Contemporary Arts: Arts in the Philippines

• Fernando Amorsolo is known as the “Grand Old Man of Philippine Art” and was the first-ever recognized National Artist of the Philippines
• Nora Aunor, a Filipino actress, recording artist, and film producer, is a National Artist of the Philippines for Film and Broadcast Arts
• Kenneth Cobonpue is a Filipino industrial designer known for his artistic and innovative design for furniture, accessories, and lights
• Mars Ravelo, a Filipino cartoonist and graphic novelist, is the creator of Captain Barbell and Darna
• Francisco Sionil Jose, a Filipino writer, is a National Artist of the Philippines for Literature, widely known for his works depicting social underpinnings of class struggles and colonialism
• The art of the Philippines has been influenced by almost all spheres of the globe, including the Renaissance, Baroque, and Modern Periods through the colonizers who arrived in the country
• Contemporary art in the Philippines emerged after World War II and during the Martial Law Era in the 1970s, with writers and filmmakers expressing protests against the government
• Postmodernism in the Philippines, which appeared in the late 1980s, sought to contradict aspects of modernism by integrating existing ideas to create something new, leading to diverse expressions and media
• Postmodernism features in the Philippines include pastiche, bricolage, appropriation, and installation art, with a focus on recycling past styles and themes in a modern context
• Philippine contemporary artists often address socially conscious issues like feminism, consumerism, multiculturalism, globalization, health awareness, and migration in their artwork
• Filipino contemporary artists use native and indigenous materials in their artwork, reflecting a growing sense of pride in their Filipino roots