TECHNIQUE

(CONTEMPORARY
PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM
THE REGIONS)

PASTOR ARIEL M. ADELANTE

TEACHER
 WHAT IS TECHNIQUE?

– TECHNIQUE IS THE MANNER IN WHICH ARTISTS USE AND MANIPULATE MATERIALS

TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED FORMAL EFFECT, AND COMMUNICATE THE DESIRED
CONCEPT, OR MEANING, ACCORDING TO HIS OR HER PERSONAL STYLE (MODERN,
NEOCLSSIC, ETC). THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER OR NATURE OF THE MEDIUM
DETERMINES THE TECHNIQUE. FOR EXAMPLE STONE IS CHISELED, WOOD IS CARVED,
CLAY IS MODELED AND SHAPED, METAL IS CAST, AND THREAD IS WOVEN.
– TECHNIQUE INVOLVES TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY, RANGING FROM THE MOST
TRADITIONAL (FOR EXAMPLE CARVING, SILKSCREEN, ANALOG PHOTOGRAPHY, AND
FILMMAKING) TO THE MOST CONTEMPORARY (DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY, DIGITAL
FILMMAKING, MUSIC PRODUCTION, INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, AND ROBOTICS).
 HOW HAVE CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS
EXPANDED THE RANGE OF MEDIUM
AND TECHNIQUES THEY UTILIZE?
– CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS ARE PRODUCING ARTWORKS THAT ARE MORE PROCESS-
BASED, SITE- SPECIFIC, INTERACTIVE, AND COLLABORATIVE.
– FOR EXAMPLE, MARK SALVATUS’ SECRET GARDEN 2, 2010 IS CREATED PURPOSEFULLY
FOR A SMALL ROOM AT THE VARGAS MUSEUM. IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF A SITE-SPECIFIC
WORK, WHICH REFERS TO WORKS IN WHICH LOCATION OR SPACE IS CRUCIAL TO THE
ARTIST’S INTENDED MEANING AND EXPERIENCE OF THE WORK BY THE AUDIENCE. IT
IS INTERACTIVE; ONE HAS TO PEEK, BUT NOT FULLY ENTER THE SPACE, TO GET BUT A
GLIMPSE OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE A “SECRET GARDEN,” AS THE TITLE IMPLIES. IN
OTHER WORDS, THE WORK IS MEANINGLESS WITHOUT THE COLLABORATION OF AN
ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING AUDIENCE.
– TO UNDERSTAND THE WORK, ONE HAS TO HAVE
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT COLLABORATIVE
PROCESS. THE ARTIST WORKED WITH INMATES OF
A JAIL IN HIS HOME PROVINCE OF QUEZON IN
SOUTHERN LUZON. TOGETHER, THEY FASHIONED SECRET
THE SO-CALLED GARDEN FROM PLASTIC SPOONS, GARDEN 2
FORKS AND OTHER IMPLEMENTS- A CLANDESTINE CONTINUATION
PROCESS REMAINS A SECRET, EVEN FOR THE
AUDIENCE WHO CANNOT FULLY SEE THE GARDEN-
A FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE FOR SOME, BUT ONE
THAT COULD ALSO ENLIGHTENING, ESPECIALLY IF
ONE REALIZES HOW THE PRISONERS AND THE
ARTIST CREATED SOMETHING NEW, CREATIVE AND
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, EMPOWERING.
ANONYMOUS ANIMALS

ART FORMS MEDIUM HOW IT IS MEANING AND

EXPERIENCED CONTEXT

SCULPTURES TERRACOTTA, SPATIAL DIRECT EXPERIENCE, SIMULACRUM

THROUGH AN EXHIBIT CREATING AND
PERFORMING A
VIRTUAL (INTERNET)
FICTION BUT MAKING
IT SEEM REAL,
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PHOTOGRAPHY, DIRECT EXPERIENCE FRAMED BY THE
ANIMALS PICTORIAL, SPATIAL (EXHIBIT) LANGUAGE OF
SCIENCE
RECORDED
(ARCHAEOLOGY,
VIRTUAL (INTERNET) BIOLOGY). MAKES US
ASK THE QUESTION:
FICTION WORDS, TEXTS RECORDED, VIRTUAL WHAT IS REAL? WHAT
IS TRUTH?
CONCEPTUAL COMBINED ARTS VIRTUAL AND ACTUAL
PERFORMANCE
SEATWORK: (TO BE
SUBMITTED TODAY)
– 1. USING YOUR TABLE AS GUIDE, EXPLAIN HOW YOUR
UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE OF THE WORK OR
PROJECT CHANGED YOUR CONCEPT OF ART.
– 2. HOW ARE THESE NEW INSIGHTS AND EXPERIENCES
RELEVANT TO YOUR OWN LIFE? WHAT NEW INSIGHTS ABOUT
ART AND SCIENCE CAN YOU APPLY TO YOUR OWN LIFE AFTER
VIEWING AND INTERACTING WITH CONTEMPORARY ART
WORKS LIKE THE ANONYMOUS ANIMALS PROJECT?
 ASSIGNMENT: (TO BE SUBMITTED
NEXT MEETING)

– 1. HOW DOES AN ARTIST CONVEY HIS OR HER MEANING THROUGH MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUE? GO BACK TO YOUR
CULTURAL MAP AND LOOK FOR A RIZAL MONUMENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND DESCRIBE IT TO ILLUSTRATE YOUR ANSWER.
WRITE THAT ANSWER IN A 300- 500 WORD ESSAY AND DESCRIBES THE PROCESS OF MAKING THE MONUMENT, WHAT IS
MADE OF, AND HOW IT IS MADE. YOU MAY NEED TO INTERVIEW THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD IT
MADE, ASSUMING THEY ARE STILL AVAILABLE, ALONG WITH THE ARTIST OR ARTISTS WHO MADE IT.
– 2. CREATE YOUR OWN RIZAL MONUMENT BY USING CONTEMPORARY MEDIUMS AND TECHNIQUES. WHAT MAKES YOUR
ARTWORK “CONTEMPORARY”? YOU CAN BE INSPIRED BY THE EXAMPLES ABOVE. YOU CAN ALSO CREATE:
– * A PHOTOGRAPHIC RECREATION OF AMORSOLO’S PLANTING RICE.
– * A CONCEPT OF A GAME
– * A CONCEPTUAL ART PIECE USING FOUND OBJECTS (PERFORMANCE ART OR INTALLATION OR A COMBINATION); OR
– * A MUSIC VIDEO