Pamatawan IS- SSG - National Arts Month

National Arts Month is celebrated in the month of February every year pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 683 s. 1991 stated that "the disciplines of theatre, dance, music, visual arts, architecture, literature, media arts, and film need to be preserved, enriched, and evolved in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression, "

In support of Core Values Makabansa and to emphasize the importance and legacy of National Arts Month, the Pamatawan Integrated School – Supreme Student Government (PIS-SSG) created recommended PPA’s for the mentioned celebration through Memorandum Circular No. 1 s. 2022,

One of the Recommended Projects, Programs and Activities is: Online Exhibit of National Artist of the Philippines,

CTO: Trivia and Facts Philippines

The Order of National Artists (Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) is the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts; namely, Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film, Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts. The order is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and conferred by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation by both institutions

FERNANDO AMORSOLO

National Artist for Visual Arts

(May 30, 1892 – April 24, 1972)

The country had its first National Artist in Fernando C. Amorsolo. The official title “Grand Old Man of Philippine Art” was bestowed on Amorsolo when the Manila Hilton inaugurated its art center on January 23, 1969, with an exhibit of a selection of his works. Returning from his studies abroad in the 1920s, Amorsolo developed the backlighting technique that became his trademark where figures, a cluster of leaves, a spill of hair, the swell of a breast, is seen aglow on canvas. This light, Nick Joaquin opines, is the rapture of a sensualist utterly in love with the earth, with the Philippine sun, and is an accurate expression of Amorsolo’s own exuberance. His citation underscores all his years of creative activity which have “defined and perpetuated a distinct element of the nation’s artistic and cultural heritage”.

Among others, his major works include the following: Maiden in a Stream(1921)-GSIS collection; El Ciego (1928)-Central Bank of the Philippines collection; Dalagang Bukid (1936) – Club Filipino collection; The Mestiza (1943) – National Museum of the Philippines collection; Planting Rice (1946)-UCPB collection; Sunday Morning Going to Town (1958)-Ayala Museum Collection

LEANDRO V. LOCSIN

National Artist for Architecture, 1990

(August 15, 1928 – November 15, 1994)

Leandro V. Locsin reshaped the urban landscape with a distinctive architecture reflective of Philippine Art and Culture. He believes that true Philippine Architecture is “the product of two great streams of culture, the oriental and the occidental… to produce a new object of profound harmony.” It is this synthesis that underlies all his works, with his achievements in concrete reflecting his mastery of space and scale. Every Locsin Building is original, and identifiable as a Locsin with themes of floating volume, the duality of light and heavy, buoyant and massive running in his major works. From 1955 to 1994, Locsin has produced 75 residences and 88 buildings, including 11 churches and chapels, 23 public buildings, 48 commercial buildings, six major hotels, and an airport terminal building.

By the SunKing (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Locsin’s largest single work is the Istana Nurul Iman, the palace of the Sultan of Brunei, which has a floor area of 2.2 million square feet. The CCP Complex itself is a virtual Locsin Complex with all five buildings designed by him — the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Folk Arts Theater, Philippine International Convention Center, Philcite and The Westin Hotel (now Sofitel Philippine Plaza).

National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA). 2022

JOSÉ MARÍA V. ZARAGOZA

National Artist for Architecture (2014)

(December 6, 1912 – November 26, 1994)

José María V. Zaragoza’s place in Philippine architecture history is defined by a significant body of modern edifices that address spiritual and secular requirements. Zaragoza’s name is synonymous with modern ecclesiastical architecture. Notwithstanding his affinity to liturgical structures, he greatly excelled in secular works: 36 office buildings, 4 hotels, 2, hospitals, 5 low-cost and middle-income housing projects; and more than 270 residences – all demonstrating his typological versatility and his mastery of modernist architectural vocabulary.

Zaragoza graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila in 1936, passing the licensure examinations in 1938 to become the 82nd architect of the Philippines. With a growing interest in specializing in religious architecture, Zaragoza also studied at the International Institute of Liturgical Art (IILA) in Rome in the late 1950s, where he obtained a diploma in liturgical art and architecture. His training in Rome resulted in innovative approaches, setting new standards for the design of mid-century Catholic churches in the Philippines. His prolificacy in designing religious edifices was reflected in his body of work that was predominated by about 45 churches and religious centers, including the Santo Domingo Church, Our Lady of Rosary in Tala, Don Bosco Church, the Convent of the Pink Sisters, the San Beda Convent, Villa San Miguel, Pius XII Center, the Union Church, and the controversial restoration of the Quiapo Church, among others.

Zaragoza is a pillar of modern architecture in the Philippines buttressed by a half-century career that produced ecclesiastical edifices and structures of modernity in the service of God and humanity.

National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA), 2022

VICENTE MANANSALA

National Artist for Painting (1981)

(January 22, 1910 – August 22, 1981)

Vicente Manansala‘s paintings are described as visions of reality teetering on the edge of abstraction. As a young boy, his talent was revealed through the copies he made of the Sagrada Familia and his mother’s portrait that he copied from a photograph. After finishing the fine arts course at the University of the Philippines, he ran away from home and later found himself at the Philippines Herald as an illustrator. It was there that Manansala developed a close association with Hernando R. Ocampo, Cesar Legaspi, and Carlos Botong Francisco, the latter being the first he admired most. For Manansala, Botong was a master of the human figure. Among the masters, Manansala professes a preference for Cezanne and Picasso whom he says have achieved a balance of skill and artistry.

He trained in Paris and at Otis School of Drawing in Los Angeles. Manansala believes that the beauty of art is in the process, in the moment of doing a particular painting, closely associating it with the act of making love. “The climax is just when it’s really finished.” National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA). 2022

F. SIONIL JOSE

National Artist for Literature (2001)

F. Sionil Jose’s writings since the late 60s, when taken collectively can best be described as epic. Its sheer volume puts him on the forefront of Philippine writing in English. But ultimately, it is the consistent espousal of the aspirations of the Filipino–for national sovereignty and social justice–that guarantees the value of his oeuvre.

In the five-novel masterpiece, the Rosales saga, consisting of The Pretenders, Tree, My Brother, My Executioner, Mass, and Po-on, he captures the sweep of Philippine history while simultaneously narrating the lives of generations of the Samsons whose personal lives intertwine with the social struggles of the nation. Because of their international appeal, his works, including his many short stories, have been published and translated into various languages.

F. Sionil Jose is also a publisher, lecturer on cultural issues, and the founder of the Philippine chapter of the international organization PEN. He has bestowed the CCP Centennial Honors for the Arts in 1999; the Outstanding Fulbrighters Award for Literature in 1988; and the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts in 1980.

National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA), 2022

SALVADOR F. BERNAL

National Artist for Theater Design (2003)

(January 7, 1945 – October 26, 2011)

Salvador F. Bernal designed more than 300 productions distinguished for their originality. Sensitive to the budget limitations of local productions, he harnessed the design potential of inexpensive local materials, pioneering or maximizing the use of bamboo, raw abaca, and abaca fiber, hemp twine, rattan chain links, and gauze cacha.

As the acknowledged guru of contemporary Filipino theater design, Bernal shared his skills with younger designers through his classes at the University of the Philippines and the Ateneo de Manila University, and through the programs, he created for the CCP Production Design Center which he himself conceptualized and organized.

To promote and professionalize theater design, he organized the PATDAT (Philippine Association of Theatre Designers and Technicians) in 1995 and by way of the Philippine Center of OISTAT (Organization Internationale des Scenographers, Techniciens et Architectes du Theatre), he introduced Philippine theater design to the world.

National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA) 2022

JOVITA FUENTES

National Artist for Music (1976)

(February 15, 1895 – August 7, 1978)

Long before Lea Salonga’s break into Broadway, there was already Jovita Fuentes‘ portrayal of Cio-cio san in Giacomo Puccini’s Madame Butterfly at Italy’s Teatro Municipale di Piacenza. Her performance was hailed as the “most sublime interpretation of the part”. This is all the more significant because it happened at a time when the Philippines and its people were scarcely heard of in Europe. Prior to that, she was teaching at the University of the Philippines Conservatory of Music (1917) before leaving for Milan in 1924 for further voice studies. After eight months of arduous training, she made her stage debut at the Piacenza. She later embarked on a string of music performances in Europe essaying the roles of Liu Yu in Puccini’s Turandot, Mimi in Puccini’s La Boheme, Iris in Pietro Mascagni’s Iris, the title role of Salome (which composer Richard Strauss personally offered to her including the special role of Princess Yang Gui Fe in Li Tai Pe). In recognition of these achievements, she was given the unprecedented award of “Embahadora de Filipinas a su Madre Patria” by Spain.

Her dream to develop the love for opera among her countrymen led her to found the Artists’ Guild of the Philippines, which was responsible for the periodic “Tour of Operaland” productions. Her life story has been documented in the biography Jovita Fuentes: A Lifetime of Music (1978) written by Lilia H. Chung, and later translated into Filipino by Virgilio Almario.

National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA), 2022

FERNANDO POE, JR.

National Artist for Cinema (2006)

(August 20, 1939 – December 14, 2004)

Ronald Allan K. Poe, popularly known as Fernando Poe, Jr., was a cultural icon of tremendous audience impact and cinema artist and craftsman–as actor, director, writer and producer.*

The image of the underdog was projected in his films such as Apollo Robles(1961), Batang Maynila (1962), Mga Alabok sa Lupa (1967), Batang Matador and Batang Estibador (1969), Ako ang Katarungan (1974), Tatak ng Alipin(1975), Totoy Bato (1977), Asedillo (1981), Partida (1985), and Ang Probisyano (1996), among many others. The mythical hero, on the other hand, was highlighted in Ang Alamat (1972), Ang Pagbabalik ng Lawin (1975) including his Panday series (1980, 1981, 1982, 1984) and the action adventure films adapted from komiks materials such as Ang Kampana sa Santa Quiteria(1971), Santo Domingo (1972), and Alupihang Dagat (1975), among others.

Poe was born in Manila on August 20, 1939. After the death of his father, he dropped out of the University of the East in his sophomore year to support his family. He was the second of six siblings. He married actress Susan Roces in a civil ceremony in December 1968. He died on December 14, 2004.

National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA). 2022

JUAN F. NAKPIL

National Artist for Architecture, 1973

(May 26, 1899 – May 7, 1986)

Juan F. Nakpil, architect, teacher, and civic leader is a pioneer and innovator in Philippine architecture. In essence, Nakpil’s greatest contribution is his belief that there is such a thing as Philippine Architecture, espousing architecture reflective of Philippine traditions and culture. It is also largely due to his zealous representation and efforts that private Filipino architects and engineers, by law, are now able to participate in the design and execution of government projects. He has integrated strength, function, and beauty in the buildings that are the country’s heritage today. He designed the 1937 International Eucharistic Congress altar and rebuilt and enlarged the Quiapo Church in 1930 adding a dome and a second belfry to the original design.

Among others, Nakpil’s major works are the Geronimo de los Reyes Building,Magsaysay Building, Rizal Theater, Capitol Theater, Captain Pepe Building, Manila Jockey Club, Rufino Building, Philippine Village Hotel, University of the Philippines Administration and University Library, and the reconstructed Rizal house in Calamba,

National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA), 2022

MANUEL CONDE

National Artist for Cinema (2009)

(October 9, 1915 – August 11, 1985)

Born on October 9, 1915 and christened Manuel Pabustan Urbano, Manuel Conde grew up and studied in Daet, Camarines Norte. In the decades before and after World War II when Philippine society was being inundated by American popular culture, Conde invested local cinema with a distinct cultural history of its own through movies that translated onto the silver screen the age-old stories that Filipinos had told and retold from generation to generation for at least the past one hundred years. Among the narratives that Conde directed and/or produced for the screen were three of the most famous metrical romances in Philippine lowland culture: Siete Infantes de Lara, Ibong Adarna, and Prinsipe Tenoso.

Through the more than forty films he created from 1940 to 1963, Manuel Conde contributed in no small measure to the indigenization of the cinema, specifically: by assigning it a history and culture of its own; by revitalizing folk culture with urgent issues, fresh themes and new techniques; by depicting and critiquing Filipino customs, values and traditions according to the needs of the present; by employing and at the same time innovating on the traditional cinematic genres of his time; and by opening the local cinema to the world.

With a curious mind and restless spirit that could not be contained by what is, Conde went beyond the usual narratives of the traditional genres and ventured into subject matter that would have been deemed too monumental or quixotic by the average producer. Conde dared to recreate on screen the grand narratives of larger-than-life figures from world history and literature, like Genghis Khan and Sigfredo. In doing films on these world figures, Conde had in effect forced the Filipino moviegoer out of the parochial and predictable concerns of the run-of-the-mill formulaic film and thrust him into a larger world where visions and emotions were loftier and nobler and very very far from the pedestrian whims and sentiments that constituted the Filipino moviegoer’s usual fare.

Major works: Ibong Adarna (1941), Si Juan Tamad (1947), Siete Infantes de Lara (1950), Genghis Khan (1950), Ikaw Kasi! (1955) Juan Tamad Goes To Congress (1959).

National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA). Philippine Post Office, 2022

LINO BROCKA

National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts (1997)

(April 3, 1939 – May 22, 1991)

Catalino “Lino” Ortiz Brocka, director for film and broadcast arts, espoused the term “freedom of expression” in the Philippine Constitution. Brocka took his social activist spirit to the screen leaving behind 66 films that breathed life and hope for the marginalized sectors of society — slum-dwellers, prostitutes, construction workers, etc. He also directed for theater with equal zeal and served in organizations that offer alternative visions, like the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) and the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP). At the same time, he garnered awards and recognition from institutions like the CCP, FAMAS, TOYM, and Cannes Film Festival. Lino Brocka has left behind his masterpieces, bequeathing to our country a heritage of cinematic harvest; a bounty of stunning images, memorable conversations that speak volumes on love, betrayal and redemption, pestilence and plenty all pointing toward the recovery and rediscovery of our nation.

To name a few, Brocka’s films include the following: “Santiago” (1970), “Wanted: Perfect Mother” (1970), “Tubog sa Ginto” (1971), “Stardoom” (1971), “Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang” (1974), “Maynila: Sa Kuko ng Liwanag” (1975), “Insiang” (1976), “Jaguar” (1979), “Bona” (1980), “Macho Dancer” (1989), “Orapronobis” (1989), “Makiusap Ka sa Diyos” (1991).

National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA). Wikipedia, 2022

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