;The Filipino Artist But now, things have changed.

The present approach to the arts raises new questions about Women artists have become visible because of the initial
the role of the artist in Philippine society. In the past, the artist was steps of three women graphic artists in the 1970s and 1980s: Imelda
very much part of community life. Through time, the artist’s role has Cajipe-Endaya, Brenda V. Fajardo, and Ofelia Gelvezon-Tequi.
come to mean creating — to create something that uplift spirit, They have entered the art scene and changed the landscape from then
something aesthetically pleasing and entertaining. on. They have started as printmakers but later evolved their own
genres, except for France-based Gelvezon-Tequi, who remained as a
The painter Fernando Amorsolo romanticized life, printmaker and a painter. Her latest works are a series of Philippine
reminding Filipinos of tranquil rural landscapes. Carlos “Botong” madonnas.
Francisco drew and painted genre paintings inspired by the life of his
town, Angono, in Rizal. As a rule, the Filipino artist’s role is four- Brenda Fajardo, a doctor in Philippine Studies and
fold: the personal, the social, the physical, and the immaterial. Professor Emerita in the University of the Philippines, is a multi-
awarded artist, educator, and cultural worker. Among her national
First, the artist expresses what he or she feels. Then, the and international awards and grants are the 2012 Gawad CCP para
artist expresses what he or she sees around him or her. Also, the artist sa Sining Biswal and the CCP Centennial Honors for the Arts in
finds a need to create something useful but also pleasing to look at. 1999. Her nationalistic themes are taken from Philippine folklore,
Examples are the burnay or clay pottery of the Ilocos region and the legends, and mythology. She then relates them to contemporary life.
banig or woven mats of the Visayas and Mindanao regions. Her works are mostly in pen and ink and acrylic.

Finally, the artist gives form to the immaterial, the hidden Imelda Cajipe-Endaya is a mixed-media artist, curator,
truths of the universe and the spiritual force that inhabits the world. writer, and organizer. She is one of the first to use nontraditional
Because of these roles, the artist is able to refine us and to elevate our materials for her artworks which are usually fragmented
sense of what is beautiful and sublime. arrangements of artistic scenes. She is also an active women’s rights
advocate.
An artist reflects the time and culture of his period but seen
in a different light. In this way, he or she gets to influence his reader, These women artists paved the way for others to assert their
viewer, listener, intentionally or unintentionally. own identity. Others soon followed: sculptor Agnes Arellano, Julie
Lluch, Genera Banzon, Francesca Enriquez, and many more.
The late Nick Joaquin, a Manileno novelist, playwright,
journalist, historian, and essayist is a good example. He started In the late 1980s, Fajardo and Endaya, together with Ana
writing under the pen name of Quijano de Manila for the Philippine Fer, Julie Lluch, and Ida Bugayong, founded KASIBULAN
Free Press Magazine, chronicled the diverse heritage of the (Kababaihan Sa Sining at Baging Sibol na Kamalayan), a group
Philippines, and gave his opinion about the culture of his time for whose goal was to pursue women’s agenda. KASIBULAN addressed
decades. women’s issues in culture and the arts. It had a message and a
heritage to share. It manifested these issues through art. Among the
The artist is a crusader, attempting to sway the viewer to members were Lia Torralba, Alma Quinto, June Dalisay, Vivien
his or her side. In the past decades, there has been a rise in national Limpin, and Tala Isla Contreras. Membership has spread then.
fervor. The Filipino artist has become a social critic, exposing the
inequalities of life, the effects of urbanization, globalization, and Another noteworthy Filipina is a model historical recorder
neocolonialism, evident in most contemporary works today. The and conservationist. Ligaya Fernando Amilbangsa is an artist,
artist has also become an advocate for what he or she believes in. He educator, cultural researcher, and an advocate of the indigenous arts
or she creates an artistic controversy, thereby becoming an agent of of the south.
change.
Many said that growing up a cultural dancer, Amilbangsa
The Filipino artist is versatile. He or she creates, not only to nursed an intense love for dance that made her study, conserve, and
realize his or her personal fulfillment, but also to express a point of promote a pre-Islamic dance tradition called pangalay— which
view. He or she is a storyteller, narrating everyday life or means “gift offering” or “temple of dance” in Sanskrit— among the
extraordinary events; presenting cultures in different lights; and Samal, Badjao, Jama Mapun, and Tausug people of the South. Her
recording and preserving history for future generations to see. exhaustive efforts to promote the Southern arts earned her the
prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia\s equivalent of the Nobel
The Filipina Artist Peace Prize.

It is a phenomenon that the world of art has been The National Artists of the Philippines
dominated by men ever since the beginning of history. In the early
years of Philippine modern art, the 1950’s, only a few notable women There are many significant Filipino artists who have made
were able to find access into this male-dominated enclave: Anita a mark for the development of Filipino society.
Magsaysay-Ho and Nena Saguil, both painters; Lyd Arguilla, the
founder of Philippine Art Gallery, which is the first official meeting Many of them have made significant contributions in their
place of artists; and Purita Kalaw Ledesma, the founder of the Art own fields, earning them the Order of National Artists. It has been
Association of the Philippines. established by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 1001’s. 1972,
and aims “to give appropriate recognition and prestige to Filipinos
who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding II. IDENTIFICATION
contributions to Philippine arts and letters.” The Order of National A. Identify the name of the artist described.
Artists is the highest award conferred by the President of the __________________________1. She is one of the first to use
Philippines to the nation’s artist. nontraditional materials for her artworks which are usually
fragmented arrangements of artistic scenes
The categories for the Order of National Artists are music,
dance, theater, visual arts, literature, film and broadcast arts, and __________________________2. An artist, educator, cultural
architecture or allied arts. researcher, and an advocate of the indigenous arts of the south.

The awarding of the Order is administered by the Order of __________________________3. Among her national and
National Artists Secretariat— NCCA and CCP— and is conferred by international awards and grants are the 2012 Gawad CCP para sa
the President of the Philippines every three years. Cultural Sining Biswal.
organizations, educational institutions, and private foundations and
councils may submit nominations for the Order once the secretariat __________________________4. A painter who romanticized life,
announces the opening for nominations. The Secretariat then screens reminding Filipinos of tranquil rural landscapes.
and deliberates these nominations before submitting a list of
recommended nominees to the President. After this, the President __________________________5. She is one of the first to use
will decide the final list of awardees and will then issue a nontraditional materials for her artworks which are usually
proclamation, conferring the rank and title on the awardees. fragmented arrangements of artistic scenes.

ACTIVITY # _______ B. Given the different artist, classify the kind of art forms they
created as their masterpiece or their own artworks.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:
_________________________6. Fernando Amorsolo
I. 1. Based from what you have learned, explain the role of a Filipino
Artist that influenced contemporary arts.(Answers should be 5 _________________________7. Nick Joaquin
sentences or more). (5 points)
_________________________8. Ligaya Fernando Amilbangsa

_________________________9. Brenda Fajardo

_________________________10. Agnes Arellano

2. What do you mean by “an artist is a crusader”? (2 points)

________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

3. What do you mean by “an artist is a versatile”? (3 points)

________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________