CONTEMPORARY ART

TECHNIQUES AND
PERFORMANCE
PRACTICES
SANIKULAS COOKIES MOLD
CARVINGS (PAMPANGA)

These Sanikulas Cookies are arrowroot

cookies that have image of St. Nicholas
molded on it’s ergo the name of Sanikulas.
St. Nicholas is also known as “The
Healer” from illnesses.
The molds are exceptional piece of folk’s
art and rarity.
The molds are made up of hardwood and
are of different shapes and sizes. They
would have been a carved piece and a
wooden presser.
PABALOT OR PASTILLAS WRAPPER
CUTTING ART (BULACAN)
The wrapper was
made out of the
delicate Japanese
paper. The way to
make it so delicate
that the only ones with
skilled hands and
perfect control of their
motor skills can
produce the best kind.
 TAKA (LAGUNA)
The art of “Taka” or “Taka-Making” is not an exclusive
Pinoy art. Paper Mache has been around the centuries.
In the Philippines, the first recorded or mention of a created
“Taka” was by a woman named Maria Bengue in the
1920’s.
Taka making became more popular during American
Colonization period when there was excess of news print.
And because Pinoy hates wasting anything, the people of
Paete decided to create more Takas and even diversified into
different animals not just traditional horse.
 PAGBUBURDA (TAAL, LUMBAN, LAGUNA)
The art of embroidering is happily alive,
and flourishing in the town. Although it is
mostly done by the women who are wives
of the farmers and fisherman, it is not
uncommon to see fisherman and farmers
who are also carefully and delicately
embroidering floral design during their
“Off-Season”.
 SINGKABAN OR BAMBOO ART

Singkaban is the art of shaving

bamboo into artful creations that
can be used as decor for arches or
the home.
Singkaban is usually celebrating
art. It is our sense of
“Bayanihan” that inspire their
art form and ensuring that art is
appreciated and accessible to
everyone in the community and
their guests.
In the celebration, Singkaban also refers to “Sining at Kalinangan ng Bulacan”
(Arts and Culture of Bulacan).
PUNI OR PALM LEAF FOLDING
(BULACAN)

Puni or palm leaf folding was

intended to create artful toys for kids.
However, Puni can also be used to
create woven baskets, bags and even
fans. The most common presentation
of Puni art is the “Palaspas” we see
every holy week.
 TRADITIONAL
TECHNIQUES TO
CONTEMPORARY
ART CREATIONS
 PAINTING
Phillipine pottery has been a long tradition. Evidence of this pottery-
making has been found in Sanga-Sanga, Sulu, and Laurente Cave in
Cagayan. The pot could be either carving the paddle or wrapping it with
cord and slapping it against the side to leave marks appeared in the pots
of Masbate.
The pottery that decorated with geometric cut-out, molding, cording or
finger impressions, most of these were made in Batangas.
Elito Circa also known as “Amang Pintor” gained recognition by using
hair to make his paint brushes and reigns his painting with his blodd on
the right side corner.
Manunggul Jar is a
ritual jar.
It is an example of burial
a jar.
Burnay Unglazed Clay
pottery of Vigan maintained
along with those in Leyte and
Bohol.
Pintados or the “Painted
People” of Visayas is also
an evidence of painting that
is manifested in tattoo
traditon.
“Naga Dragons” and
“Sarimanok Carved” are
manifested among the arts
and architecture of Maranao.
These are painted in the
beautiful Panolong of their
Torongans or King’s House.
 INDIGENOUS ART
The Itneg people are known for their intricate woven fabric. The “Binakol”
features design that incorporate optical illusions woven fabrics of the
“Gaddang”, people usually bright red stones.
Elito Circa influenced many Filipino painters, he is a folk artist of Pantabangan
and a pioneer for using indigenous materials, natural raw materials including
human blood.
The Iumad people of Mindanao are skilled
in art of dying fiber.
Abaca is a plant and are used to make fiber
known as “Manila Hemp”. The fiber is
dyed by a method and called “Ikat”.
Ikat fibers are woven into cloth with
geometric patterns depicting humans
animals and plant leaves.
 SARIMANOK
The figure represents a fowl with wings,
feathered tail, and a head decorated
ornaments of scrolled and painted motifs
of leaves, spirals and feather like forms.
It usually stands on a fish and another
one hangs from his break.
 HAGABI
Hagabi is the wooden chair of Ifugao,
which symbolizes his status as a citizen in
their community. It depicts the wealth and
power of the own in who is called
“Kadanagyan” or a person who belongs
to the higher status in their society. It is
made of Narra or Ipil-ipil and the original
design is called “Ginulding-gulding”,
meaning like a goat-like head.
At present hagabi may have different
shapes on one end which is called
“Ngiwi”, is like the head of an animal with
an elongated nose and two big ears.
ISLAMIC ARTS
This kind of art has two main artistic style. One is
carved-line, it’s associated with men. Woodcarving
and metal working called “Okir”. The other style is
geometric tapestries and is associated with women.
An Okir design, the scroll is the dominant feature in
the men’s work composed of various spiral forms. In
contrasts, the zigzag, and angular forms are the
dominating motifs in women’s geometric art “Okir-a-
Bay” (ladies design). The most popular of the
“Malong”, style is the land cap which is either
dominantly red, yellow, green, blue, or violet. Often,
men wear the red land cap and the women, the
yellow.
The “Bagobo” are proud people with proto Malayan features.
These people weave abaca cloths of earth tones and make
baskets that are trimmed with beads, fibers and horse’s hair;
weapons made by Muslim Filipinos such as “Kampilan”, are
skillfully carved.
KAMPILAN
 KUT – KUT ART

This is technique combining Oriental and Euroean art process. It is

practiced by the indigenous people of Samar. Kut-kut is an exotic
Philippine art form based on early century techniques “Sgrafitto”
encaustic and layering.
PERFORMING
ARTS
 MUSIC
Spanish and Filipino played a variety of instruments, includes flute,
guitar, ukulele, violin, trumps and drums. They performed songs to
celebrate festive dances. Modern day Philipines music featured several
styles. Most music genres are contemporary Filipino rock, Filipino hip-
hop, and another musical styles. Some are traditional such as Filipino
folk music.
 DANCE
Philippine folk dances include the “Tinikling” and
“Carinosa”. In the southern region of Mindanao,
singkil is the most popular dance showcasing the story
of a prince and princess in the forest. Bamboo exploits
every position of these clashing poles.
 ARCHITECTURE
The Spanish introduced stone as housing and building
materials. Spanish architecture can be found in Intramuros
Manila, Vigan, Lipa Batangas, Ilo-ilo, Jaro, Zamboanga City,
Bacolod and other parts in the Philippines.
In the past, the nipa hut (Bahay Kubo) was the common form
of housing among the native Filipinos. The architecture of
other indigenous people may be characterized by angular
wooden roof, bamboo is placed leafy thatching and ornate
wooden carvings.