Lesson 2.1 - Development of Art Education in the Philippines

Art Education in the Pre-Colonial period

Art Education in the Spanish-Colonial period

19th Century

American Period

Japanese Period 

Post-War Period

Contemporary Art

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PHILIPPINE ART

Architecture

Basketry

Body Ornamentation

Dance

Jewelry

Metalwork

Music

Oral Literature

Pottery

Tattooing

Weaving

Wood Carving

Before Spanish colonization, Filipino communities already practiced diverse forms of art.

Pottery

Making objects from clay by shaping and firing them; e.g., Manunggul Jar.

Weaving

Interlacing fibers to create cloth, mats, and other textiles; e.g., T'nalak.

Tattooing

Creating permanent designs on the body to express identity, status, beliefs, or achievement; e.g., Kalinga batok.

Wood Carving

Shaping wood into figures, objects, decorations, or ritual pieces; e.g., Ifugao carving.

Metalwork

Shaping metals into tools, weapons, ornaments, and decorative objects.

Jewelry

Creating personal ornaments from gold, beads, shells, and other materials.

Basketry

Weaving plant fibers such as bamboo and rattan into baskets and containers.

Architecture

Designing and constructing structures suited to community needs and the environment.

Music

Producing organized sounds for rituals, celebrations, work, and community activities; e.g., kulintang.

Dance

Using body movement and rhythm to express traditions, stories, rituals, and celebrations

Oral Literature

Passing stories, myths, legends, chants, and epics orally from one generation to another.

Body Ornamentation

Decorating the body through clothing, jewelry, tattoos, beads, shells, and other adornments.

Beliefs

Community

Cultural Heritage

Environment

Identity

Indigenous Art

Local Materials

Key Concept in Art Education in the Pre-Colonial period

Indigenous Art

Art created from the traditional knowledge, beliefs, practices, and materials of Indigenous communities.

Environment

Art reflects the natural surroundings and resources of a community.

Beliefs

Art may represent spiritual beliefs, rituals, and cultural values.

Community

Art is often connected to shared practices and communal life.

Identity

Art expresses cultural belonging, heritage, and group identity.

Local Materials

Artists use materials found in their environment, such as bamboo, rattan, wood, clay, fibers, shells, and feathers.

Cultural Heritage

Art preserves and communicates knowledge and traditions across generations.

Church Architecture

Christianity

European Art Traditions

Religious Imagery

Religious Painting

Retablo

Santo Images

Sculpture

Spaniards had significantly impacted Philippine Art forms and Education.

Christianity

Became a major influence on Philippine art through the spread of Catholic beliefs and practices.

Religious Imagery

Visual representations of Christ, Mary, saints, and biblical scenes used for devotion and instruction.

European Art Traditions

Filipino artists adopted European styles, techniques, subjects, and artistic conventions.

Church Architecture

Construction and decoration of churches using European and local architectural traditions.

Religious Painting

Paintings depicting biblical stories, saints, Christ, and the Virgin Mary.

Sculpture

Carved religious figures, particularly saints and images of Christ and Mary.

Retablo

An ornamental structure behind or around an altar, often containing religious images and decorations.

Santo Images

Three-dimensional images of Catholic saints or holy figures used for religious devotion.

Damián Domingo

Félix Resurrección Hidalgo

Juan Luna

José Rizal

Lorenzo Guerrero

Artists during 19th century

Juan Luna

Spoliarium (1884) — monumental historical painting; won a First Gold Medal at the Madrid Exposition.

Félix Resurrección Hidalgo

Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho (1884) — historical painting; received a Second Gold Medal at the Madrid Exposition.

José Rizal

Produced drawings, sculptures, and sketches; demonstrated artistic ability alongside his literary and intellectual work.

Lorenzo Guerrero

Filipino painter and art teacher who helped develop academic painting in the Philippines.

Damián Domingo

Known as the Father of Filipino Painting; established an early formal art school and became known for watercolor portraits and costume studies.

American Period

Art education became increasingly associated with the formal school system.

Art Education

Design

Drawing

Illustration

Industrial Arts

Public School System

Teacher Education

Western Academic Art

Aspect during American period

Art Education

Art became more formally integrated into the public school system.

Drawing

Taught as a basic school subject to develop observation, coordination, and artistic skills.

Illustration

Used drawings and images to support textbooks, lessons, and communication

Design

Students learned principles of form, pattern, proportion, and composition.

Industrial Arts

Practical arts involving woodworking, metalwork, handicrafts, and other useful skills.

Teacher Education

Teachers received formal preparation in teaching methods and school-based art instruction.

Western Academic Art

Philippine art education adopted American and European approaches, techniques, and standards.

Public School System

Art education became part of the expanding formal and secular education system.

War and Destruction

Poverty and Suffering

Nationalism

Social Realism

Fernando Amorsolo

Victorio Edades

Carlos “Botong” Francisco

Aspect / Artist during Japanese period

War and Destruction

Artists portrayed the devastation, fear, and hardships caused by World War II.

Poverty and Suffering

Art reflected the difficult living conditions experienced during the occupation.

Nationalism

Artists expressed Filipino identity, patriotism, and resilience despite wartime conditions.

Social Realism

Artists increasingly depicted ordinary people and real-life social conditions.

Fernando Amorsolo

Continued producing paintings during the occupation, including scenes reflecting Filipino life and wartime conditions.

Victorio Edades

His modernist influence continued to shape Philippine art, challenging traditional academic approaches.

Carlos “Botong” Francisco

Known for murals and historical subjects, contributing to the development of modern Philippine art.

Abstraction

Art Institutions

Contemporary Influences

Filipino Identity

Modernism

New Materials

Reconstruction

Social Concerns

Aspect during post-war period

Reconstruction

Art responded to the country's recovery and rebuilding after World War II.

Modernism

Artists explored new styles, forms, techniques, and ways of expressing ideas.

Abstraction

Art moved beyond realistic representation toward shapes, lines, colors, and forms.

New Materials

Artists experimented with different media, materials, and techniques.

Filipino Identity

Art explored culture, heritage, nationalism, and Filipino experiences.

Social Concerns

Works addressed poverty, inequality, politics, and everyday life.

Art Institutions

Schools, museums, galleries, and cultural organizations helped promote and develop Philippine art.

Contemporary Influences

Philippine art became increasingly connected with international artistic movements and ideas.

Conceptual Art

Digital Art

Installation Art

Mixed Media

Performance Art

Photography

Socially Engaged Art

Street Art

Video Art

Art Form during contemporary art

Installation Art

Art arranged in a space where the environment itself becomes part of the artwork.

Performance Art

Art expressed through live actions, movements, gestures, or activities performed by the artist.

Photography

Creating artistic images through cameras and photographic processes.

Video Art

Uses moving images, sound, and video technology as the primary artistic medium

Digital Art

Artwork created or modified using computers, software, tablets, or other digital technologies.

Street Art

Art created in public spaces, often addressing culture, identity, or social issues.

Mixed Media

Combines two or more different artistic materials or media in one artwork.

Conceptual Art

Emphasizes the idea or concept behind the artwork rather than its physical appearance.

Socially Engaged Art

Involves communities or social issues, often encouraging participation, dialogue, or awareness.