NATIONAL

ARTIST OF
THE
PHILIPPINES
Group 1
National Artist Award (NAA)
– established in 1972 under Presidential Decree no. 1001 issued by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos

o Bestows the highest form of recognition to Filipino artists for their significant contributions in the
arts and letters.

o Shares the same prestige as the GAMABA and the National Scientist Award.

o Conferred every 3 years through a rigorous deliberation and selection process.

o National Commission on Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines – two
major cultural offices which facilitated the deliberation and selection process of awardees.
THE INSIGNIA OF THE ORDER OF NATIONAL
ARTISTS
o Grand Collar featuring circular links - portrays the
arts
o central badge is a medallion divided into three
equal portions, red, white, and blue, recalling the
Philippine flag, with three stylized letter Ks –
—the “KKK” stands for the CCP’s
motto: “katotohanan, kabutihan, at
kagandahan” (“the true, the good, and
the beautiful”), as coined by then first
lady Mrs. Imelda Romualdez Marcos,
the CCP’s founder
National Artist Award (NAA)
o The roster has included 66 awardees, as of this writing, from seven disciplines :
1. architecture, design, and allied arts
2. film and broadcast arts
3. visual arts
4. literature
5. dance
6. music
7. Theater
- Other categories have been considered by virtue of the president’s prerogative, among
them, Historical literature, and Fashion design.
A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A
Look at UP Diliman.
❖ A good number of works by National Artists can be
found in university campuses. One such example is the
University of The Philippines (UP) Campus in Diliman,
Quezon City.

❑ Oblation, 1935
- Sculptural work by the classical trained sculptor
Guillermo Tolentino (awarded 1973)
- Depicting a male nude with arms outstretched as a
gesture of sacrifice and freedom.
- was later cast in Bronze also by Guillermo Tolentino
in 1950
 WHO?
Proponent in Academic Painting Proponent in Academic Sculpture

National Artist of 1972 National Artist of 1973

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.

• Guillermo Tolentino (National Artist for Sculpture,1973)
- Proponent in Academic Sculpture
- Aside from statues in public places, many of his works
can be viewed at the National Museum.
• Fernando Amorsolo (National Artist for Painting, 1972)
- First recipient of NAA.
- Proponent in Academic Painting
- works: Paintings of bucolic landscapes and idealized
portraits of prominent individuals from the
Commonwealth period and the Second World War 2 –
can be viewed at the Jorge B. Vargas Museum in UP.
❖ Both National Artists serves as professors at UP School
of Fine Arts and have been influential as teachers and
artists.

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.

 - bucolic landscapes and idealized portraits of prominent
individulas from the Commonwealth period and the
Second World War 2 by Fernando Amorsolo.

Antipolo , depicting Filipinos celebrating the annual
pilgrimage to Antipolo, with the pre-War cathedral depicted in
the background.
Defence of a Filipina Woman's Honour, 1945, which is
representative of Amorsolo's World War II-era paintings.
Here, a Filipino man defends a woman, who is either his
wife or daughter, from being raped by an unseen Japanese
soldier. Note the Japanese military cap at the man's foot

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.

• Abdulmari Asia Imao (National Artist for Sculpture, 2006)
- this calligraphic work done in the 80’s at the sculpture garden of the
Vargas Museum is one of the largest public sculptures he made.
• Benedicto Cabrera (National Artist for Painting, 2006)
- his iconic Variations of Sabel, 2015 made of aluminum sheets can be
found at the UP Theater.
Variations of
Sabel, 2015

Untitled piece (1984) by National Artist Abdulmari

Asia Imao in front of the Vargas Museum

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.

• Jose Jaya(National Artist for Painting, 2003)
✓ Barter Of Panay, 1978
-rendered in the Abstract Expressionist Style and
consists of soft, overlapping planes of black, white
orange, brown, and golden yellow.
- w/o rendering human form, the solid color
palette establishes links to the legend, referencing the
trade between Datu Puti bearing gold accessories to
purchase the lowlands from King Marikudo.

1978 Jose Joya – Barter of Panay, Business Administration

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.

• Napoleon Abueva(National Artist for Sculpture, 1976)
✓ Spirit of Business , 1979
-seems to be drawn from science fiction,
composed of a metal disk with sharp-looking poles jutting
through it.
- produced many public sculptures for the
University using various materials from wood, to stone and
metal; with themes ranging from figurative tableaus to
abstract sculptures that embody the spirit of academic Spirit of Business, 1979

unit.

❖Both Joya and Abueva served as faculty and Deans of the UP College of Fine Arts and taught in UP. Both studied
arts in the United States which influenced them with modern sensibilities of the period.
❖In 1964, both represented the country in the Venice Art Biennale, one of the oldest international worldwide.

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.

❑Church of the Holy Sacrifice in UP Diliman
* Inaugurated in 1955
* also known as “UP Chapel”
* credited as the First Catholic Church to employ circular architecture.
* recognized as a “National Historical” Landmark by the National Historical Institute ( now known as the
National Comission of the Philippines) and as well as “Cultural Treasure” by the National Museum.
* Consolidates the works of Five National Artists:
a. Leandro Locsin ( National Artist of Architecture, 1990)
- the spherical structure of the Church indicated a keen interest in space travel, and the advancement in
science and technology in the 1950s.

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.

 ❑Church of the Holy Sacrifice in UP Diliman

Exterior of the UP Chapel

Interior of the UP Chapel

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.

b. Jose Abueva
❑Cruxificion
- double-sided crucifix carved in hardwood
hanging above the circular altar positioned at the
center.
- one side depicts Christ crucified, other
side is an image of the resurrected Christ.
c. Arturo Lopez
- terrazzo floorwork done by him
suggesting flowing rivers that terminate in the altar
us a whirling pattern of planar forms.
Abueva’s Cruxificion,1955 and Lopez’ Luz River of
Life,1955

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.

d. Vicente Manansala (National Artist for Painting, 1981)
❑ 15 Stations of the Cross, 1955-56
-painted by Manansala with the assistance of Ang Kiukok (National Artist for Painting, 2001)

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.
❖In 1968, the UP Chapel housed a performance led by
– Jose Maceda (National Artist for Music, 1997)
- avant-garde composer, musician, and ethnomusicologist
- founded the UP Center for Ethnomusicology, where he donated his precious collections of sound recirdungs,
field notes, and other materials on ethnomusicology in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
- the Marceda Archives received a recognition from the UNESCO Memory of the World.
❑ Pagsamba by Maceda
- involved a hundred mixed voices,indigenous musical instruments such as bamboo buzzers, clappers, and
whistle flutes; while incorporating a prayer sung in Tagalog.

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces : A Look at UP Diliman.

B. Translations and Collaborative Works of National Artists
❖ While many artists create work independently, artistic collaborations help develop projects involving
elaborate production work, as in the case of film or theater.

❑ Genghis Khan, 1950

- Told the epic adventure of a Mongolian conqueror.
- Directed by Manuel Conde (National Artist for Film and Broadcast, 2009)
- set and costume design by Carlos Francisco (National Artist for Painting, 1973)
- Filmed in Francisco’s native Angono
- Was screened in many festivals abroad and translated into 16 languages for international distribution,
the most recent of which was at the 2015 Vencie Biennale.
❑ Tales of the Manuvu
- Performed at the CCP in 1985
- Recounts the origins of the Marobo people.
- Benefitted from the efforts of several National Artists:
➢ National Artists who worked on the production of the ✓ Noong Unang Panahon
Tales of the Manuvu - One of the songs popularized by the production of
• Bienvenido Lumbrera (National Artist for Literature,2006) the Tales of the Manuvu.
– Scholar poet, and teacher - Melancholic reminiscence of ecological transformation,
– Wrote the libretto still compelling in today’s context.
• Alice Reyes (National Artist for Dance,2014)
– Founder of Ballet Philippines
– Choreographed the performance
• Salvador Bernal (National Artist for Theater and Design)
– Took charge of the costume and set design

B. Translations and Collaborative Works of National Artists

❖Narratives in existing literary works sometimes become
the basis of moving images and the performing arts.
• Fransicso V. Coching (Natural Artist for Visual Arts-
Comics, 2014)
– His combined drawings and stories popularized in
comics inspired filmmaker to create adaptations on
the big screen.
✓ Pedro Penduko
- First appeared in Choching’s work in Liwayway
comics
• Gerardo de Leon (National Artist for Film)
– Animated the Pedro Penduko into film.
B. Translations and Collaborative Works of National Artists
• Nick Joaquin (National Artist for Literature, 1976)
– Poet, novelist and playwright
✓ A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino, 1950
- Story revolves around a painting of the same title,
dedicated by a crippled artist to his two unmarried
daughter Candida and Paula.
- The said painting calls the attention of characters
that take interest in the work of the once famous
artist, and who give their varied appraisals of the
work.
- Set in Pre-war Intramuros, the play forward
concerns about the value of art and the plight of
artists and the nostalgia for “peace” and glory days
in Manila.
• Lamberto Avellana (National Artist for Film, 1976)
– Adapted Joaquin’s A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino
into a film in 1965.
• Daisy Hontiveros Avellana ( National Artist for For
Theater, 1976)
– Wife and collaborator of Lamberto Avellana, actress,
director, and writer..
– Played the lead character (Candida Marasigan) n the
film adaptation of Joaquin’s A Portrait of the Artist
as Filipino.

B. Translations and Collaborative Works of National Artists

Some controversies in the NAA:
o reported exclusion of actress Nora Aunor from the final list of honorees tin 2014 by Pres. Aquino.

o In 2009, former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo dropped musician Ramon Santos from the line-up
of 4 nominees submitted to her. Santos was eventually named a national artist in 2014 by Pres.
Aquino.
- artists protested on the streets , the case went all the way up to the Supreme Court and the
cooperative effort between past awardees and cultural workers in act of resistance to the 2009
proclamation demonstrates how the pubic can wield power as stakeholders of culture and the arts.

❑The most controversial aspect of conferring this award is the reported name insertion – committed
by former presidents themselves – in the final list of honorees.
https://lakansining.wordpress.com/2016/12/13/university-of-the-philippines-quezon-city-the-art-of-the-parish-
of-the-holy-sacrifice/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Artist_of_the_Philippines

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_National_Artist_of_the_Philippines_controversy