GEC-ART: ART APPRECIATION

LECTURE 13 7 da Vincian Principles

Soulmaking (artmaking) - framework that supports soulmaking

What is soulmaking? What does it mean to be a genius?

Is genius born or made – or both? The idea of "genius
● Soulmaking (artmaking) is an alternative venue for thinking" can sound rather overwhelming, but you'll be pleased
knowing ourselves and looking into the depths and to find that it's simpler and a lot more enjoyable than you
real meaning of what we are doing for our everyday thought. The method of Leonardo will affirm many of your own
life. strongest intuitions as to how you can access your own ability.
Here are the seven genius principles of Leonardo da Vinci that
● Soulmaking is about finding meaning and purpose in will open your imaginative aorta and unleash your genius.
life, and becoming the best version of oneself.
1. Curiosità – (being curious) is an insatiably curious
● Soulmaking can be thought of as the process of approach to life and unrelenting quest for continuous
shaping and developing one's inner self or soul. It learning.
involves confronting challenges, learning from
experiences, and growing as a person. This can be 2. Dimostrazione – (independent thinking) is a
done through various means, such as art, music, commitment to test knowledge through experience,
writing, or simply spending time in nature persistence and a willingness to learn from mistakes.
Dimostrazione is the embodiment of your own
● Soulmaking in art is the process of creating art that hands controlling your life. This principle tells us:
comes from a deep place within the artist, often
reflecting their emotions, experiences, and beliefs. It 3. Sensazione – (refinement of the five senses and
involves using art as a means of self-expression and mindfulness) is the continual refinement of the
exploration, and can be a powerful tool for healing, senses, especially sight, as the means to
growth, and understanding. enliven experience.

Categories of Soul Making (Local Arts) 4. Sfumato – (literally “going up in a smoke”) is a

willingness to embrace confusion, paradox, and
1. Crafting images confusion.
● Refers to imaging or representing in any
form, which may be through painting, 5. Arte/Scienza – is the development of the balance
sculpting, drawing, storytelling, poetry, between science and art, logic and imagination and
dancing, composing, or talking notes. “whole brain” thinking.

2. Crafting stories 6. Corporalitá - (importance of physical and mental

● The moment we write, engrave and inscribe health) the cultivation of beauty, inborn talent, fitness
our own thoughts, ideas, commentaries, and poise.
criticisms, and positive and negative
emotions, we are crafting stories. Stories 7. Connessione – is a recognition of and appreciation
that can be presented in any form - image, for the interconnectedness of all things and
words, objects, and musical composition. phenomena and systems thinking.

3. Crafting instruments performance

● Transforming any found or used object into Narratives, Appropriation, Borrowing, and Ownership
musical instrument that allows one to
discover harmony and balance to produce a Narrative - How all of us see the world and how we connect
sound that is entertaining and magical. with each other. We put together stories in our heads for
situations in our lives.

Appropriation - In art and history refers to the practice of

artists using existing objects or images in their art with little
transformation of the original. The action of talking about
something for one’s own use, typically without the owner’s
permission.
Borrowing - Understanding of Appropriation that the concept
of a new work recontextualizes whatever it borrows to create 3. Style and Motif Appropriation
the new work. ● Sometimes artists are influenced by the art
of culture rather than their own without
Ownership - This is the state or fact of exclusive rights and creating works in the same style.
control over property, which may be any asset, including an ● Picasso, for example, was influenced by
object, land, or real estate, intellectual property or until the 19th African carving, but his works are not in
century, human beings. African style.

Appropriation 4. Subject Appropriation

● Appropriation in art and art history refers to the ● The process where it occurs when someone
practice of artists using pre-existing images or objects from one culture represent members or
in their art with little transformation of the original. aspects of another culture.

Cultural Appropriation
● The process by which the cultures adopt customs and
knowledge from other cultures and use them for their 1. Object Appropriation:
own benefit. Example: Museums and private collectors acquiring ancient
● Refers to the use of objects or elements of non- artifacts from Indigenous cultures without proper consultation
dominant culture in a way that doesn’t respect their or compensation.
original meaning, give credit to their source or
reinforces stereotypes or contributes to oppression. 2. Content Appropriation:
Example: A musician from a Western country covering a
Types of items that tend to be the target of cultural traditional song from a non-Western culture without
appropriation acknowledging the original artist or context.
● Intellectual property
● Artifacts Example: A writer retelling a folktale from a different culture
● Clothing and Fashion without crediting the original source or adapting it to fit their
● Dance own cultural perspective.
● Language
● Music 3. Style and Motif Appropriation:
● Food Example: A fashion designer using traditional patterns or
● Religious symbols designs from a marginalized culture without permission or
● Decorations understanding of their cultural significance.
● Medicine
● Make up Example: A painter incorporating elements of traditional art
● Hairstyles styles from another culture without fully understanding or
● Tattoos respecting the underlying cultural values.
● Wellness Practice
4. Subject Appropriation:
Example: A non-Indigenous person dressing up in traditional
Five (5) Acts of Cultural Appropriation Indigenous clothing for a costume party or Halloween.

1. Object Appropriation Example: A non-Asian person using "Asian eyes" makeup or

● It occurs when the possession of a tangible other stereotypes to portray Asian characters in media.
work of art (such as sculpture and painting)
is transferred from members of one culture 5. Performance Appropriation:
to members of another culture. Example: A non-Indigenous person performing a traditional
2. Content Indigenous dance or ritual without proper training or cultural
● This sort of appropriation occurs, an artist context.
has made significant reuse of an idea first
expressed in the work of an artist from Example: A non-Black person using Black hairstyles or
another culture. mannerisms in a way that is seen as mocking or appropriative.
● A musician who sings the songs of another
culture has engaged in content
appropriation, as has the writer who retells
stories produced by a culture rather than his
own.
GEC-ART: ART APPRECIATION 2. Realistic or Natural Motif - Natural motifs
LECTURE 15 portray as direct replicas of things as they
exist in nature, such as flowers on trees,
Visual Elements in Philippine Traditional Motifs and Crafts animals in the jungle, human figures and
other natural things. They are also called
Decorative Motifs and Symbols Classification novelty patterns. As these motifs lack a
There are times when we do not understand what is being designer's creativity and require a three-
meant by a word, a thought, an act, or a thing. dimensional platform to copy reality, they
do not find wide acceptance in apparel
We need other things to describe them in order to designing.
properly understand their meanings.
3. Stylized Motif - These are simplified
This is particularly true when we are dealing with works of art variations of natural or man-made objects
and in the literary world. This is why symbols and motifs are that are no longer recognizable. These
created: to help us understand. motifs are full of creativity, as they are the
result of a designer's interpretation of
Motifs naturally existing things. Stylized motifs are
A motif is an image, spoken or written word, sound, act, or obtained by rearranging the real objects
another visual, or structural device that has symbolic either by simplifying or exaggerating them
significance. to achieve the purpose of the design.

It is used to developed and inform the theme of a literary work. 4. Abstract Motif - These are combinations of
color, size, and shape without relationship
The concept of a motif is related to a theme, but unlike a theme to natural or man-made objects. They are full
which is an idea or message, a motif is a detail that is repeated of color and interest in the fabric. Abstract
in a pattern of meaning that can produce a theme while implies an element of impression and a
creating other aspects at the same time. greater freedom that is found in most
geometric designs. This type of design is
It is closely related to a theme or a symbol and uses different used in modern art
narrative elements.
Symbol
It is constantly repeated to represent a dominant or central The term 'symbol comes from the Greek word 'symbolon"
idea or a theme in a work of art. It relates more to thought which means contract, token, insignia and means of
which is used to support a theme. identification (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1997).

Motifs typically are used in one of three ways: Through symbols, ideas and meanings are represented. In a
● A single object that appears multiple times throughout symbol, there is both concealment and revelation. Symbols
the work with most of the emphasis placed on the facilitate communication by giving a common reference point
item. for a variety of original disparate ideas. Symbols are universal,
● A collection of related objects that appear multiple in the sense they transcend history.
times to emphasize the theme.
● A collection of seemingly unrelated items that serve to Symbols depicted on objects allow us to decode some of the
draw attention to the theme in a subtler manner. meanings behind them and understand better the cultures that
made and used them.
Classification of Motif:
The motifs or units of a textile design may be classified as: On some occasions, the object itself, such as an item of
Geometric, Realistic or Natural, Stylized, and Abstract. clothing or a piece of regalia, becomes the symbol. The
motivations behind the use of symbols are varied: to impose
1. Geometric Motif - These motifs include power, to assert position, to protect the wearer or as
lines in various forms, such as vertical, identification with a family or community.
horizontal, diagonal, and curved. They form
fabric designs, such as stripes, plaids, Where not all members of a society are literate, symbols are
checks and circles and their associated crucial in communicating ideas or affinities. They can be
designs. Geometric designs lead the eye representational or abstract, individual or repeated.
in the design or pattern that is created by
them.
Types of Symbols

1. Iconograms are illustrative representations. They

are iconic signs which, as an illustrative
representation emphasize the points in common
between the signifier and the signified.

2. Pictograms are pictorial representations, such as

ISOTYPE. Pictograms are iconic signs which
represent complex facts, not through words or sounds
but through visual carriers of meaning.

3. Cartograms are topographical representations with

complex functions (statistics, etc.) and iconic facts,
for example an atlas or the ground plan of a house.

4. Diagrams are functional representations. They are

visual signs which are partly iconic
representations, but are more functional carriers that
illustrate, for example, a sequence of facts or
functions.

5. Ideograms represent a concept. Typically,

ideograms correspond to the sign as a symbol
which relates to the object or concept referred to,
independently of any format identification with it.
(Note that many symbols can fall into multiple
categories, but the context and intention will help us
understand how to "read" them).

6. Logograms are conceptual representations like

writing. They are visual, referential linguistic signs that
do not take the phonetic dimension into consideration.

7. Typograms are typographical representations. A

typogram is a sign that is also composed of a sign,
derived from a written repertoire such as the alphabet.

8. Phonograms are phonic representations. A

phonogram is a sign that is used to signify linguistic or
other sounds.
 Weaving involves interlacing two sets of threads.These are
called the warp, which runs vertically, and the weft, which runs
GEC-ART: ART APPRECIATION
LECTURE 14

horizontally.

Weaving requires using a piece of equipment called a loom.

The warp threads are held tight and the weft threads are fed
through them.

Merging the two together is the process of weaving. Let's look

TEXTILE ART at an example. The native Chilkat peoples,who live along the
Pacific Northwest Coast of North America, made beautiful,
Textile art is the process of creating something using fibers elaborate blankets by weaving warp threads made of cedar-
gained from sources like plants, animals, insects (think bark string with weft threads spun from mountain goat or sheep
silkworms!),or synthetic materials. Making textiles is an wool.
extremely old art form. Textile fragments have been found
dating back to prehistoric times and there's a good reason for
this. Knitting is one of the oldest and
simplest means of making a
Think of how cold winter can be. How would you feel if you fabric.
didn't have warm clothing? People Developed textiles to keep
warm, to protect surfaces and to insulate dwellings. You don't need a loom or other
fancy equipment. Just Yarn and
Examples of such textiles include tapestries, rugs, quilts, and large needles, both of which are
of course clothing. People also used textiles to make objects portable. The process of knitting
that signaled status or commemorated important events. involves connecting the yarn by
a series of loops. It's normally
Examples of this type of textile include things like flags, military done by hand, although there are
uniforms, or ceremonial banners. such things as knitting machines.

Yarns and Threads Clothing and blankets can be knitted, and today some artists
also get creative with public art by doing something called
Textiles are often made through traditional methods like yarnbombing. Yarn Bombing involves covering items in the
sewing, weaving, and knitting. neighborhood or external environment, like cars, bicycles or
trees, with knitting.
These Methods all have a basic principle in common --they use
thread or yarn to make or connect pieces of fabric. In sewing, a
single needle and thread stitches pieces of cloth together and
also adds surface ornament. Embroidery, covering the
surface of a textile with decorative pictures and colorful
patterns, is a form of sewing.
Crochet is a process of creating textiles by using a crochet T’nalak has a distinctive tri-colour scheme: White for the
hook to interlock loops of yarn,thread, or strands of other pattern, red for relief elements and black (or deep brown) for
materials. The name is derived from the French term the background. Fibers used in weaving are harvested from
crochet,meaning 'small hook'. the abaca tree and prepared in a process known as
kedungon.
Hooks can be made from a variety of materials, such as metal,
wood, bamboo, or plastic. Two metal blades are used to quickly remove the pulp and
reveal the filaments, which are worked by hand into fine
The key difference between crochet and knitting, beyond the threads.
implements used for their production, is that each stitch in
crochet is completed before the next one is begun, while During tembong, an artisan will connect individual threads end
knitting keepsmany stitches open at a time. to end.

Some variant forms of crochet,such as Tunisian crochet and Temogo, or dyeing, is done in the ikat-style, using beeswax
broomstick lace, do keep multiple crochet stitches open at a and natural pigments. Fibers are first boiled in a black dye for
time. several weeks. Weaving (mewel) is done on a backstrap loom
(legogong) and weaving one piece of cloth can take up to a
Making of: T’nalak Weaving, Philippines month of uninterrupted work. The final stage in the process,
semaki, involves burnishing the fabric with a cowrie shell that
T’nalak is a sacred cloth woven by the T'boli people in is heated by friction. Nut oil is used to condition the fabric and
communities around LakeCebu, Mindanao island. add sheen.

Traditionally made by women of royal blood, thousands of T’nalak is used for ritual purposes, as an offering to the spirits
patterns that reference folklore and stories are known to the and during festival celebrations. It is also exchanged between
T’boli women by memory. families for food and supplies in the T'bolis’ barter economy,
which endures to this day. Many communities rely on the
Fu Dalu, a spiritual guardian, guides t'nalak weaving, a commercial sale of t'nalak to earn a living.
process that is enriched with taboo and ritual.
Why Women of the T'Boli Tribe in the Philippines Are
Called Dream Weavers?

More than simply a honed skill, the craft of weaving for the
T’Boli tribe in the Philippines is a spiritual undertaking.From the
conceptualization of the design, to the actual weaving process
and how the finished product is treated, each part is handled
with utmost sanctity. The women who have preserved this
spiritual tradition are referred to as “DreamWeavers”.
 The t’nalak is used in every important life event of the T’boli,
from birth, to marriage, to death.

This, and the belief that it is a gift from nature and their gods,
makes the entire t’nalak tradition a vital part of their culture.

So while many outsiders looking to capitalize on this sacred

The practice have taken to mass producing this material, it is very
term important that people are made aware of its cultural
is significance to the T’boli, especially to the Dream Weavers
taken who are trying to keep the authenticity of this spiritual tradition
from alive.
how
the weaving process begins. The Dream Weavers don’t follow
self-invented patterns. Instead, they believe that the designs of The Dreaming Culture of the Mandaya
the t’nalak they create are brought to them in their dreams by
Fu Dalu, the spirit of the Abaca. They then bring these In
patterns to life by weaving solely from mental images and the
memory.

Weaving t’nalak is a painstaking process that requires

patience, craftsmanship, and time (depending on the length,
some pieces can take over several months to finish). First, the
fibers are harvested, combed, and air-dried. The end of each

Philippines, the Mandaya Indigenous group is known for their

gaudy and vibrant culture that has been preserved from
successive generations and has withstood the colonizations
that the country surpassed.

fiber is then tied to another until the thin chain of fibers is long The Mandayapeople live in Mindanao, the second largest
enough for the final product. To color the fibers, natural dyes island in the Philippine Archipelago, specifically along the
are extracted from roots and plants. The most common colors mountain ranges of Davao Oriental.
used are black, red, and white.
The term “Mandaya” comes from the word man, meaning
The sanctity of the tradition is retained throughout the creation “firs,” and daya, meaning “upstream.” In combination,
process. As such, some rules are observed. For instance, they Mandaya means “the first upstream people” and refers to the
aren’t allowed to step over the fabric. They are also instructed indigenous group’s language, traditions, customs, and beliefs.
to avoid any ill disposition while weaving. When the cloth has
finally taken shape, it is flattened by a thorough beating with
wood, and polished with a cowrie shell. The same sacred
respect is carried over to the final product, which is why
stepping on it is prohibited.
 The Colorful Weaving Style of Sulu known as PIS SYABIT
One of the interesting aspects that makes the culture of the
Mandaya distinct from other indigenous groups in the country
is their culture of dreaming.

The practice of weaving and the knowledge system on

traditional medicine or healing in the Mandaya culture has
been greatly influenced by dreaming.

The Mandaya are famous for DAGMAY, their traditional textile,

which they consider sacred.

Dagmay designs are interconnected; cutting them will destroy

the essence and sacredness of the fabric.

According To the elders, dagmay was bestowed to the The pis syabit is the multi-colored woven cloth of the Tausug. It
Mandaya through a dream by Tagamaling, a spirit linked to life is traditionally worn by Tausug men as a headdress or clothing
and creation. accessory, folded neatly and draped over the left shoulder. It is
worn along with the lapi or upper garments and the sawal or
It was believed that a Mandaya maiden dreamed of Tagmaling loose trousers.
who taught her weaving techniques to create dagmay. From
then on, theMandaya believed that weaving is sacred, and a The pis syabit symbolizes the wearer's elevated position in
real Mandaya weaver will have to say a prayer before starting society. Nowadays, it is common to see even women,
her weave. The Mandaya weavers only weave in tranquil areas especially young students,wearing the pis either in its
in their houses. traditional function or asan accessory in contemporary fashion
such as shawl and neckerchief, or used as a table cover, wall
ornament or tapestry.

The PIS SYABIT is precisely a tapestry weave. Square format,

measuring 100 x 100 centimeters, the terms yabit, meaning to
hook, is a direct reference to the production process of
inserting or hooking-disconnected weft threads of various
colors, white included, across a generally dark yet finely striped
body of warp threads.

Dagmay is a handwoven textile made from abaca. The abaca

is the extracted fiber from banana leaves.

Dagmay involves a mud-dyeing technique wherein

practitioners submerge their tannin-dyed yarns into iron-rich
mud for several days.

First, they pound the bark of a tree and boil it with the abaca
yarn. They then add the mud with a bluish color and let the
yarn boil until their desired tone is achieved.

With the intricate patterns and details of the dagmay, traditional

Mandaya Clothes have been known to be among the most
beautiful in the Philippine archipelago.

The motifs of traditional Mandaya design include curvilinear,

diamond, cross, trellis, and crocodile patterns
Each insertion of a colored weft thread fills-in a centimeter The Yakans settled originally in Basilan island and in the early
block or blocks delineated by the finestripes of either red or seventies, due to political unrest which led to the armed
yellow warp threads, resulting in a design form and virtually conflicts between the militant Muslims and government
engulfing the entire design composition that are locked in a soldiers, some of them settled in the region of Zamboanga
grid. City. The Yakan Village in Upper Calarian is famous among
local and foreign tourists because of their art of weaving.
The pis syabit exhibits much sophistication in design yet it is
done in tapestry weave which is considered the oldest and Traditionally, they have used plants like pineapple and abaca
most traditional technique in producing ornamented woven converted into fibers as basic material for weaving. Using
textiles, aside of course from the plain weaving technique herbal extracts from leaves, roots and barks,the Yakans dyed
wherein stripes and plaids are formed. the fibers and produced colorful combinations and intricate
designs.
Tapestry weaving does not employ a shuttle-fed weft
nordesign sticks inserted across predesignated warp yarns to
produce the designs, as is done in continuous supplementary
weft or sus-suk. Both insert the weft design yarns by hand or
with the use of a finely carved wooden tool.

The Yakans of Basilan Island

The Yakans are the traditional settlers of Basilan Island in the

The SEPUTANGAN is the most intricate designs worn by the
Southern Philippines, situated to the west of Zamboanga in
women around their waist or as a head cloth.
Mindanao.

The palipattang is patterned after the color of the rainbow while

It is said that their typical physical characteristics are strikingly
the bunga-sama, after the python.
different when compared to the other ethnic Filipino groups
(relatively high-bridged noses and tall stature). Traditionally
Almost every Yakan fabric can be described as unique since
they wear colorful, handwoven clothes.
the finished materials are not exactly identical.
The women wear tightfitting short blouses and both sexes wear
Differences may be seen in the pattern or in the design or in
narrow cut pants resembling breeches.
the distribution of colors.
The women covers it partly with a wrap-around material while
Contacts with Christian Filipinos and the American Peace
the man wraps a sash-like cloth around the waist where he
Corps brought about changes in the art and style of weaving.
places his weapon - usually a long knife.

Many resorted to the convenience of chemical dyes and they

Nowadays most Yakans wear western clothes and use their
started weaving table runners, placemats, wall decor, purses
traditional clothes only for special festivals.
and other items which are not present in a traditional Yakan
house. In other words, the nativescatered because of
economic reasons to the needs of their customers.

New designs were introduced like kenna-kenna, patterned

after a fish; dawen-dawen, after the leaf of a vine; pene mata-
mata, after the shape of an eye or the kabang buddi, the
diamond-shaped design.
Maguindanao Cultures: The Art of Weaving

Weaving Design
The intricate art of weaving introduced various designs. The
most popular is the plain weave such as "binaludto"
(rainbow),"makabimban" (stripes) or "panigabi" (taro).

A weft weave included sinodengan, matampuhay-seko,

kawang and sinukipan designs. The practice of tie-dying is
another rare method locally called "binaludan" (ikat).

Inaul
Inaul is the famous Maguindanao handwoven fabric.

It is a treasured cultural tradition as it captures the

Maguindanao symbol of distinction and royalty and a source of
pride and a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the people
of Cotabato City.

It is used by the Magundanaons as a “malong”, a tubular skirt

or “sarong” that wraps around the lower part of the body and
worn as traditional dress by both men and women.

Color Symbolism
Colors of yellow and orange represent royalty while red means Uses
bravery. Green signifies peace and tranquility. Inaul is one of the most versatile hand woven textiles ever
conceived. Women in Maguindanao wear it as amalong skit
White, the color of purity spoke of sadness and mourning. and as garments for formal or royal events such as weddings.
Blackmeans dignity. At present, the colors and lines are a Men can wear it as a trouser for formal wear. Wound around a
matter of choice. New designs incorporate pastel to dark man's head it becomes a "turban". Folded "malongs" can be
shades are very commonly used. used as a basket, baby cradle or bag.

Others Use it as a blanket, mat, curtain or pillow cases.

Nowadays its uses include gowns and dresses for women and
tuxedos or polo barongs for men.