Contemporary Arts

in the
Philippines
The term contemporary has been
defined as something “happening,
existing, living, or coming into
being during the same period of
time” (Merriam-Webster).
Assuming this definition,
Contemporary Art refers to art of
any form and genre that produced
in our contemporary time, simply
put as “art created today.”

It should not be confused with

Modern Art which ranges from the
end of the 19th Century until the
1970’s or 1980’s or the late 20th
Century. It will put Contemporary Art
from the late 20th Century to the
present. Modern Art differs from
Contemporary Art historically and
contextually.
 Contemporary Arts
Contemporary Art is influenced by the
economic, social, political and
environmental context where the
artist is immersed in. It can be said
that Contemporary Art is the artist’s
expression of his perception and
comprehension of these contexts.
 Contemporary Arts
Contemporary Philippine Art is not
confined to the usual genres of the four
main art forms, namely, visual, literary,
applied and performing arts. Genres are
categories of artistic creation and are
characterized by similarities in form, style,
or subject matter. Many other genres
came up which include pure are forms as
well as mixed art forms.
 Examples of Contemporary Art Forms
Performance
Visual Arts Applied Art Literary Arts
Arts

Pop Art Music: blues, Video Art Illustrated Novel

Conceptual Art electronic, Photography Digi-Fiction
Installation Art experimental, Computer Art Graphic Novels
Photorealism funk, hip-hop, Film and Manga
Contemporary metal, pop, rock, Broadcasting Art Doodle Fiction
Realism roots Architecture, Text-Talk Novels
Graffiti Art Theater Art: stage, Design and Allied Chick Literature
film, street play Art Flash Fiction
Dance: flash mob, Hyper Poetry
street dances Blog
comprising hip-
hop, funk, house
and rave
 Visual Arts
Visual art refers to anything that can be visually
perceived and interpreted,

Many of these pieces of art are created to stimulate us

through a visual experience. When we look at them, they
often provoke a feeling.
 Pop Art
Pop Art emerged as an art movement during the 1950s in America and Britain and peaked
in the 1960s. The movement was inspired by popular and commercial culture in the western
world and began as a rebellion against traditional forms of art.

Pop artists felt that the art exhibited in museums or taught at schools did not represent the
real world, and so looked to contemporary mass culture for inspiration instead. Pop Art was
often heralded as ‘anti-art’ for refusing to abide by contemporary art standards at the time.

The Marilyn Diptych (1962) by Andy Warhol

 Pop Art
Branded or commercial symbolism is an especially important theme in Pop
Art. Incorporating logos or impersonal imagery reinforced the idea that art
could be inspired by anything and everything, not just history, mythology or
morality.
 Pop Art
Pop Art is often characterised by bold colours, particularly the primary colours:
red, blue and yellow. The colours were usually bright and similar to your typical
comic strip palette. These colours weren't used to represent the artist's inner
world or self as they so often did in previous, classical art forms, but reflected
the vibrant, popular culture around them.

Roy Lichtenstein - M-Maybe (A Girl's Picture), 1965

 Conceptual Art
Conceptual art emerged as an art movement in the 1960s, critiquing the previously ruling
modernist movement and its focus on the aesthetic. The term is usually used to refer to art
from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s. In Conceptualism, the idea or concept behind the
work of art became more important than the actual technical skill or aesthetic.
Conceptual artists used whichever materials and forms were most appropriate to get
their ideas across. This resulted in vastly different types of artworks that could look like
almost anything – from performance to writing to everyday objects.

One and Three Chairs by Joseph Kosuth, 1965.

 Installation Art
Installation artworks (also sometimes described as ‘environments’) occupy an
entire room or gallery space that the spectator has to walk through in
order to engage fully with the work of art. Some installations, however, are
designed simply to be walked around and contemplated, or are so fragile that
they can only be viewed from a doorway, or one end of a room.

Infinity Mirrored Room • The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away by Yayoi Kusama (2013)
 Installation Art
What makes installation art different from sculpture or other traditional art
forms is that it is a complete unified experience, rather than a display of
separate, individual artworks. The focus on how the viewer experiences the
work and the desire to provide an intense experience for them is a dominant
theme in installation art.

Mebuyan’s Colony by Leeroy New (2024)

 Photorealism
Photorealism is a genre of art that encompasses painting, drawing and other graphic media,
in which an artist studies a photograph and then attempts to reproduce the image as
realistically as possible in another medium. Although the term can be used broadly to
describe artworks in many different media, it is also used to refer specifically to a group of
paintings and painters of the American art movement that began in the late 1960s and early
1970s.

Don Jacot (b.1949)

 Contemporary Realism
Contemporary Realism is an art movement that emerged in the late 20th
century, focusing on realistic depictions of subjects, often in everyday life, using
modern techniques and perspectives.

Steven Assael, “Passengers,” (2008)

 Graffiti Art
Graffiti art has its origins in 1970s New York, when young people began to use spray paint
and other materials to create images on buildings and on the sides of subway trains.

Graffiti, while once considered vandalism, is becoming more widely recognized as a type of
artwork. However, it is still not always positively received or universally accepted as art by the
general public.
 Performance Arts
Artworks that are created through actions performed by
the artist or other participants, which may be live or
recorded, and scripted.
 Music
Music is an art form that uses sound and
rhythm to convey emotions, tell stories, and
express creativity. It encompasses a wide
range of genres, styles, and cultural
influences, from classical symphonies to
contemporary pop and traditional folk tunes.
 Electronic Music
Electronic music is music that is made with
electronic musical instruments, digital
instruments, computers, or other music
technology.
 Hip-hop
Hip-hop is a genre of music most often
characterized by a strong, rhythmic beat and
a rapping vocal track. The genre originated in
New York City in the 1970s as a cultural
exchange among Black, Latino, and
Caribbean youth and has grown into one of
the most consumed genres of music in the
United States.

Hip hop is a rhythmic music genre that

incorporates rapping, beats, basslines, or
beatboxing
 Metal
Heavy metal, genre of rock music that
includes a group of related styles that are
intense, and powerful. Driven by the
aggressive sounds of the distorted electric
guitar, heavy metal is arguably the most
commercially successful genre of rock music.
 Theater Art
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of
performing art that uses live performers,
usually actors or actresses, to present the
experience of a real or imagined event
before a live audience in a specific place,
often a stage. The performers may
communicate this experience to the
audience through combinations of gesture,
speech, song, music, and dance.
 Play
A play is defined as a type of literary work that
is designed for performance in a theater in
front of an audience. A play is composed of
dialogue between various characters and
divided into acts and scenes to increase the
dramatic effect. A play may fit into one of
several different genres, including tragedy or
comedy, or it may defy genre by mixing
elements (such as in the tragicomedy sub-
genre).
 Street Theatre
Street theatre is a form of theatrical
performance and presentation in outdoor
public spaces without a specific paying
audience. They are especially seen in outdoor
spaces where there are large numbers of
people. The actors who perform street theatre
range from buskers to organised theatre
companies or groups that want to
experiment with performance spaces, or to
promote their mainstream work.
 Dance
Dance, the movement of the body in a
rhythmic way, usually to music and within
a given space, for the purpose of
expressing an idea or emotion, releasing
energy, or simply taking delight in the
movement itself.
 Flash mob
A flash mob (or flashmob) is a group of
people that assembles suddenly in a public
place, performs for a brief time, then quickly
disperses, often for the purposes of
entertainment.
 Street Dance
Street dances, are dance styles that evolved
outside of dance studios in any available
open space.

This is partly due to African American and

Latino people who created the style were
generally not accepted into dance studios
because of their race. A significant feature
of street dance is that it was historically a
dance of young people offering a sense of
freedom and giving a 'voice' to
unrepresented communities.
 Applied Arts
The applied arts are all the arts that apply design and
decoration to everyday and essentially practical objects in
order to make them aesthetically pleasing.
Applied art is often used for commercial purposes, such
as product design or architecture.
 Video Art
Video art is a type of art where artists use
videos instead of paintings or sculptures. It
can include interesting visuals, sounds, and
sometimes movement to express ideas or
emotions. Unlike regular movies, video art is
often experimental and doesn't always
follow a clear story. It's a way for artists to
explore new ways of showing and sharing
their thoughts using technology.
 Photography
Photography under applied arts refers to
the use of photography in practical, real-
world settings where it serves a specific
function, such as advertising, design, or
communication.

It goes beyond just taking artistic photos

and is often used to create images that
serve a purpose or convey a message.
 Photography
For example, photography in applied arts
can include:

Product photography for

advertisements or catalogs
Fashion photography for magazines and
clothing brands
Architectural photography to showcase
buildings and designs
Editorial photography used in
newspapers or magazines to support
stories
Photojournalism for capturing news
events
 Computer Art
Computer art, also known as digital art, is
characterized by the use of computers and
modern technology in the creation of
visual media. Computer art can be created
for fine art or commercial purposes, such as
advertising campaigns and website design.
 Computer Art
Examples of computer art in applied arts include:

Graphic Design: Creating logos, posters,

advertisements, and digital illustrations.
Digital Illustration: Using software to draw and
paint digitally for commercial and artistic
purposes.
3D Modeling and Animation: Used in industries
like film, video games, and product design to
create life like models and animations.
Web Design: Designing websites, user
interfaces, and digital experiences that are both
functional and visually appealing.
 Film and Broadcasting Art
A film, also known as a "movie" or a "motion
g a camera and marketing via web and social
media. While broadcasting is the distribution
of audio or video content to audience via any
electronic mass communications medium

Film and broadcasting in applied arts is all

about creating videos, movies, TV shows, or
commercials that tell stories, share
information, or promote products. It’s a mix of
creativity and technology, where artists and
experts work together to make things like
movies, TV programs, or advertisements that
people watch and enjoy.
 Film and Broadcasting Art
This includes things like:

1. Making Movies: Creating films for

entertainment or art, where people use
cameras, sound, and editing to tell a story.
2. TV Shows and Broadcasts: Producing
content for television, like news programs, talk
shows, or dramas.
3. Documentaries: Making films that share
real-life stories or information to educate or
raise awareness.
4. Commercials: Creating short videos that
promote products or services, like the ads you
see on TV.
 Architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of
designing and building, as distinguished
from the skills associated with construction.
It is both the process and the product of
sketching, conceiving, planning, designing,
and constructing buildings or other
structures.
 Literary Arts
Literary art is something in the form of writing or stories
that have artistic and cultural value that displays the
beauty of speech
 Illustrated Novel
An Illustrated Novel is a story or narrative
told through words complemented by
illustrated images. In most illustrated
fiction, 50% of the narrative is presented
without words while some may not contain
any text at all, so the reader must interpret
the images to comprehend the story
completely.

It can take various forms, including fiction

written for adults or children, magazine
fiction, comic strips, and picture books.
 Digital fiction
Digital fiction, also known as electronic
literature, is a form of storytelling that is
specifically created to be experienced on a
computer or digital device. Unlike
traditional print books or e-books, digital
fiction uses the interactive features of
computers, such as sound, images, video,
hyperlinks, or mini-games, to enhance the
storytelling experience. These stories often
require the reader's active participation,
either by clicking on links or controlling the
narrative in some way.
 Graphic Novels
A graphic novel is similar to comic book, but
it tells a more detailed and complete story.
It uses sequential images with words to tell
the story, so you see characters, actions, and
scenes in drawings, with some text in
speech bubbles or captions. These stories
can be about anything like superheroes,
real-life events, history, or personal
experiences.
 Manga
Manga is an umbrella term for a wide variety of comic
books and graphic novels originally produced and
published in Japan. Unlike American comic books,
which are usually printed in full color, Japanese
manga are almost always published in black and
white. Full-color prints are often only used for special
releases and Japanese manga is read right-to-left
rather than left-to-right.
In Japan, manga are typically released on a monthly
or a weekly chapter-by-chapter basis through manga
magazines such as Weekly Shōnen Jump, (which has
been in circulation since 1968). If a series is popular
enough, its chapters are then collected and published
into volumes called tankōbon volumes, which usually
feature a few chapters of the overall story.
 Doodle Fiction
Doodle Fiction is a genre where author
incorporates doodle writing and drawing. The
graphics were handwritten a place of traditional
font. Doodle Fiction is more text heavy than
Manga and Graphic Novels, and closer to prose
fiction than comics in format

Since it has drawings, it enhances the story and

often adding humorous elements.
 Text-Talk Novels
Text-talk novels is a literary genre that suits the
reading capabilities and academic needs of 21st
century learners in the sense that it uses short
sentences and colloquial language while
discussing the theme of the story.

Text-Talk Novels such as Blog, Email, and IM

Novels are novels whose stories are told through
dialog on social networks. The information about
the whole work is can be read at the websites,
and exchange by using chat or any. Text-Talk
Novel became a popular literary genre
originating in Japan.
 Chick Literature
Chick literature, also known as chick lit, is a genre
of fiction primarily targeted toward women. It
typically focuses on lighthearted, relatable stories
about women's lives, often revolving around
themes like relationships, friendship, career
struggles, personal growth, and romance. These
books are often fun, humorous, and easy to read,
and they usually feature strong, relatable female
protagonists who are navigating modern life and
its challenges.
 Flash Fiction
Flash fiction is a genre of fiction, defined as a very
short story. While there is no set word count that
separates flash fiction from more traditional
short stories, flash fiction stories can be as short
as a few words (while short stories typically run
for several pages).
 Hyper Poetry
Hyper poetry is poetry that is available on a webpage and which takes
advantage of hyperlinks. For example, there may be a word in a poem that is
a link, so when the reader clicks on the word, an image, website, or even
another poem pops up to be read.
 Blog
A blog (weblog) is an informational website
consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style
text entries (posts). Posts are typically displayed
in reverse chronological order so that the most
recent post appears first, at the top of the web
page.

When blogs first emerged around 1994, people

used them mainly to share their personal lives,
including their experiences and interests. Now,
blogs have become an essential online
marketing strategy for businesses and one of the
most profitable career choices for individuals.
Contemporary Art is prominent in the
Philippines and has been appreciated by
so many people, and some of them were
not even aware that they are looking at
fine examples of Contemporary Art. Many
contemporary Philippine artworks have
earned the admiration and respect of
viewers from here and abroad. These
artworks are expressions of the artist’s
thoughts and feelings based on their
experience of the here and now. These
include current events, issues and social
concerns affecting the society where the
artist lives in.
Contemporary Philippine artists hail from the
different regions of the country. They use a
wide variety of art media in their creations,
some of the media are materials that are
readily available in the locality where the artist
resides. Contemporary Philippine artworks are
multifaceted and are expressive renditions of
the artist’s perception of what were observed
and experienced. These artists create, work and
make art in their personal context. Viewers can
appreciate contemporary Philippine art more
by employing all of their senses. Viewing art is
not just a detached experienced but a deep
personal experience of dwelling into the artist’s
mind and heart.
Expressions of Contemporary Philippine
Art are influenced by social, historical,
geographical, ideational, personal and
technical factors. These factors are
imbibed by the artist and are combined
to get immersed in the heart, to get
molded in the mind and to be propelled
in the hands to create an expressive
reality.
 Elements of
Contemporary Art
Contemporary Arts have different elements that
are put together to come up with a distinct
artwork. These elements include:
 Appropriation
This relates to the modifications
made by the artist.

Appropriation, similar to found

object art is "as an artistic
strategy, the intentional
borrowing, copying, and
alteration of preexisting
images, objects, and ideas
 Appropriation
Combines past from the present. Revives interests to
existing formsof art.
 Hybridity
This refers in the use of
different art mediums that are
put together.

Usage of unconvetional
materials, mixing of unlikely
materials to produce an artwork
 Technology
Usage of technology in the
creation and dissemenation of
art works

Its application highlights the

creativity of the artist.
 Performance
Performance art is an artwork
or art exhibition created
through actions executed by
the artist or other participants.
It may be witnessed live or
through documentation,
spontaneously developed or
written, and is traditionally
presented to a public.
 Performance
It involves five basic elements:
time, space, body, and presence
of the artist, and the relation
between the creator and the
public. The actions, generally
developed in art galleries and
museums, can take place in the
street, any kind of setting or
space and during any time
period
 Space
Intricate use of space

Art form that is performed

and positioned in a specific
space such as public places.
These elements are combined in different ways to come up with
Integrative Art.

Integrative Art employs the use of different art elements used

together in distinct different expressions. Thus, it becomes a
combination of different art forms for specific groups of viewers.
Integrative art is also a fusion of different art disciplines using
different styles and media in creating art. It can be found in
different places of the country, usually in urban areas where artists
have ready access to different art forms and media. Examples of
Integrative Art include the use of computer applications combined
with other media, the use of non-traditional art materials in
creating artworks usually done with mixed art forms.
 Contemporary Art Forms
from the Philippine Regions
With modern technology and easy access to far-flung areas of the
country, many artworks have become known and many more are being
created by present day artists from the different regions. All forms of art
can be found throughout the country. Artworks coming from the
seventeen regions of the three main island groups of Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao, have been exhibited in different exhibition halls and
museums. Viewers have come to know and, more importantly, to
understand the present-day art expressions of artists who want their
culture, situation and issues be known through their artworks.
The distinct features of Contemporary Philippine Art include:
1. Communal nature - as it reflects the relationships build around
the bonds of community and society.
2. Intuitive - as Filipinos are immersed in their consciousness of
themselves, their community and their culture.
3. Holistic - as individuals, groups of people and events are
perceived in their entirety as well as the unitive use of art
materials and forms.
4. Creative process - as the artist puts more emphasis on now
their artwork was made than on the artwork itself.
5. Integrative - as it encompasses religious, moral, spiritual, social,
and environmental concerns.
6. Multi-focal - as it considers everything and everyone, the wide
perspective of the artwork as well as both artist and viewer.