Life
D2
TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017 isahred@gmail.com
VISUAL ARTS
Art Lozano’s
‘Vintage Beauty’
at ArtistSpace
T
HE exhibition Vintage Beauty is a follow-up to visual artist Art Lozano’s previous show entitled Abandoned Beauty.
In the said exhibit, the artist painted a favorite subject—automobiles—that rest in unlikely environments. While the show succeeded in establishing the harmonious coexistence between the subject and its derelict environs, the exhibit undeniably evoked melancholy and solitude, through the prevailing theme of neglect. In Vintage Beauty, he paints his subject alive — still rolling and working to provide the mobility which the enthusiast of the subject enjoys tirelessly. Instead of revealing marks of age and wear, the exhibit highlights buffed hoods, glinting glass and waxed tires, qualities of endurance, fortitude, and strength. Moreover, the subject no longer belongs to the woods and ruins but is a living member of a vibrant community. By portraying the machine as if it was a living thing, the exhibition celebrates the everlasting relationship between the man and his machine — as iconic as ever. Lozano is a visual artist from Ilocos and a member of the renowned Baguio-based Tam-Awan Artist Group. He has received various recognitions for his works from prestigious competitions such as the AAP Annual Art Competition, MetroBank Art and Design Excellence National Competition, GSIS Art Award, and the Philip Morris Art Award. He has also participated in many international art expositions such as: the Philippine Korea Art Exchange in South Korea (2012), and the Tsunami Experience (Japan Tragedy) in Singapore (2011). Vintage Beauty runs until April 23 at ArtistSpace, Ayala Museum, Makati avenue corner De la Rosa street, Greenbelt Park, Makati City. For inquiries on the exhibit, email artistspace@ayalafoundation.org. For inquiries on the exhibit, contact Olan Cruz at cruz.re@ayalafoundation.org.
Vintage Beauty features automobiles that rest in unlikely environments—showcasing co-existence between subject and environs
The exhibit highlights the vintage automobiles’ buffed hoods, glinting glass, and waxed tires to showcase endurance and fortitude
This 20th century Limoges Dinner Service Set, which sold for P320,000, is one of the European pieces auctioned off at Casa de Memoria
AUCTION
PAGES
How to be prepared for digital disruptions
By Bernadette Lunas WHO would have thought the day would come that it’s possible to buy products online or that we could create objects from 3D printers, or get a response for our questions from a chat robot (chatbot)? All of this, and more, happened because technology has driven significant changes in the way we live; such a capacity that could make it an overwhelming pill to swallow. Technology entrepreneur Winston Damarillo aims to change the way people think—he hopes that people make a “conscious decision” to like these changes because these are the present and the future. In his book Ready or Not: The 6 Big Disruptions That Will Change The Way We Do Business, Los Angeles-based Damarillo lists down technological innovations that have begun to reshape the way we live, and why businesses will need to adapt to be able to survive these changes. In a nutshell, digital disruptions are the transformation caused by digital technologies and business models that affects existing goods and services. It’s like how Airbnb opened a platform for wider choices in accommodation, or how Bitcoin allows people to transact directly without a bank.
“Competition and engagement is more profound than ever so if you don’t participate you’re gonna be left out,” emphasized Damarillo, co-founder of digital innovation consultancy firm Amihan Global Strategies. Damarillo discusses in his book the online marketplace, big data, rapid creation, peer-to-peer technology, robots, and the Internet of Things—the effects they have had on the business landscape thus far and the predictions on how they will affect our culture and society in the next 10 years. “The disruptions that we identified are driven by observation; what’s changing the day-to-day life, not just the enterprise,” Damarillo told Manila Standard. He further explained the disruptions he mentions in the book are based on a statistical survey they conducted in the US and the Philippines. The respondents answered what technology they thought would change their life. The strategic advisor and self-confessed geek is optimistic about the opportunities these disruptions will open for our country. “I think we’re in for an interesting surprise,” he said. “I think we’re going to use technology to resurrect industries and areas of business the Philippines is really good at, like making shoes or furniture or food,” he said. Ready or Not, which features comic illustrations by Manix Abrera and card game created by UPSTART founder Richard Dacalos, makes its easy for readers to understand technology and its impacts in the day and in the life of a user. The book also helps those resistant to adapt to the transformation by providing them valuable information that would make them “understand it so they won’t fear it and they would embrace it because there’s no choice.” “If we embrace these changes I think we will be ready for the future,” opined Damarillo. Ready or Not: The 6 Big Disruptions That Will Change The Way We Do Business is published by Summit Books and is available in all National Book Store branches for P295.
European elegance in the Filipino home WHILE contemporary Filipino art seems to be all the rage these days—local galleries and auction houses all seem to have them on display—one particular auction house had just proven that fine European art still maintains its prized status among the country’s most discerning collectors. At the recently concluded opening auction of Casa de Memoria, an impressive catalogue of European pieces found their way into new collections as the hammer went down for the first time this year. Dubbed as Auction .0005, the event featured mostly European fine and decorative art from various periods, some dating as far back as the 17th century. Fine European antique furniture were among the most sought-after, with pieces like the 19th Century Ebony Cabinet commanding a final bid of P400,000. The sophisticated Italian cabinet with engraved pewter and ivory line inlays on ebony wood features a Renaissance Revival stylization, featuring medallions, foliage, vases, flora and fauna, and other mythological motifs. The sale of this 17th century Flemish oil on wood painting depicting the Adoration of the Magi proved that religion
is still a popular motif among collectors. Fetching P180,000 on the block, the sale of this piece demonstrates the prominence of Christianity as one of Europe’s biggest legacies to the Filipino culture Titled Bailando, this 20th century mixed media on canvas painting by Portuguese artist Peter Charters d’Azevedo (b. 1946) proves that contemporary European art has as much of a following as pieces from earlier periods. The warm palette gives weight to the subject, making it appear more inviting as it appears to leap beyond the canvas and onto its observer. The piece sold for P220,000. Fine home accessories such as the 20th century Limoges Dinner Service Set also reflected the place of European aesthetic sensibilities in the life of modern collectors. Sold for P320,000, the 153-piece set proudly features gilt and Bordeaux embellishments at the friezes, depicting swirling foliage with its primarily Neoclassical revival appeal. These and all other pieces sold during the auction were professionally authenticated and restored by a team of European advisers and art conservation experts. Remaining lots will be on display
From left: Angelique Lhuillier-Miranda, Tiffany Mathay, and Ferdi Salvador
at the Casa De Memoria showroom on Jupiter street in Makati. According to Casa De Memoria Director Angelique Miranda, her ultimate goal is to spread the beauty of European art beyond the confines of museums and straight into the Filipino home. “These pieces have a place in the Filipino home,” she says. “Nowadays, we see an upward trend in decorating the home by mixing contemporary art with vintage pieces, and combining Asian aesthetics with European ones. It makes for a very unique and interesting setting. We want people to come into the Casa to be inspired and experience the pieces for themselves – not just see the furniture, but really feel it.” Following the success of the all-encompassing Auction .0005, she shares that The Casa’s next step would be to demonstrate the versatility of European art through a series of auctions that focus on specific lifestyles. The next one will be on May 6. Casa de Memoria is located at the corner of Jupiter and Comet streets in Bel-Air, Makati. For more information, visit CasaDeMemoria.com, follow @CasaDeMemoria on Instagram, and Like @TheCasa-
Gian Mathay and Polly Mathay