Colonial period
Long before the colonial period, from 1521 to 1898, indigenous peoples had developed their own arts and rituals. Graphic practices mainly concerned cave drawings and the decoration of ceramics and everyday objects.
Europeans, led by the Portuguese explorer Magellan, brought the Christian religion to the archipelago. Catholic churches were built around the Latin cross, one of the motifs used to decorate the buildings. Religious iconography is treated in a baroque style, recognizable by the exaggeration of religious sentiment. Dramatization is evident in the profusion of details. The main motifs of sculpture are saints. These statues are often brandished in processions.
The birth of painting
Considered the father of Philippine painting, Damián Domingo y Gabor (1796-1834) laid the foundations of academism. He disseminated these standards through the art academy he established at his residence in Tondo in 1821. Its purpose was to make art more accessible. This school was probably the first in Asia to transmit Western techniques. Perspective, which constructs the image in planes and accounts for depth, is the most significant contribution of his method. His teachings would influence several generations of Filipino artists.
From the outset, Domingo specialized in portraits and religious scenes. He put together an album of traditional costumes for collectors. His talent, combined with his ability to adapt to demand, made him a sought-after artist and a benchmark in Philippine artistic history.
Nationalist tendency
Under the American occupation (1898-1946), some artists rebelled against Western codes. The trend, which reflected Philippine culture, was led in painting by Fernando Amorsolo.
In sculpture, the nationalist impulse was embodied by Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976). Commissioned by President Palma, Tolentino built his gigantic Oblation (Offering) in 1935. The naked man (a vine leaf was added later) stretches his arms wide open towards the sky. Interpreted as a gift of self to the nation, the statue now stands on the campus of the University of the Philippines Diliman. Several replicas have been distributed to universities throughout the country. Guillermo Tolentino was commissioned to design the Bonifacio Monument in 1930. To best convey nationalist emotion, he interviewed fellow citizens who had taken part in the Revolution against the Spanish authorities.
However, the title of first Nationalist Artist was not awarded until 1972 by President Marcos. It went to Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972), the "Grand Old Man of Philippine Art", a kind of revered master. Trained in Spanish styles, Amorsolo used backlighting and a colorful palette to convey the luminosity of the Philippines. Models radiate from his canvases, as can be seen at the Vargas Museum, located on the campus of the University of the Philippines Diliman. The highly productive artist painted around ten canvases a month until his death.
Modernism and abstraction
The Japanese occupation marked the darkest period in Philippine history. Modernism, championed by Victorio Edades, Calos Francisco and Galo Hernandez, had barely made an impact when the majority of works of art were destroyed. But the post-war years saw a resurgence of the various avant-gardes, including abstraction and performance art.
A pioneer of abstract expressionism, José Joya (1931-1995) favors bold colors. His chromatic harmonies evoke the tropical landscapes of his native island. His spontaneous gestures reveal the passage of the brush. In 1954, he won a scholarship to study in Spain. His first canvases were figurative. A painter, ceramist and engraver, he later explored mixed media. In this way, he influenced emerging talents. In 1964, he was chosen to represent the Philippines at the Venice Biennale. A resolutely modern choice. The Ateneo Art Gallery in Manila exhibits one of his best-known canvases, entitled Granadean Arabesque. The National Museum of the Philippines devoted a retrospective to his work in 2011.
Modernism and reality
The figurative expressionist trend is represented by Ang Kiukok (1935-2005). Born of Chinese parents, he was awarded the National Artist medal in 2001. Kiukok's commercial success has been undiminished since the 1960s. Although he made a name for himself with his cubist and surrealist versions of the Crucifixion, it was his Fishermen at Sea series that consolidated his popularity. This tribute to fishermen won him recognition from his contemporaries. Some of his works are on display at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
In the archipelago, photography comes into its own with Eduardo Masferré (1909-1995). This self-taught native of the Sagada mountains built himself a darkroom that worked without electricity. His photos document the habits and customs of his people. Thanks to the collection People of the Philippine Cordillera Photographs 1934-1956, published in 1988, he made Philippine culture known abroad.
Pacita Abad (1946-2004)
Born on the island of Batanes, Pacita Abad was forced to leave the Philippines because of her political activism. Initially a law student in San Francisco, it was there that she discovered her vocation as an artist. Her painting quickly became characterized by vibrant colors. Her first period focused on socio-political issues and emblems of Philippine culture (masks, exotic flowers, etc.). Then she perfected the "trapunto" technique, sewing elements such as buttons, shells, metal or glass onto her canvases. She then became an itinerant artist. Travelling throughout Asia, she renewed her inspiration. Her art was enriched by techniques and motifs borrowed from each stage of this long journey, until illness took her away.
Among her 5,000 creations, Pacita covered a 55-metre bridge, the Alkaff Bridge in Singapore, with multicoloured circles. The artist has taken part in some sixty international exhibitions.
Modern sculpture
The father of modern sculpture in the Philippines was born in Bohol in 1930. Napoleon Abueva attended the University of the Philippines with the painter José Joya. Then, at the College of Fine Arts, he became Guillermo Tolentino's disciple. He experimented with all materials: wood, steel, concrete and bronze. Many of his works now dot the campus. A closer look reveals a combination of traditional and abstract forms. In a classical register, he gives form to the Nine Muses or a Group of Women Weaving the Philippine Flag. This aspect of his work has earned him the distinction of National Artist.
At the request of President Marcos, he signs the bas-reliefs for the cross erected on Mount Samat (Bataan). This 555-metre memorial is the highest cross in Asia. It pays tribute to the soldiers who fell in the Second World War. Staircases allow you to climb inside the cross and enjoy an exceptional view of Bataan.
In another register, the sculptures of Agnes Arellano (b. 1949) are part of an expressionist research. Her works highlight the female body through the prism of sexuality or mysticism. Born into a family of renowned architects, Agnes Arellano studied for a year at the Sorbonne in Paris. She combines religious and poetic references to compose her most surreal installations. Marked by the tragic death of her parents and sister in a house fire in 1981, she explores the theme of the cycle of life, creation and destruction. Her travels and the cultures she discovers provide her with constantly renewed inspiration. Tantrism revealed her favorite motif, the yab-yum, or "divine father-mother pair".
Urban art in Manila
Street art in Manila? Not just a little! Since 2014, the capital has been hosting the MOS - urban art festival. The Meeting of Styles is the biggest event of its kind in Asia. Every spring, street artists flock here from all over the world. Together, they exchange techniques and fuse styles.
Throughout the year, there are numerous spots to discover. In the suburbs of Quezon City, the walls of the Task Us parking lot bring together the cream of Philippine urban art, including stencil artist GRIT, graffiti artist JP Pining and ARAL Cru.
In Marikina this time, we find the Goodfriend Bridge. The long wall lining Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue has been dubbed the "wall of freedom" by the collectives. Anyone can come and express themselves. As a result, everyone covers their neighbor's drawings. It's also a favorite resting place for jeepney drivers.
In Manila, the Nagtahan Bridge has benefited from the Urban Artscape Project. Under the supervision of university lecturers, the ten columns of the high bridge were assigned to five groups of students. Each design is inspired by traditional culture in all its aspects: symbols, national heroes, historical events and cyclones are all depicted on the formerly concrete-grey pillars.
In the Philippines, modes of transport are transformed into works of art. At every street corner, draw your cameras to immortalize the trucks, rickshaws, jeepneys, buses... Here, art is on the move!
Contemporary art
Today, a number of Filipino artists are making a name for themselves on the international scene. One of the most sought-after of them is affectionately known as BenCab. Benedicto Cabrera, born in 1942, is a former student of José Joya. For half a century, his paintings, engravings and drawings have seduced the public. BenCab has opened the BenCab Museum in Baguio, his home town. His collection brings together a multitude of works by his contemporaries around his personal creations. Following his example, young talents are opening their own exhibition spaces in Manila. The capital is witnessing an influx of art galleries.
A selection? Silverlens (the respected one), The Drawing Room and Artinformal (for local discoveries), Green Papaya Art Project (innovative scene), MO Space (installations).
A particular feature of the Philippines is the development of land art in rice paddies. Some fifty workers created a (plant) portrait of Miss Universe Catriona Gray in a rice field in Nueva Ecija. Other plantations include Banaue, Hungduan, Batad and Mayoyao. On the beach side, stone sculptures stand on Valugan Boulder Beach. Inspiration is everywhere!
