Prepared by:

Mr. Ericson R. Ornales

 Unit I
Contemporary
Philippine Art and
the National
Artists of the
Philippines
Module 3: Philippine Contemporary
Art
 Dr. Patrick Flores, a renowned
art critic and Metropolitan
Museum described contemporary
Philippine art with “the feeling
that all is possible in
contemporary, conceived as a
constantly extending and
deepening constellation of art.”
1
Contemporary art then
permits the possibilities of
exploring either subject or
medium in art to express
sense of the self.

2
At present, Filipinos are
becoming more aggressive as
they use the arts to express
themselves and create
wonderful artworks that try
to capture the Filipino way
of life

3
Philippine contemporary
art can be found even in
the most unsuspecting
places. It cannot be
reduces conventional
notion of space and
medium
4
The main feat of any
art primarily depends
on how art is able to
connect to its
spectators.

5
 Architecture
Architecture in the
country continues to
vibrant. With the
improvement of
tourism, more first-
class architecture is
expected to pour in.
6
Architect and critic
Paulo Alcazaren notes
that today’s
architecture is faced
with threats of
globalization.
7
He remarks, “much of
what we see, in terms
of iconic buildings in
the Philippines
nowadays, is either
designed by foreigners,
or a derivative designs
mimicking copies of
western forms.
8
 Literature
On Philippine literature,
eminent writer and scholar
Roland Tolentino describes
the Filipino writing in
today’s world contains the
diasporic experience and the
incorporation of both the
rural and urban experience.
9
Writer’s have also
explored Western genre
and have produced
legitimate text, prose
poetry, flash fiction,
magic realism and
science fiction.
10
Dean Francis Alfar, an
award-winning writer,
pioneered the
speculative fiction
movement and has been
publishing the
Philippine Speculative
Fiction series.
11
Flash fiction, with
stories of 1000 words
or less has been
gaining interests
amongst writers.

12
Contemporary Filipino
writers are continuing
to struggle with ow
readership of the public
and the domination of
foreign titles in the
market.
13
Despite the odds,
contemporary
Filipino writer’s
continue to write
without fails.

14
Filipino writers
are also getting
recognitions
abroad.

15
Miguel Syjaco –
bagged the Man of
Asian Literary
Prize for his novel
Illustrado in 2008
16
Marivi Soliven –
published her novel
The Mango Bride in
2013, under Pigeon
Books.
17
Sophia Lee – won
the 2014 Scholastic
Asian Book Award
for her novel What
Things Mean.
18
Don Carlos Palanca
Memorial Awards for
Literature – encourage
writers to create new
material that enlivens
the country’s literary
production.
19
It also features the
Kabataan essay category
that encourages the
youth to be part of the
country’s literary
tradition.

20
 Theater
Contemporary
Philippine theater is still
alive despite the
dominance of television,
movies and the Internet.

21
There are multiple stage
production from
university-based theater
groups to major theater
companies.

22
Philippine Educational
Theater Association
(PETA) - An association
who advocates on the
use of Filipino theater in
inspiring change and
development in the
society.
23
Tanghalang Pilipino –
Resident drama
company of the Cultural
Center of the
Philippines.

24
Distinct in its offerings
is its challenge to the
commitment of the
Filipino to justice, truth
and patriotism.

25
Other Theater Groups
Gantimpala Theater
Foundations, Ballet
Philippines and private
companies such as 9Works
Theatrical, Atlantis
Production, Repertory
Philippines and Concertus
Manila. 26
 Visual Art
The new breed of
contemporary Filipino
visual artists is
becoming bold regarding
the expression of their
personal feelings and
perspectives.
27
The influence of radical
and modern art
movements in Europe and
the America have
penetrated Philippine art
scene with the
proliferation of
installation and
experimental art.
28
 The country’s contemporary
art scene is well and alive.
Every day fresh and new
talents emerge.

29
 Filipino artists are making waves
here and abroad, and are
responsive to the changing times,
as seen from disaster-ready
visions of Paolo Alcazaren, to the
year’s harvests of litrary works
in the Don Carlos Palanca
Awards.
30
 Although some describe Filipinos
as people who spent almost 400
years in a convent, 5 years in
prison camp, and 45 years in
Hollywood, our history and the
way we handle ourselves in the
present is a heritage that we can
be very proud of.
31