Looking Back At Philippine Art

a. Painting and Sculpture

Artistics paintings were introduced to the Filipinos in the 16th Century when the Spaniards arrived to the Philippines.
During this time, the Spaniards used painting as religious propaganda to spread Catholism throughout the Philippines. These
paintings appearing mostly on church walls, featured religious figures appearing in Catholic teachings. Due to the Church's
supervision of Filipino art and Spanish occupation of the Philippines, the purpose of most paintings from the 16th-19th
centuries was to aid the Catholic Church.
The first art School was established by DAMIAN DOMINGO in 1820. In the 1800's Filipino painters won recognition
abroad, when Mariano Madriman won King Alfonso XII's gold metal and diploma of honor in the Amsterdam International
Exposition of 1884, and Juan Luna's Spoliarium was awarded first prize at an art competition in Mandrid. (Santos,2016)
During World War II, some painters focused their artwork on the effects of war, including battle scenes, destruction,
and the suffering of the Filipino people.(Art of the Philippines,2016)
The University of the Philippine and the University of Santo Tomas, among others, have done much in providing
formal education in fine arts. Europhas exerted great influence in Philippine arts, and one finds the echoes of western
traditions blended with the Oriental character in many past as well as contemporary works.
The newly awakened interest in Philippine religious painting and sculpture im the years of Spanish colonization has
brought new quantities and qualities of art that time. FERNANDO ZOBEL has come out with the book on religious sculpture
in the Philippines and GALO OCAMPO edited a book on the same subject.
There are several museums and permanent galleries locates in Manila, among them the national museums, the Luz
Gallery, and Solidaridad Gallery. The Art association of the Philippines is an active organization and holds annual exhibits.
And other well known groups are the Association of Sculptors and Association of Printmakers.

B. Weaving
▶ Philippine weaving involves many threads being measured, cut and mounted on wooded platforms. The threads are dyed
and weaved on a loom.
▶ Before spanish colonization, natived Filipinos weaved using fibers from abaca, pineapple,cotton, and bark cloth.
▶ During spanish colonization, Filipinos used a fabric called nipis to weave white clothing. These were weaved with the
decorative, flower designs.
▶ Textiles,clothes,rugs, and hats were weaved and used as vessels of transport and storage, and for hunting.
▶ This basket is used to transport grain, store food, and cathing fish. They also used weaving to make just about all of the
clothing that was worn.
▶ They weaved rugs that they used for quilts and bedding.

C. Architecture
▶ The Bahay kubo or Nipa Hut, another architectural form made of impermanent materials, has a style that has lasted
through the years.
▶ In the 1500's the Spaniards introduced mansory in the Philippines, yet the nipa hut's basic form of structure the high
proof and rectangular plan were retained. The Spaniards tried to plan the city, and to this day, we have landmarks. Churches,
forts and some government buildings and plazas remain as historical spot and fine examples of architecture.
▶ The Americans introduced mainly a change in technology, new designs achieved with new materials.

D. Archeology
▶ Diggings in many parts of the Philippines have yielded rich artifacts.
▶ Battings has unearthed enormous amounts of the Philippines and Asian Pottery and Porcelain.
▶ The Calatagan Excavations alone represent a milestone in the history of the Philippines archeology.
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