CONTEMPORARY ARTS – LESSON 9
Lesson 9 Techniques and Performance, Practices Applied to Contemporary Arts
The Philippines is known to be rich in natural resources. Thus, it is no surprise
that Filipinos use their creativity to use these resources to meet the needs of the
community as well as to express their ideas, knowledge, feelings, and ways of life. Artists
of today use different available materials such as plastic straw, bottles, old newspaper,
and other recyclable materials which seem not to be valued unless transformed into
meaningful arts. These locally available materials are evident in the creation of
traditional arts.
An art is always created with a technique. A technique is the way the artist uses
and manipulates the materials to express an idea or feeling through an art.
II. Techniques Used in Contemporary Arts
A. Application of Traditional Techniques to Contemporary Arts
The table shows how traditional techniques are applied to contemporary arts. In these
examples you will see how the techniques are modified to create another artwor k.
Traditional Art Application to Contemporary Arts
Puni (Bulacan) - This is a popular Straw Folding. In this art, the straws are folded by
Bulakenyo’s way of decorating using rolling elongated sheets of wax coated paper into
leaf cylindrical, hollow tubes.
fronds folding which has a Malayan Origami is from ori meaning “folding”, and kami
origin. means “paper”. Origami is the art of paper folding
that is associated to Japanese culture.
Singkaban (Malolos, Bulacan) It is a Bamboo Art. To use bamboo for decorations, it
decorated bamboo arch to welcome must undergo some processes such as cleaning
signage of a town, city or village in the and cutting, peeling, splitting, stripping or weaving
country. it. For more detailed designs, artists use incising,
burning, carving, and dyeing.
Saniculas (Pampanga) Polvoron Molder. This kitchen tool can help you
Saniculas cookies made with imprint mold the powder for polvoron into perfectly oval or
of San Nicolas de Tolentino, the round shapes (biscuit molder, doughnut molder)
miracle healer according to
Pampanga’s local legend.
Pabalat (San Miguel, Bulacan) The Packaging. The packaging design can be simple
art of making the pabalat or pastillas and straight forward, or colorful and complex
wrappers has transformed in recent (decorated packaging).
years from being a local, folk tradition
into a popular art.
Taka (Paete, Laguna) Paper Maché. Using molds, paper pieces or pulp
Taka refers to the paper maché using are put together with a glue or other adhesives.
carved wooded sculpture used as a
mold.
CONTEMPORARY ARTS – LESSON 9
Pagbuburda (Taal, Batangas and Stitching. Stitches are the basic elements of
Lumban, Laguna) Taal embroideries sewing, knitting or embroidery whether by hand or
are characterized by fine design with machine.
delicate, embossed, durable colorful Loom Bands. These are also called as rainbow looms
patterns. which are a plastic tool used to weave and
colorful rubber and plastic bands into decorative
items such as bracelets and charms.
Nylon Bracelets. A tough light weight elastic
synthetic polymer ornament band hoop or chain
worn on the wrist.
B. Common Techniques in Contemporary Arts
There are three techniques that are commonly used today in contemporary arts
today.
1. Minimalism. This is an artistic movement that seeks to take away unnecessary
and leaving only the essential. The artworks that usually use this technique use a
well selected material that is indispensable in art production.
2. Found Objects. This means taking something that people seem to find useless
and use it in a unique way in order to make an artwork. When people seem to think
that something must be thrown away as junk, it is used to tell a story and create a
diverse perspective that we are looking for.
3. Large-Scale Art. This is an art that accounts for the creation of something
huge to express diverse perspectives in artwork. This art is created for public view.
II. Medium Used in Contemporary Art Forms
Often, artists will most likely use materials available to them. This means
that the resources their locality have is important for their art. The “local” can
refer to material that is easily available in the community. It can be any materials
such as woods, materials, paper that are easily produced and available in the
community. The local can also refer to wherever the artist finds himself or herself.
In discussing the use of materials, it is important to discuss medium. A medium is
defined as the material or substance used to create an artwork. Using these materials,
the artists express his feelings or thoughts. The medium used in each artwork varies
based on the artists and their art forms.
CONTEMPORARY ARTS – LESSON 9
A. CLASSIFICATION OF ART FORMS ACCORDING TO MEDIUM
Classification Description Art Form Medium
Musical use of rhythms, music, poetry, musical instruments,
sounds, song, dance, traditional musical
instrument, human theatre artist instruments made by local
voice materials, body and
movements,
integration of stage,
design, performance elements
and script
Practical art with immediate designs, cement, paper, bamboo, wood,
use in daily architect, bricks, stone, concrete, metal,
life sculptor wood, stone, clay, glass
Environmental An art that installation, wires, junk, recycled materials
occupies space public art
Pictorial uses shapes, painting,
Works pictures, graphics drawing, design, camera, celluloids/negatives,
photography processing chemicals prints
Narrative based on story drama, novel, language
music and
dance
B. Contemporary Techniques and Materials in Contemporary Arts
Contemporary Arts Techniques
Mark Salvatus' Secret This art was created for a small room at the Vargas Museum to show a site -
Garden 2 specific work. Being able to accommodate the audience and experience the
"garden" makes the art interactive. It is also important to note that this
secret garden was created with inmates who used plastic spoons, forks and
other materials.
minimalism, found objects
This artwork is composed of set of trump card with images of Philippine car
wrecks, its body parts and details of accident. These cards are installed on
Interactive Games by the table with chairs for the players.
Ikoy Ricio found objects
Untitled (Mirrors) by This artwork used traditional medium of acrylic on canvas and traditional
Maria Taniguchi modern style of abstraction. Instead of typical painting, the artist used
diligent brushwork that the painting encourages meditations apart from
viewing.
large – scale Art, minimalism
This space in Museum of Contemporary art and design is a simulation of a
Felix Bacolor's Waiting waiting room with real digital clocks and metallic immovable chairs.
(2012) large - scale art, minimalism
Anonymous Animals in
Mariyah Gallery in
Dumaguete 2013 The excavated animals were presented with specific and scientific names and
(Taguchi, Teves, other important details for a real animal. Invented stories by curator make
Sollesta, Vanlenzuela the animals seem to exist with embedded journalist/photographer.
and Ranada) large- scale art, found objects
Use 1 whole sheet of paper.
CONTEMPORARY ARTS – LESSON 9
Activity #.2A. Checking out Local Art Materials
Activity #.2B. Reflection
Answer the following.
1. Which place of your house has the most amount of potential art materials? Why?
2. Among the art materials you have listed, which one is the most abundant? What is its source?
3. Cite the art materials that you can use together in creating an artwork.
4. If your planning to use these materials, what artwork would you make? Why?
