CPAR Exam Notes
CPAR Exam Notes
Functions of Art
Personal or Individual Function - Artists have their personal reasons for indulging in art.
Social Function - Man is a social being and as such he associates with his fellow beings.
Economic Function - Many people believe that it does not pay to be an artist. However, the belief is
negated by the facts that many people earn their living in arts.
Political Function - When Imelda Romualdez Marcos, a patroness of the arts became the Governor of
Metro Manila, she promoted her political programs by means of the arts.
Historical Function - Paintings, sculptures, architectural works, and other art forms serve to record
historical figures and events.
Cultural Function - Buildings, furniture (chairs, table, etc.), clothes, and the like form part of the
country’s material culture.
Religious Function - Almost all, if not all, art forms evolved from religion. People in olden times
worshipped their Gods in the form of songs and dances.
Physical Function - Houses and other buildings are constructed to protect their occupants and all others
inside them.
Aesthetic Function - Artworks serve to beautify.
It is a popular design era during the 1950s Contemporary design is more concerned
and 60s to place items in the mid-century with the now and the future than modern
modern style. design, which is related to an age in the past.
CONTEMPORARY ARTS
WHAT IS CONTEMPORARY ART?
Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st
century.
Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing
the world. Contemporary art as a whole is distinguished by the very lack of a uniform, organizing
principle, ideology, or "-ism".
Contemporary art is part of a cultural dialogue that concerns larger contextual frameworks such as
personal and cultural identity, family, community and nationality.
CONTEMPORARY ARTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Conceptual - focus is on the idea, which can be either abstract or social;
Social – current social & political topics are dealt with, often from critical perspective.
Expressive – both content & form is meaningful & communicative.
Popular culture - issues and aspects of popular culture are dealt with, either by conceptualizing or
criticizing.
Poetic - content or form is poetic in nature.
Biographical - means of expression can be social, poetical or expressive;
Documentary - approach is documentary or holds elements of research
Sense related - total art work, installations which are often interactive and affect different senses.
2. APPLIED ARTS- are those in which artistic design is applied to utilitarian objects of everyday use
3. PERFORMING ARTS- types of art (such as music, dance, or drama) that are performed for an audience
PRINCIPLES of ART
Balance - refers to the visual weight of the elements. the painting feels stable and "feels right."
Imbalance causes a feeling of discomfort.
Contrast - is the difference between elements of art in a composition, such that each element is made
stronger in relation to the other. contrasting elements command the viewer's attention. Areas of
contrast are among the first places that a viewer's eye is drawn.
Emphasis - is when the artist creates an area of the composition that is visually dominant and
commands the viewer's attention.
Movement - is the result of using the elements of art such that they move the viewer's eye around and
within the image.
Pattern - is the uniform repetition of any of the elements of art or any combination thereof. Anything
can be turned into a pattern through repetition.
Unity/Variety - You want your painting to feel unified such that all the elements fit together
comfortably.
TRADITIONAL ARTS
1. Ethnomedicine
It is one of the oldest traditional arts in the Philippines.
These arts possess traditions (and objects associated with it) performed by medical artisans and
shamans, ranging from the babaylan, the manghihilot, and the albularyo.
The practices, grounded on the principles of the physical elements, is both an ancient science and art
known to the natives.
Herbal remedies, complemented with mental, emotional, and spiritual techniques, are inherently part of
many of the traditions as well.
2. Folk architecture
in the Philippines differ significantly per ethnic group,
structures can be made of bamboo, wood, rock, coral, rattan, grass, and other materials.
Bale - Rice granaries, Ifugao
Daru jambangan – palace of flowers
- The royal residence of the ruler of Tausug in Sulu
Kawayan Torogan – national cultural treasure in Lanao
Dakay house – oldest surviving coral house in Batanes
Bahay na Bato – world heritage site and part of national treasure (Vigan)
Bahay na bato in Intramuros
3. Maritime transport
in the Philippines includes: boat houses, boat-making, and maritime traditions.
traditionally made of wood chosen by elders and crafts folks, were used as the main vehicles of the
people, connecting one island to another, where the seas and rivers became the people's roads.
Balangay – Agusan Del Norte
Modernized Falua – Batanes
Paraw – Palawan
4. Weaving
It is an ancient art form that continue in the Philippines today, with each ethnic group having their
distinct weaving techniques
Cloth and Mat weaving
Expensive textiles are made through the intricate and difficult process called back-strap looming.
Fibers such as cotton, abaca, banana fiber, grass, and palm fiber are used in the Filipino dresses and
weaving arts.
Binakol – itneg tribe, Northern Luzon
T’nalak - T’boli, Mindanao
Double ika mat – Sulu
5. Basketry
fine art of basket weaving has developed intricate designs and forms directed for specific purposes such
as harvesting, rice storage, travel package and so on.
Pasiking – Mountain province
Baskets by Iraya Mangyan – Mindoro
Rice baskets – central Luzon
NON-TRADITIONAL ARTS
1. Dance
dance choreography, dance direction, and dance performance.
Philippine dance is influenced by the folk performing arts of the country, as well as its Hispanic
traditions
Singkil dance – Lanao
Pangalay dance – Sulu
Lumad dance – Bukidnon
2. Music
epic poetry - Darangen and Hudhud ni Aliguyon
singing of folk music traditions through various means such as the Harana.
Manila sound - which brought hopeful themes amidst the decaying status of the country during the
martial law years,
Pinoy reggae - which focuses on dancehall music faithful to the expressions of Jamaican reggae
Pinoy rock - which encompasses rock music with Filipino cultural sensibilities,
Pinoy pop - which is one of the most popular genre in the country
Tagonggo - which is music traditionally played by finely-dressed male musicians
Kapanirong - which is a serenade genre
Kulintang - which is a genre of an entire ensemble of musicians utilizing a diverse array of traditional
musical instruments
Kundiman - which is a traditional genre of Filipino love music,
Bisrock - which is a genre of Sebwano rock music
Pinoy hip hop - which is genre of hip hop adopted from American hip hop music.
3. Painting
Petroglyphs and petrographs are the earliest known folk drawings and paintings in the country, with the
oldest made during the Neolithic age.
4. Sculpture
Non-folk sculpture in the Philippines is a major art form, with many artists and students focusing on the
subject.
Notable non-folk sculptures include;
Oblation – which reflects selfless dedication and service to the natiom
Rizal Monument - depicting Filipino martyr and scholar José Rizal
Tandang Sora National Shrine - depicting the revolutionary mother of the Katipunan Melchora Aquino
Mactan Shrine - which depicts the classical-era hero Lapulapu who vanquished the colonizers during his
lifetime
People Power Monument - which celebrates the power and activism of the people over its government
Filipina Comfort Women - which immortalizes the suffering of and judicial need for Filipina comfort
women during World War II
Bonifacio Monument, depicting the revolutionary hero Andres Bonifacio.
5. Literature
Poetry, fiction, essay, and literary/art criticism are the focal arts of literature
usually based on or influenced by the traditional art of folk (oral) literature of the natives
focuses greatly on works of art from epics, ethnic mythologies, and related stories and traditions.