Rediscovering Philippine Art - PART I

Summary

The video explores the rich history and evolution of Philippine art, highlighting its unique and sentimental qualities. It delves into pre-colonial, colonial, and contemporary influences, noting key artists like Fernando Amorsolo, Vicente Manansala, and Hernando Ocampo. Each artist’s style, such as Amorsolo’s use of light or Manansala’s cubism, reflects distinct aspects of Filipino culture and identity. The video underscores the importance of art in preserving cultural heritage, evolving through time while maintaining its role in shaping and expressing the Filipino identity.

Takeaways

• 🎨 **Rediscovering Philippine Art**: The video emphasizes the beauty and uniqueness of Philippine art, which is sentimental, poignant, romantic, and nostalgic.
• 🌏 **Cultural Influence**: Before foreign influences, the Philippines had its own cultural development, which was later infused with Western culture during the colonial period.
• 🏛️ **Historical Art Shift**: There was a shift from traditional Filipino art to Western-influenced art, affecting even courtship customs and historical heritage.
• 👨‍🎨 **Artistic Identity**: Philippine art plays a crucial role in preserving national identity and celebrating the country's rich cultural heritage.
• 🖌️ **Technical Innovations**: The video discusses the technical characteristics and innovations of Filipino artists, such as Fernando Amorsolo's use of light.
• 🌈 **Colorful Expression**: Filipino art is known for its use of vibrant colors, reflecting the country's diversity and love for the grandiose.
• 🏞️ **Cultural Representation**: Artworks like Amorsolo's Baguio depict the culture and lifestyle of Filipinos, using light in a way that is reminiscent of Impressionist painters.
• 🔵 **Vicente Manansala**: Manansala is noted for developing Transparent Cubism, showing a shift from traditional to modern art forms that reflect social realities.
• 🌿 **Hernando Ocampo**: Ocampo's style, though abstract, is considered the most Filipino, with his works portraying the natural beauty of the country through bold colors and strokes.
• 🗿 **Napoleon Abueva**: Abueva's modernist sculptures, with themes centered around Filipino culture and animals, show a departure from traditional sculpture styles.
• 📚 **Art History Overview**: The video provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of Philippine art from pre-colonial times through different periods of foreign influence to modern times.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video transcript?

The main topic of the video transcript is rediscovering Philippine art, discussing its history, cultural significance, and the influence of various artists on its development.

How is Philippine art described in the transcript?

Philippine art is described as beautiful, unique, emotional, sentimental, poignant, romantic, and nostalgic. It often reflects emotions such as regret, fear, and loneliness.

What are the objectives of studying Philippine art according to the transcript?

The objectives of studying Philippine art include analyzing the creative qualities of Philippine art through Filipino artists' works, recognizing notable technical characteristics and innovations of Filipino artists, and applying Filipino subject matter or technique through creative outputs.

What is the significance of Fernando Amorsolo's work in Philippine art?

Fernando Amorsolo's work is significant because he is known as the master of Philippine light, capturing the luminosity of skin and local scenes, which brings warmth and idyllic scenes of Philippine provinces and traditions.

How does Vicente Manansala's art differ from Fernando Amorsolo's?

Vicente Manansala's art differs from Fernando Amorsolo's in that Manansala developed a transparent cubism technique, which contrasts with Amorsolo's impressionist style. Manansala's work often reflects real events and social issues of his time, with non-luminous skin tones.

What is the contribution of Hernando Ocampo to Philippine art?

Hernando Ocampo's contribution to Philippine art is his unique painterly approach, which is considered by some critics as the most Filipino style. His works are characterized by abstract compositions of biological forms portrayed in bold strokes of colors.

What is the historical significance of pre-colonial Philippine art?

Pre-colonial Philippine art is significant because it reflects the rich historical and artistic background of the Philippines. It often used materials found in the immediate environment and combined functionality with aesthetics, connected to traditional belief systems and local values.

How did the American period influence Philippine art?

The American period influenced Philippine art by introducing new styles and techniques, and by opening up opportunities for Filipino artists to get involved in international art expositions. It also led to the opening of small workshops for art training.

What role did art play during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines?

During the Japanese occupation, art became a vehicle for the Japanese to control the Philippine spirit by restricting artistic expression and laying the groundwork for cultural regeneration, dissipating American influence.

What are some examples of traditional Philippine art forms mentioned in the transcript?

Some examples of traditional Philippine art forms mentioned in the transcript include wood carving, weaving, and pottery, such as the Manunggul jar of Palawan, kalatagan jar, and maetun burial jar.

What is the message for the future generation of artists in the transcript?

The message for the future generation of artists is that they are the future of Philippine arts, and it is up to them to decide the direction and future of art in the Philippines, encouraging them to continue the rich tradition and innovation in Philippine art.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Rediscovering Philippine Art: A Journey Through History

This paragraph introduces the topic of rediscovering Philippine art, emphasizing its uniqueness, emotional depth, and sentimentality. It highlights how Philippine art developed its identity before foreign influences and how it evolved during the colonial period, blending local and Western cultural elements. The importance of studying Philippine art to connect with history and identity is stressed.

05:02

🏞️ Amorsolo's Art and Filipino Culture

This section focuses on Fernando Amorsolo’s artwork, particularly his painting of Baguio. The use of light and local Filipino imagery, such as the bahay kubo, is discussed. Amorsolo's work is compared to Impressionist painters, showcasing how his technique embodies both Filipino culture and the idea of reminiscing about the past. The preservation of Filipino identity through art is also underscored.

10:03

🖌️ Notable Filipino Artists and Their Styles

This paragraph highlights several Filipino artists and their contributions to the national identity. Fernando Amorsolo is recognized for his mastery of light, while Vicente Manansala's cubism is introduced as an innovative approach to Filipino art. The importance of originality in Filipino artistic expression, despite foreign influences, is discussed through the lens of these notable artists.

15:08

🎭 Filipino Art Through Historical Eras

This section traces the development of Filipino art across different historical periods. From the pre-colonial use of natural materials to the religious influences during the Hispanic period, and later the American period's introduction of modern styles, Filipino art has evolved while retaining its cultural roots. The importance of traditional belief systems and local values is shown through various forms of art like pottery and wood carving.

20:09

🖼️ Modern and Contemporary Philippine Art

This paragraph explores modern and contemporary Philippine art. Artists like Napoleon Abueva and Hernando Ocampo are mentioned for their unique styles, including abstract compositions and geometric forms. The rise of modernism in the Philippines, particularly during the third and fourth republics, is noted as a time of both innovation and protest, with artists contributing to revolutionary art and national identity. The future of Philippine art is left as a question for the new generation of artists to answer.

Keywords

💡Philippine Art

Philippine Art refers to the diverse forms of visual and performing arts created by Filipinos. In the video, it is portrayed as sentimental, emotional, and rich in culture. The speaker emphasizes that understanding Philippine art helps in rediscovering the nation’s unique cultural identity, especially in the face of foreign influences.

💡Colonial Influence

Colonial Influence refers to the impact of foreign colonization on Filipino culture and art. The video highlights how Philippine art has been shaped by Western culture during the colonial period, but also stresses that Filipinos were already developing their own values and culture prior to colonization. This influence is seen in the evolution of art styles and techniques.

💡Fernando Amorsolo

Fernando Amorsolo was a renowned Filipino painter known for his use of light, often referred to as the 'Master of the Philippine Light.' In the video, his works are discussed as embodying the warmth and idyllic scenes of Philippine provincial life, highlighting his skill in capturing light and nature in a way that resonates with Filipino identity.

💡Impressionism

Impressionism is an art movement characterized by its focus on light and color to capture moments in time. The video connects Amorsolo's style to this movement, comparing his work to impressionist painters like Renoir and Monet. His use of light is described as a key element that brings his subjects, particularly the rural Philippine landscape, to life.

💡Cubism

Cubism is an avant-garde art movement that utilizes geometric shapes and multiple perspectives to depict subjects. In the video, Vicente Manansala's adaptation of cubism into a 'transparent cubism' style is highlighted, showing how Filipino artists have innovatively blended international art movements with local themes to create unique visual expressions.

💡Abstraction

Abstraction in art refers to the use of non-representational forms to convey ideas or emotions. The video discusses Hernando Ocampo’s abstract art, which uses biological forms and bold colors to evoke the natural beauty of the Philippines. His style is described as one of the most authentically Filipino despite its abstract nature.

💡National Identity

National Identity in the context of the video refers to the collective sense of cultural and historical pride that is expressed through art. Filipino artists, such as those mentioned in the video, use their works to preserve and reflect the Filipino identity, especially against the backdrop of foreign invasion and cultural influences.

💡Cultural Heritage

Cultural Heritage refers to the traditions, values, and artistic expressions passed down through generations. The video emphasizes the importance of Philippine art in preserving cultural heritage, citing examples such as pre-colonial pottery, weaving, and wood carving that demonstrate the country’s rich artistic legacy.

💡Pre-Colonial Art

Pre-Colonial Art refers to the artistic expressions that existed in the Philippines before foreign colonization. The video mentions examples like the Manunggul Jar and traditional wood carvings, showing how these early forms of art were tied to the local environment, belief systems, and practical uses, such as pottery and weaving.

💡Modernism

Modernism in Philippine art refers to the movement that began in the 20th century, characterized by a break from traditional forms and an embrace of new artistic techniques and ideas. The video describes how artists like Napoleon Abueva and HR Ocampo helped lead this movement, blending modernist styles with Filipino themes to create a unique form of expression.

Highlights

Rediscovering Philippine art emphasizes the unique and emotional characteristics of Filipino art, which is often nostalgic and sentimental.

Before foreign influences, the Philippines had its own rich culture and values reflected in early art forms.

Colonialism brought western influences into Filipino art, merging foreign and native styles over time.

Art serves as a medium to preserve Filipino identity and culture, especially in the face of foreign invasion and influence.

Fernando Amorsolo is celebrated as the 'Master of Philippine Light' for his mastery in capturing the interplay of light in his paintings.

Vicente Manansala developed the 'transparent cubism' technique, combining multiple geometric shapes and perspectives to create depth.

Hernando Ocampo's abstract works, characterized by bold strokes and colors, are considered among the most uniquely Filipino art.

Napoleon Abueva’s modernist sculptures veered away from conservative styles, embracing geometric and edgy forms while maintaining Filipino themes.

Early forms of Filipino art were practical and functional, using materials from the natural environment like buri, rattan, and bamboo in weaving.

The Manunggul Jar and Maitum burial jars are early Filipino artworks that reflect beliefs and emotions, featuring anthropomorphic designs.

Wood carving, especially among the Cordilleran peoples, and the Maranao's ornate designs like the Sarimanok, represent a deep cultural heritage.

Spanish colonial art was heavily influenced by religious themes, but still retained elements of Filipino culture and aesthetics.

The rise of modernism in the Philippines during the post-American era saw artists experimenting with new forms and media.

During the Marcos era, institutions like the Cultural Center of the Philippines were established to promote high art and avant-garde styles.

Contemporary Filipino art has evolved with the formation of commercial galleries, art groups, and the rise of new institutions supporting the arts.

Transcripts

good day everyone

sir levy is back

so it's been a long time since i

actually uploaded a video

so let's now move on to another topic

and that is

rediscovering philippine art i know you

already know how beautiful the

philippine arts are very unique and

very emotional very sentimental

philippine art in general is poignant

romantic and even

nostalgic

very sentimental among arts

emotions of regrets fear

and loneliness so before we were

influenced by those turners

we were already developing our own sets

of culture and values bhagavan sila the

mate

so during the colonial period gradually

we became infused by foreign influences

later on in western culture in terms of

art

[Music]

historical heritage even the old

filipino manners even ethics

school if you know the issue between

the andrew e and luni

and new schools and old school apartment

influenced by western culture so even

the beautiful way of courtship

is gone in the midst of the past

the lagang filipinas or continental

philippines nothing philippine art on

the other hand has been conscious of

these changes and has become

a way to reminisce and remember our old

virtues

and rich roots cinematograms artists

arts regarding our old school that is

why it is very important to study

philippine art

is part of identity and that's simply

because we have a beautiful culture

worth

celebrating um history now adding uh

philippine arts

culture so at the end of this discussion

ethong in young matuna

now let's have lesson one how philippine

is philippine art

it is a survey on the markers of our

artistic culture

so the objectives are here analyze

creative qualities of philippine art

through some filipino artists presented

recognize notable technical

characteristics and innovations of

filipino artists and three

apply the filipino subject matter or

technique

through a simple creative output

some art and philippine art so applying

the knowledge of art criticism if you

can still remember

my component snapping we can have

components of arts and uh the subject of

art

criticize them art so we can see how

such painting rendition of amorsolo's

work

mirrors the functions of art quality and

functional art

and we have studied that already before

so the subject matter the context and

the imagery and even the use of light

here obviously signifies something local

hence presenting itself

as a reminder of our culture and even a

sense of identity

applying the topics we have discussed

uh before the subjects of art the

uh components of art the elements of art

the functions of art and pretty natalia

criticized no

we do have an identity and filipinos are

actually art lovers

we love grandiose and colorful things

these are so evident in our jeepneys

the colorful decorations of pahia's

festival

our native pigments and colors and even

our clothes of asuata

sometimes we do not even have a sense of

color harmony

the music orange

um but you know nothing is wrong with

that because that is art

our diversity is indeed reflective in

our art forms and it makes us united and

unique

so let's look at the rendition of

amorsolos baguio

as you can see young subject of art

latin

a young missman scenery in baguio

it also shows the culture of the

filipinos in baguio like kubo

and if you can see the light used by

amor solo major impressionists

so therefore it's

[Music]

there is a question in the painting can

we go back to the past

so how do you see the painting of

fernando morsolos baguio

filipino artists are important forces in

the formation of our national identity

must not preserve nothing original

identity

invasion of the foreigners so images and

the culture of making artwork has power

in itself casino young acting

original identity as we go on moving

from generation to generation so these

are some notable artists who have

captures our filipino sensibilities

in their own ways perspectives

culture original identity number

filipinos

number one ac fernando amorsolo

interpreted the

philippine light or young light

so we can compare his style with the

impressionist painters you know

impressionistic

painters that and also aim to express

simple beauties of nature and life

such arties are augusta renoir

edward monet and augustua dominic

ingress

because of omar solo's expertise on his

medium which is oil and his sensitivity

to life

amor solo was able to paint luminous

skin as slight strikes

it and creates a certain glow and of

course others even say that you can

almost feel the blood rushing underneath

the flesh

casing as a sobrang luminous

painting fernando morsolo because of the

use of light

so in short fernando marsolo is expert

on uh

using the sensitivity of light sagan

paintings he was then coined as the

master of the philippine light this is

the kind of light

then when it strikes tan flesh or leaves

of the trees

for example one can immediately see a

range of analogous

or related colors such as yellow green

yellow and white that appear at the same

time and makes one feel the want of the

scene created

because of his excellent style his

paintings never failed to bring back the

warmth

and idyllic scenes of philippine

province and traditions

so that's properly non-light

so paranal

[Music]

and the feeling of province in the

philippines in his paintings

look at this guys

next among the filipino artists we have

vicente mansala who developed his

rendition

of transparent cubism technique so his

technique is cubism

it don't see bernardo mor solo

impressionism

cubism was pioneered jointly by pablo

picasso and george brokay

and was described to be the most radical

innovation of art isms

since it contrasted greatly with the

classical perception of beauty and

normal

definition a lot of beauty it uses

overlapping and multi-perspective

geometric shapes and forms of the chosen

subject to produce depth

[Music]

edges

[Music]

[Music]

[Applause]

is closer to synthetic cubism rather

than its earlier phase

which is analytic cubism he further

developed it into transparent cubism

which shows panels of shapes interfacing

each other

differential syntheticism and analytic

division

creepers and kss analytic cubism look at

this painting this is vicente manzalas

so unlike amarsolo marasala echoes the

proletarian painters of the united

states oyo mangamir

and uh uh majorcar painters language

normal pinterest united states

so his works were non-ideally indonesia

idyllic

emotions and background showing evidence

of real events happening at this time

like poverty public era economic

depression

and skin tones are not luminous

[Music]

next we have hernando arocampo so campos

style was considered by some critics as

the most filipino

filipino style so most of hr or campos

works

are purely abstraction or abstract

therefore it is hard to pinpoint why he

was described as the most filipino

painter ever

however it is not the content but rather

the style of his works

where one can see his unique painterly

approach so therefore sama

a unique that's based on the critics

what is unique in its works are the

abstract compositions of biological

forms that are portrayed in bold strokes

of colors

that seem to oscillate before your eyes

so his subject matters are usually

nature's flora and fauna

hence reflective of the natural beauty

of his country

helix hernando campo some of our

biological forms like

plants and animals yung young nature's

flora and fauna nanaga reflect

natural beauty numbanza next we have

napoleon abuela

which a modernist but the filipino

themed sculptures young animals work

so characterized by the planner and

geometric look of his

sculptures and veered away from the

conservatism of his mentor guillermo

tolentino

known for sculpting the diversity of the

philippines oblation

adjena mitnama and concepts like carabao

father and child and even farmers

sculptures yokanyama's cultures are

mostly characterized by edgy and bold

concept so what's happening a bite of

visual arts history of the country

so i know history in a man on visual

arts the philippines

so these are the objectives

do you remember your elementary days

when you were asked to wear a costume

that represents the philippines

have you learned that uh camisa de chino

or salapot if you are male

have you paired your malone with pearl

jewelry and outlets

certainly these are signifiers of our

rich

historical artistic background so from

such examples

we can safely say that the function

preceded the aesthetics during our

pre-colonial time so even for colonial

times meru natal

arts and culture and alana

by use of some materials found in the

immediate environment combining a

functionality with statics and art forms

are usually connected to traditional

delete

systems and local values so gametagating

environmental materials it has

related or in relation to the belief

systems

and the local values among filipino

earliest forms in ayuklay battery and

the best

example of it is the manungul jar of

palawan

in another form is the kalatagan jar

which displays

inscriptions on its body on

mysulatsaganya

[Music]

we also have the maetun burial jar

which is anthropomorphic or ebik samia

and mero

mohan were characterized by the faces of

human beings

with expressions of sadness and joy

foreign

[Music]

so wood carving is another prominent art

form

our animistic ancestors mostly from the

cordilleras

curved up in many variations

[Applause]

[Music]

design and motif on wood used by the

maranao

and taosu peoples so principal designs

are

the sari manok a colorful kingfisher

with mythical reference

the naga ancient serpents and pakorabong

stylized fern this is found mostly in

the extended floor beams of the maranao

torogan

which is the sultan's house a variation

of his ornamentation can be found in the

mallong

and even in stone grave markers

weaving was also predominant as we are

very rich

in materials like the burri rattan

pandan and bamboo splits

used in making hats and baskets like the

passaiking backpack

[Music]

local textiles were also weave finely

from materials like pinya and

baja fibers textile designs were present

in that tinala cloth of pindanao which

is a decorative thai dyeing method

with motives like a gemayo bird with

flapping wings

the dancing man as a symbol to call for

rain and the frog for fertility

during hispanic period the month the

main force of art is the church

yumasimbahanaten hence works were mostly

concerned with religious subject matters

so therefore

yomma arts that indito are based on

religions

notable artworks were philippine flora

and fauna

and the leches ifiguras filipinos were

trained by friars

and but they adhered to a more rich

palette like red blue

and yellow in american period

naman we have this american influence on

1900s

closing of the escuela de pintura

granbado escultura

which paved the way for the opening of

small workshops led by artists to train

pupils

photoethnography was done by american

soldiers

to prove the uncivilized and primitive

people of the philippines forces of art

were commissions

sales gifts and opening of new

american-based businesses

and filipinos started getting involved

international art expositions

like felix resurrection hidalgo second

republic naman which is 1942-1945

japan occupies the country and laid the

groundwork for cultural

regeneration dissipating american

influence

some artists involved in the movement

were conservatives fernando morsolo his

brother pablo

guillermo tolentino dominador and

castaneda and modernist victorio

edades hernando campo

art became a vehicle of influence for

the japanese to control the philippine

spirit

by restricting their artistic expression

on third the republic 1946 to 1972

the rise of modernism is per headed

mostly by h.r ocampo

victorio dades and napoleon bueba art

association of the philippines was

formed along the philippine art gallery

and main art movements were realism

neorealism with media-related

conventions like comics and editorial

cartoons

fourth republic 1972-1986

marco's era marcus monument was created

but

was later destroyed so first lady mel

demarco's efforts at himalayan

cultural center of the philippines

jannabo and ccp an established

ccp national arts center and philippine

high school for the arts among others

the ccp was envisioned as

a shrine for high art and avante garde

prominent artists were chabat fernando

zobel raymundo

albano along with modern artist mansala

who painted the

madonna of the slums benedicto cabrera

bengal

produced protest and revolutionary art

through his paintings and prints

antipas de lutabo painted with

watercolor a very striking work entitled

ipat sapozuni and in the fifth republic

1972-1986 contemporary philippine art

has arisen rise of commercial

galleries improvement of institutions

and formation of

more art groups and collectives

and this only shows that new modern

art in the philippines has just arrived

the moment i am a commercial gallery is

that an even

improvement of the art institution

statin and formulation or formation

of more art groups and collective groups

so now we just learned the history of

the philippines in terms

of art anonymous arts nothing

was it good is it going good

or are we having a good future of art

well uh it's for you to decide because

you are now

the future artist you are the new

generation

of the philippine arts well that's it

for today

thank you so much for watching see you

next time sir levy is signing off

you