphone image-alteration
techniques. Submit your output and paste it to this worksheet.

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 Rubric for Digital Art
Craftsmanship 10 Points The art displays precise attention to detail.
Creativity 10 Points The art exhibits personal expression and inventiveness.
Conventions 10 Points Conventions of contemporary art are demonstrated in full command.
TOTAL 30 Points

WRITTEN WORK
Analysis of a Photograph
B. Directions: Write your analysis to digital art you make.

Title:

Model :
________________________________________________________________________________

Content:
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Rubric for Art Analysis

Content 10 Points The analysis is fully focused and contains a wealth of ideas and/or examples.
Organization 5 Points Information is presented in progression (logical sequence).
Conventions 5 Points Conventions of written language are demonstrated in full command.
Style 5 Points Effective arrangement with smooth transitions.
TOTAL 25 Points

SAN JACINTO CATHOLIC SCHOOL, INC.

Evaluation For Contemporary Philippine Arts From The Regions, Module #6, Weeks 11 - 12

Name: ________________________________________ GR./SEC. ____________ Date:_____________ Score: _____

WRITTEN WORK and PERFORMANCE TASK

For Face to Face:

Form a group of eight members and make a DIORAMA of furniture set for a hotel lounge in your town.
First, plan the design of the furniture. Then, sketch how the furniture will look like, what colors and design
should be. Assign a piece of furniture to each member of the group. Your furniture set will be mounted on
illustration board so be sure that they are of the same size. Be prepared to show and talk about your artwork in
class

For Modular:
Get a sheet of bond paper or use the space below and choose a folk art to sketch. Design your own
contemporary art craft showing some elements based on the folk art. Color the artwork with crayons, acrylic, or
any coloring materials available. Explain your work with a minimum of 5 sentences.

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 Rubrics
Craftsmanship 10 Points The art displays precise attention to detail.
Creativity 10 Points The art exhibits personal expression and inventiveness.
Conventions 10 Points Conventions of contemporary art are demonstrated in full command.
Presentation 10 Points The presentation of the details is accurate and sensible.
TOTAL 40 Points

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