American Period
During the American occupation in the Philippines
in 1898 to 1946.
During the period of American Occupation in the
Philippines; our country was greatly influenced as can be
seen in the arts and culture of the Filipino People.
Contributions of Americans in the Philippines
Modern Education
Democracy
Basic Rights
During the Spanish colonization, arts and
learning were focused on church and
religious themes. In American times, arts
themes were landscape and still life
subjects. New styles such as art nonveau
and art deco were also introduced.
Uy Chaco Building
ART NONVEAU
French for “New Art”. A
rediscovery the power and
vitality of the line as active,
restful, disciplined, expressive,
austere, sensuous, and unifying.
Large, assymetrical frames with
curvilinear and floral motifs are
the relics of art nouveau.
Santo Tomas University
Art deco
Influenced by cubism, fauvism,
futurism and abstraction. It
reflects decorative work and to
steamlining forms and motifs.
Highlighted by clear lines,
geometrical patterns and vibrant
colors A fashionable style for
movie houses, hotel interiors and
ocean liners.
Capitol Theater
Lyric Theater in
Escolta Binondo
Architecture
Architecture of the American
occupation period was patterned after
the civic buildings of the neoclassical
style. It can be seen in the use of
materials such as reinforced concrete,
glass and steel.
Urban planning was introduced and new buildings are needed
to be constructed for government and public services.
Several Filipino architects who studied from the States were
employed to plan for a neoclassical style government building
such as the Congress, Post Office, Supreme Court,
Philippine General Hospital and Manila City Hall.
Post Office
Supreme Court
Philippine General Hospital
Manila City Hall
Painting
Rural scenes and Philippine landscapes were the dominant themes
during this period.
Artist pioneered in these styles is Fabian Dela Rosa who worked in
realistic and usually with soft cool palette of colors. The first to be
sensitive to S P A C E as a vital element interacting with the forms
of the land, and first to discover the different tones of green in
forests and fields.
Women working in a rice field
Fernando Amorsolo, the nephew of Fabian Dela Rosa is the
other well known artist during this period. He was the first to ever
be awarded as National artist in 1972. Renowned for his
artworks romantically depicting Philippine rural scenes and
sun-drenched countryside scenery. A professor and dean of the
University of the Philippines school of fine arts (1952-1955)
which inspired the development of the “Amorsolo School” of
painting.
Planting Rice
Ligawan
Sculpture
Artist dominated the sculpture figures is Guillermo Tolentino. He
studied at the academy of Rome and set the ground for classical
sculpture in the country. Classical but recognizably “Fillipino”.
In 1973, Tolentino was named as a National Artist for
Scupture. Several sculptors followed the standards set by
Tolentino, such as Anastacio Caedo and his son Florentino.
Life and works of Andres Bonifacio
Oblation at UP
Modernism to ContEmpOrarY
Victor Edades is the first artist to introduce modernism to local
artists with his work “The Builders”. Contrary to Amorsolo’s ever-
smiling dalagang Pilipina, Edades showed the hardship of life for
the working class. In his exhibit, he depicted distorted, naked
working men covered in sweat and dirt. This is the first public’s
exposure to modern art in the Philippines.
The Builders or “Mga Konstruktor”
Edades together with Carlos
V. Francisco and Galo B.
Ocampo formed the
pioneering triumvirate of
modern art in the country and
produced a mural for the
lobby of the Capitol Theater
on Escolta Street. This began
the growth of mural painting
in the Philippines.
In time, the group then expanded into the “Thirteen
Moderns”, considered the pioneers of modern art in
the Philippines. The group was lead by Victor
Edades with Diosdado Lorenzo, Vicente Manansala,
Cesar Legaspi, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Hernando R.
Ocampo, Demetrio Diego, Arsenio Capili, Ricarte
Purugganan, Bonifacio Cristobal, and Jose
Pardo as members.
In support to modern art, the Art Association of the
Philippines (AAP) was established and its annual painting
competition which welcomed both modernist and conservative
works. Also, the Philippine Art Gallery (PAG) provided a
venue for the exhibits of modernists. Central to these projects
were two women: Purita Kalaw-Ledesma who founded the
AAP, and Lydia Villanuava-Arguilla who opened the
pioneering PAG in Ermita in 1948.
New group of postwar modernist called themselves Neo-Realists which
developed the style of transparent cubism includes Vicente Manansala
(Madonna Of the Slums, Jeepneys, 1951). Cesar Legaspi (Sanman, 1947,
Street Incident, 1968) Romeo Tabuena (Wash lines, Mujer, 1965), Galo
Ocampo (Ecce Homo, 1953), and Carlos Francisco (Sungka Players). Their
styles reveals influence of western modern style in Art such as abstractionism,
cubism, expressionism and surrealism. While international art movements such
as abstract expressionism, minimalism, contructivism and other non-figurative
art form also influences the works of Ben Cabrera, Prudencio
Lammarosa, Manuel Baldemor and others.
The international influences question the identity of
Philippine Art. Although much of them reflects the
trends in international art scene, a number of artists
continued to search for national identity by using
local subjects and indigenous motifs like the works
of Abdulmari Imao. Others find in the
reinterpretation of history as in the works of Ben
Cabrera
‘Water Buffalo’ by Imao Abdulmari
Sarimanok series
by Imao
Abdulmari
‘Tres Marias’ by Ben Cab
In sculpture, experimentation of new materials and
concepts manifests the modern sculpture in the
Philippines. Napolean Abueva, the first modern
Filipino sculpture believe that “pure form and good
design” alone can be considered Philippine modern
sculptural art.
Conclusion
The arrival of Western Art in the has made Philippine art diverse
and multi-faceted in terms of styles and concepts. The Filipino
artist today are facing a great challenge to rediscover and revive
their original identity of art. But let us take in mind that a
balance of nationalism with a sense of internationalism is
needed for the Filipino artists to gain aesthetic satisfaction and
understanding of contemporary trends.
