MODULE 2
Significant Contemporary Artist from the
Regions: Their Role and Contribution To
Contemporary Arts
Specifically, after learning this module, you
should be able to do the following:
a. Get to know our National Artists from different art forms.
b. Understand their roles and contribution to contemporary arts
c. Explain Filipino artists’ roles and identify their contribution to
contemporary arts.
What Is the Role of Filipino artist?
FILIPINO artists play a role in presenting and educating the public about our history and identity. Artists
create a sense of community there are many roles that an artist fills. But, in smaller cities, having local artists
brings a sense of pride to the community. It also sets examples for young people who might be considering careers
in the arts. Artists support their communities by teaching their art and craft.
The Four Fundamental Roles of the Artist
Artists make a visual record of the people, places, and events of their time and place.
Artists help us to see the world in new or innovative ways.
Artists make functional objects and structures (buildings) more pleasurable and elevate them or imbue
them with meaning.
Artist give form to the immaterial – hidden or universal truths, spiritual forces and personal feelings.
0
THE NATIONAL ARTISTS
1. ARCHITECTURE
a. Juan F. Nakpil, architect, teacher and civic leader, is a pioneer and innovator in Philippine
architecture. In essence, Nakpil's greatest contribution is his belief that there is such a thing as
Philippine Architecture, espousing architecture reflective of Philippine traditions and culture.
Major works: Nakpil's major works are the Geronimo de los Reyes Building ,Magsaysay Building, Rizal Theater,
Capitol Theater, Captain Pepe Building, Manila Jockey Club, Rufino Building, Philippine Village Hotel
,University of the Philippines Administration and University Library, the reconstructed Rizal house in Calamba,
Laguna.
b. Pablo S. Antonio pioneered modern Philippine architecture. His basic design is grounded on
simplicity, no clutter. The lines are clean and smooth, and where there are curves, these are made
integral to the structure. For him, “Function comes first before elegance or form". The other thing
that characterizes an Antonio structure is the maximum use of natural light and cross ventilation.
Antonio's major works include the following: Far Eastern University Administration and Science buildings;
Manila Polo Club; Ideal Theater; Lyric Theater; Galaxy Theater; Capitan Luis Gonzaga Building; Boulevard-
Alhambra (now Bel-Air) apartments; Ramon Roces Publications Building (now Guzman Institute of Electronics).
Others:
c. Leandro V. Locsin
Buildings designed by him: --the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Folk Arts Theater, Philippine International
Convention Center, Philcite and The Westin Hotel.
d. Ildefonso P. Santos, Jr.
Jr.'s most recent projects were the Tagaytay Highland Golf and Country Club, the Mt. Malarayat Golf and
Country Club in Lipa, Batangas, and the Orchard Golf and Country Club in Imus, Cavite.
2. CINEMA
a. Lino Brocka, director for film and broadcast arts, espoused the term "freedom of expression" in
the Philippine Constitution. Brocka took his social activist spirit to the screen leaving behind 66
films which breathed life and hope for the marginalized sectors of society --slumdwellers,
prostitute, construction workers, etc.
Works: "Wanted: Perfect Mother" (1970), "Tubog sa Ginto" (1971), "Stardoom" (1971), "Tinimbang Ka Ngunit
Kulang" (1974),
b. Gerardo "Gerry" De Leon- belongs to the Ilagan clan and as such grew up in an atmosphere rich
in theater
Works: "Daigdig ng Mga Api," "Noli Me Tangere," "El Filibusterismo," and "Sisa."
c. Ishmael Bernal was a filmmaker of the first order and one of the very few who can be truly called
a maestro. Critics have hailed him as "the genius of Philippine cinema.”
1
Works: "Pahiram ng Isang Umaga" (1989), "Broken Marriage" (1983), "Himala" (1981), "City After Dark"
(1980), and "Nunal sa Tubig" (1976).
3. VISUAL ARTISTS
a. Carlos "Botong" Francisco, the poet of Angono, single-handedly revived the forgotten art of
mural and remained its most distinguished practitioner for nearly three decades.
His other major works include the following: Portrait of Purita, The Invasion of Limahong, Serenade, Muslim
Betrothal, Blood Compact, First Mass at Limasawa, The Martyrdom of Rizal, Bayanihan, Magpupukot,
Fiesta, Bayanihan sa Bukid, Sandugo.
b. Fernando C. Amorsolo. The official title "Grand Old Man of Philippine Art" was bestowed on
Amorsolo when the Manila Hilton inaugurated its art center on January 23, 1969 with an exhibit
of a selection of his works.
Works: Maiden in a Stream(1921)-GSIS collection; El Ciego(1928)-Central Bank of the Philippines
collection; Dalagang Bukid(1936) -Club Filipino collection; The Mestiza(1943) -National Museum of the
Philippines collection; Planting Rice(1946)-UCPB collection; Sunday Morning Going to Town(1958)-Ayala
Museum Collection.
c. Guillermo Estrella Tolentino is a product of the Revival period in Philippine art.
Works: the UP Oblation, The Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan , the bronze figures of President Quezon at
Quezon Memorial, life-size busts of Jose Rizal at UP and UE, marble statue of Ramon Magsaysayin GSIS
Building; granolithics of heroic statues representing education, medicine, forestry, veterinary science, fine
arts and music at UP. He also designed the gold and bronze medals for the Ramon Magsaysay Award and
did the seal of the Republic of the Philippines.
d. Napoleon V. Abueva, a native of Bohol, was the youngest National Artist awardee. Considered
as the Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture, Abueva has helped shape the local sculpture scene
to what it is now.
Works: includes Kaganapan (1953), Kiss of Judas(1955), Thirty Pieces of Silver, The Transfiguration(1979)-
Eternal Garden Memorial Park, UP Gateway(1967), Nine Muses(1994) at UP Faculty Center,
Sunburst(1994)-Peninsula Manila Hotel, the bronze figure of Teodoro M. Kalawin front of National Library,
and murals in marble at the National Heroes Shrine, Mt. Samat, Bataan.
4. LITERATURE
a. Jose Garcia Villa is considered as one of the finest contemporary poets regardless of race or
language. He introduced the reversed consonance rhyme scheme, including the comma poems that
made full use of the punctuation mark in an innovative, poetic way.
Works: Footnote to Youth, Many Voices, Poems by Doveglion, Poems 55,Poems in Praise of Love: The Best Love
Poems of Jose Garcia Villas Chosen By Himself, Selected Stories, The Portable Villa, The Essential Villa, Mir-i-
nisa, Storymasters 3: Selected Stories from Footnote to Youth,55 Poems: Selected and Translated into Tagalog
by Hilario S. Francia.
2
b. Amado V. Hernandez, poet, playwright, and novelist, is among the Filipino writers who practiced
"committed art". In his view, the function of the writer is to act as the conscience of society and to
affirm the greatness of the human spirit in the face of inequity and oppression
Works: Bayang Malaya, Isang Dipang Langit, Luha ng Buwaya, Amado V. Hernandez: Tudla at Tudling:
Katipunan ng mga Nalathalang Tula 1921-1970, Langaw sa Isang Basong Gatas at Iba Pang Kuwento ni Amado
V. Hernandez,Magkabilang Mukha ng Isang Bagol at Iba Pang Akda ni Amado V. Hernandez
c. Nick Joaquin, is regarded by many as the most distinguished Filipino writer in English writing so
variedly and so well about so many aspects of the Filipino. Nick Joaquin has also enriched the
English language with critics coining "Joaquinesque" to describe his baroque Spanish-flavored
English or his reinventions of English based on Filipinisms.
Works: The Woman Who Had Two Navels, A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino, Manila, My Manila: A History for
the Young, The Ballad of the Five Battles, Rizal in Saga, Almanac for Manileños, Cave and Shadows
d. Carlos P. Romulo- He was the only Asian to win America's coveted Pulitzer Prize in Journalism
for a series of articles predicting the outbreak of World War II.
Works: The United (novel), I Walked with Heroes (autobiography), I Saw the Fall of the Philippines, Mother
America, I See the Philippines Rise (war-time memoirs).His other books include his memoirs of his many years'
affiliations with United Nations (UN), Forty Years: A Third World Soldier at the UN, and The Philippine
Presidents, his oral history of his experiences serving all the Philippine presidents
5. DANCE
a. Francisca Reyes Aquino is acknowledged as the Folk Dance Pioneer. This Bulakeña began her
research on folk dances in the 1920's making trips to remote barrios in Central and Northern Luzon.
Works: Philippine National Dances(1946);Gymnastics for Girls(1947);Fundamental Dance Steps and
Music(1948);Foreign Folk Dances(1949);Dances for all Occasion(1950);Playground Demonstration(1951);
and Philippine Folk Dances, Volumes I to VI
b. Leonor Orosa Goquingco- Dubbed the "Trailblazer", "Mother of Philippine Theater Dance" and
"Dean of Filipino Performing Arts Critics", pioneer Filipino choreographer in balletic folkloric
and Asian styles, has produced for over 50 years highly original, first-of-a-kind choreographies,
mostly to her own storylines.
Works: "TREND: Return to Native," "In a Javanese Garden," "Sports," "VINTA!," "In a Concentration Camp,"
"The Magic Garden," "The Clowns," "Firebird," "Noli Dance Suite," "The Flagellant," "The
Creation...""Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and Lore"
c. Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula, choreographer, dance educator and researcher, spent almost four decades
in the discovery and study of Philippine folk and ethnic dances.
Works: Singkil, a Bayanihan signature number based on a Maranao epic poem; Vinta, a dance honoring Filipino
sailing prowess; Tagabili, a tale of tribal conflict; Pagdiwata, a four-day harvest festival condensed into a six-
minute breath-taking spectacle;Salidsid, a mountain wedding dance ;Idaw, Banga and Aires de Verbena.
3
6. MUSIC
a. Antonio J. Molina, versatile musician, composer, music educator was the last of the musical
triumvirate, two of whom were Nicanor Abelardo and Francisco Santiago, who elevated music
beyond the realm of folk music.
Works: Hatinggabi, a serenade for solo violin and piano accompaniment. Other works are (orchestral
music)Misa Antoniana Grand Festival Mass, Ang Batingaw, Kundiman-Kundangan; (chamber music)Hating
Gabi,String Quartet, Kung sa Iyong Gunita, Pandangguhan; (vocal music)Amihan, Awit ni Maria Clara,
Larawan Nitong Pilipinas, among others.
b. Jovita Fuentes- Her performance has been hailed as the "most sublime interpretation of the part".
This is all the more significant because it happened at a time when the Philippines and its people
were scarcely heard of in Europe.
Works: Liu Yu in Puccini's Turnadot ,Mimi in Puccini's La Boheme, Iris in Pietro Mascagni's Iris, the title role
of Salome(which composer Richard Strauss personally offered to her including the special role of PrincessYang
Gui FeinLi Tai Pe).
c. Antonino R. Buenaventura has vigorously pursued a musical career that spanned seven decades
of unwavering commitment to advancing the frontiers of Philippine music. Buenaventura
composed songs, compositions, for solo instruments as well as symphonic and orchestral works
based on the folksongs of various Philippine ethnic groups.
Works: "Triumphal March," "Echoes of the Past," "History Fantasy,"Second Symphony in E-flat, "Echoes from
the Philippines," "Ode to Freedom." His orchestral music compositions include Concert Overture, Prelude and
Fugue in G Minor, Philippines Triumphant, Mindanao Sketches, Symphony in C Major, among others
d. Levi Celerio is a prolific lyricist and composer for decades. He effortlessly translated/wrote anew
the lyrics to traditional melodies
Works: "Alembong" (music by J. Silos Jr.), "Bagong Pagsilang" ([Link] Leon), "Kapag Puso'y Sinugatan" (T.
Maiquez), "Galawgaw" ([Link] Jr.), "Misa de Gallo" (J. Balita), "Pasko na Naman" (F. de Leon), "Sa Ugoy ng
Duyan" (L. San Pedro), "Saan Ka Man Naroroon" (R. Umali), "Tinikling" (folk song), "Itik-itik" (folk song),
"Waray-waray" ([Link] Jr.), "Tunay na Tunay" (J. Silos Jr.), "Ang Pasko ay Sumapit"
For additional reference: List of National Artists of the Philippines | Official Gazette of the Republic of the
Philippines
OTHER FILIPINO CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS TO LOOK FORWARD TOP TODAY
Nona Garcia- She won the Grand Prize in the Philip Morris ASEAN Art Award (2000), and is also a
recipient of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Thirteen Artists Award (2003). Nona Garcia is
known for employing the use of stark realism to bring into question what the true meaning of
representation is. Her use of photorealism centers everyday objects, cultural artifacts, or people, inviting
the viewers to explore the environmental, sociopolitical, and personal histories of her subjects. Although
famous for her paintings, she also employs the use of paper cutouts, x-rays, and lightboxes in her works.
Andres Barrioquinto- , Barrioquinto has been fondly called the Dark Man of Philippine Art due to his
use of the macabre in many of his works. Barrioquinto’s work is notable for its use of juxtaposition and
scale. His portraits are famously a mix of the monochrome and the technicolor. With his subjects in black
and white framed by an explosion of color, his paintings assault the senses and leave viewers reeling.
4
Leeroy New- Leeroy New has employed a variety of mediums for his artwork, including production
design, public art, product design, and wearable art. However, he’s perhaps best known for his iconic
sculptures, which blend together a variety of shapes, colors, and forms to challenge the viewer. New’s
lifelong fascination with monsters has led him to create pieces that are out of this world, making him one
of the most prominent names in the Philippine sculpture and visual arts scenes.
Nikki Luna- Luna’s work is notable for highlighting issues of women, including the issues of rape, sexual
harassment, domestic workers, and migrant workers. She has conducted various art therapy workshops
in conflict zones in the Philippines, and uses her work to speak out against social issues like extrajudicial
killings, misogyny, and rape culture.
Rodel Tapaya- Tapaya began to explore the themes of Philippine mythology and folktales for which he’s
known today. Rodel Tapaya’s artworks and paintings are notable for their mix of Filipino folk culture and
history, which he uses to offer commentary on contemporary social issues. His complex compositions and
use of vivid colors and patterns have made his work a favorite of collectors and art enthusiasts.
Ernest Concepcion- is well known for his highly complex and experimental paintings, which play with
texture and color to create images that arrest the viewer’s eyes. His paintings are abstracted reflections on
Philippine history, social issues, and the human experience. By experimenting with composition, form,
color, and textures, Concepcion’s works challenge the viewers’ preconceptions of what is or isn’t possible
in art.
Annie Cabigting- Cabigting is perhaps most known for her ability to force her viewers to question ideas
of authorship, reproduction, and point of view. This playfulness in exploring the dynamic between subject
and viewer has been present throughout her career. In addition to original work, Cabigting has also made
reproductions of pieces by Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and local artists. Her ability to play around
with the act of observation has made her a favorite of collectors and laypeople alike.
Dex Fernandez- Fernandez’s work is playful and street-smart, bringing a modern sensibility to many of
Manila’s galleries. Fernandez’s work makes use of the urban landscape as a canvas, bringing art out of
staid white galleries and into the daily lives of commuters. Fernandez’s pieces like to mix the mundane in
with the surreal, making each of his artworks an instant visual playground for the viewer
Oscar Villamiel- Villamiel’s work is well-known for its use of salvaging, with the artist using found
materials or old, recycled parts to create entirely new works. Instead of focusing on prized objects, his art
brings to the foreground discarded junk and cast-off, mundane items. By doing this, he highlights the stark
beauty that can often be found in these discarded pieces.
Geraldine Javier- Her work emphasizes complexity, both of subject matter and form. In addition to
iconography from her Roman Catholic upbringing, she also touches on the concepts of death, emotional
violence, relationships, and social tensions. Rather than touching on the social realism and political
commentary of her predecessors, Javier instead paints subjects that are highly personal and specific. Thus,
she invites the viewers of her artwork to look at the internal rather the external, making her a favorite of
galleries and collectors alike.
5
TRUE OF FALSE: Write your answer before the number.
__________1. Artists make a visual record of the people, places, and events of their time and place.
__________2. Artists make functional objects and structures (buildings) less pleasurable.
__________3. Carlos “Botong” Francisco revived the forgotten art of mural.
__________4. Cultural Center of the Philippines was one of the buildings designed by Juan F. Nakpil.
__________5. Barrioquinto’s work is notable for its use of juxtaposition and scale.
__________6. Levi Celerio recognized as the "only man who could play music using a leaf" by the Guinness
Book of Records
__________7. Guillermo Estrella Tolentino was the youngest National Artist awardee.
__________8. Jose Garcia Villa is considered as one of the finest contemporary poets regardless of race or
language.
__________9. Cabigting’s work is well-known for its use of salvaging, with the artist using found materials or
old, recycled parts to create entirely new works.
__________10. Leeroy New has employed a variety of mediums for his artwork, including production design,
public art, product design, and wearable art.
__________11. Francisca Reyes Aquino is acknowledged as the Folk Dance Pioneer.
__________12. Maiden in a Stream was one of the works of Fernando C. Amorsolo.
__________13. Luna’s work is notable for highlighting issues of women, including the issues of rape, sexual
harassment, domestic workers, and migrant workers.
__________14. Pablo S. Antonio is the pioneer of Philippine architecture.
__________15. Filipino artists play a role in presenting and educating the public about our history and identity.
