Dayang Magdalena Nirvana T. Yraola, PhD is an Associate Professor at the Department of Theory, College of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines Diliman. She handles courses in art history, art criticism, and research (for Department of Theory); sound art (for Department of Studio Arts, CFA); audiovisual archiving (for Department of Musicology, College of Music); and production of space for visual arts (for Master of Fine Arts, CFA). She has an independent curatorial practice focused on art as expanded practice and research on art practice and ecologies. She is currently the Curator of the University of the Philippines Fine Arts Gallery, and Director of University of the Philippines Art Prize.
This is a presentation that will illustrate practice of sound as art medium in the Philippines. To be included are works of Jose Maceda and Lucrecia Kasilag, from the side of conservatory of music; of Judy Sibayan, from the side of performance art; of Agnes Arellano traversing visual arts and music, from the 1970s decade, as some of the major inspirations of the present practitioners. It will also include works of earlier practitioners from the 1980s decade, particularly Children of Cathode Ray, who remains active until present. The many artists in the 1990s that were birthed by the unfavorable economics in the arts and culture sector. Some of which are Lirio Salvador and his group of artists, Caliph8, and Tengal. And finally, the artists who emerged in the 2000s who have carved a more specific space in the interstice of the Philippine artworld, including Datu Arellano, Ian Carlo Jaucian, Jon Romero, Cris Garcimo, and Teresa Barrozo, among others.
By bringing them forward, filtered through the theoretical proposition of scholars Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger on community of practitioners, the presenter claims that the following conditions enabled the practice to flourish: 1) the programs (and propaganda) of institutions in specific historical decades; 2) the direct response and action of artists as independent sector toward the political, economic and social climates of different decades; 3) the emergence and developments in technology; 4) compounded with the opening of the global networks in terms faster and more efficient dissemination of information. These four conditions are appraised contributory to the enablement of the practice whether they negatively or positively affect the practice or the artists individually.
The conclusion for this presentation remains a conclusion-in-progress as the practice continuous to be malleable and dynamic; to thrive, it takes the form of the society where it exists.
