Edward Yeung and Danielle Lee World Art II Kostianovsky 2 Februay 2012

Filipino art as a whole can be best described with one word: duality. The art of the Philippines combines design and function, rarely existing with a single purpose. Furthermore, Filipino art generally combines and is influenced by a combination of Western and Oriental techniques. It has been proven that by 5000 BC, the making of pottery was practiced throughout the country. Early Filipinos started making pottery before their Cambodian neighbors and at about the same time as the Thais as part of what appears to be a widespread development of pottery technology. The earliest pots focused more on design and were made by hand-molding or the use of a paddle and vessel in building the walls of the pot. The pot could be embellished by either carving the paddle or wrapping it with cord and slapping it against the side to leave marks. Decorative techniques included incision, stippling, appliqu, openwork and impression by rope and mat. Their designs were usually geometric with stylized nature motifs. As time progressed, Filipinos further focused on the functionality of their pottery. Examples of the more functional pieces of pottery include the palayok for cooking and the banga and tapayan for storing liquids. Another lively art tradition present throughout the Philippines is woodcarving. While some carvings are merely decorative, most of the carved objects contain motifs and symbolic meaning. For example, bulol, anito figures carved by the Cordillera groups double as ancestral spirits and granary gods. They are often found in pairs to signify the value of fertility. Human

and animal motifs are also integrated into parts of houses such as door posts, as well as household objects such as bowls, forks and spoons. In the Southern part of the Philippines, the Maranao and the Tausog of Mindanao are known for their okir-a-datu, ornate curvilinear designs and motifs applied to woodcarving. Principal woodcarving designs include the sarimanok, the naga, and the pako rabong. The sarimanok, carved in wood and simply varnished, is the stylized design of a bird holding a fish in its beak. Moreover, the sarimanok design alternates with the bird occasionally standing on a base in the shape of a fish. While its meaning drives from myths, it more simply alludes to the diverse creatures in the Lake Lanao. Next, the naga has the form of a mythical serpent with a gorgeous yet vigorous S-curve. Numerous ornate, curvilinear motifs can be found along the sides to suggest the snakes scales. Lastly, the pako rabong is a growing fern with a broad base gracefully tapering upwards. Futhermore, the Tagbanua of Palawan carve wooden figures of different kinds of birds and animals. Again, their meanings are linked to religion and ritual. Birds play an important part in Tagbanua mythology as messengers that link the many levels of their heaven. The animals and other creatures that they carve, such as the pig and the wild boar, have a part in ritual as sacrificial offerings. Their carvings are of blackened wood, incised with geometric designs that bring out the original light tone of the material. The Tagbauana of Palawan best represent the core of Filipino art. While their carvings are intricate and beautiful, they are never chosen at random; each figure carved has significant religious meaning. One ancient form used purely for creative and visual purposes was Kut-Kut. Kut-Kut art is an exotic Philippine art form based on early century techniques Sgraffito, originating in Italy, encaustic, originating in Egypt, layering and local tribal inscriptions. The merging of these

ancient styles produces a unique artwork characterized by delicate swirling interwoven lines, multi-layered texture and an illusion of three-dimensional space.