Project Runway Philippines Season 4 auditions

The last leg of auditions for Project Runway Philippines Season 4 was truly a showcase of local design.  The two day Manila event was held at H2O hotel where's my hopefuls took a shot at potential stardom.  Young designers queued for hours as they await their turn in front of the panel.  The good and bad braved their interviews as they presented their creations. Both fantasy and reality battled for the spotlight from the minimal to theatrically outlandish. Creativity is alive as each piece had a story to tell. Designers who didn't make it at the previous auditions in the provinces such as Baguio, Davao and Cebu flew in to the capital to attend the final screening. The task wasn't that easy knpwing that each applicant had the hope of becoming a finalist.  At the end, the conclusion isn't really on who makes it or not but the reality that the Philippines is a treasure trove of diamonds in the rough.  An optimistic insight on the great potential of fashion design in the local and hopefully international scene.  The following are a glimpse of the pieces at the auditions.

Day 1: The author(third from left) with Georgette Tengco, Jojie Lloren and Katrina Holigores.

All smiles.  The author with Georgette Tengco, Jojie Lloren, Katrina Holigores and a designer applicant.

The whole experience of being a guest mentor was an eye opener.  A realization that there is a thriving fashion community where seeds of creative artistry need assistance for talents to be cultivated and developed to their potential.  Evidently, their is a silent cry for government support, demand for education and work experience.  Project Runway Philippines is one of the local platforms to expose an industry that has been taken for granted and hopefully awaken the powerful eyes that have long been asleep.

Rob Sanchez in Vinyl on Vinyl

Currently on exhibit at Vinyl on Vinyl's new home in Pasong Tamo Makati is Rob Sanchez.  His almost sold out exhibition  is celebrated in a beautiful setting of space, high ceiling and seamless industrial interiors.  Contemporary surrealism in dark hues with hints vivid tones are backdropped on immaculate white.  These acrylic on canvas masterpieces echo a seemingly dark mood in silence.  Eerily arresting, each piece has a story to tell.

Vinyl on Viinyl is located at 2135 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati city.

Up and coming exhibit at Vinyl on Vinyl:

Inspire.

Modern art comes in a variety of forms and vinyl is one among the many.  While in Hongkong,  this author chanced upon this exhibit amidst the shopping and cuisine it's known for.  From the bright hues to black and whites, the interesting palette is seemingly refreshing. Being a non-art expert, the showcase is a form of beauty as it is to the eye of te beholder. The now and new becomes a source of inspiration in the process of creation. 

MET OPEN 2014

5 Curators and 208 artworks all for a benefit exhibition is the essence behind MET OPEN 2014.  Ongoing at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila along Roxas Boulevard,  contemporary art of both old and new create a brilliant and outstanding tapestry of a genre currently spotlighting the local landscape. The MET OPEN seeks to promote a better understanding of past, current and evolving themes etc significantly relevant and existent in the local art scene today.  From the 520 entries only the exhibited art pieces made the cut.  Abstraction, painting, seriality, pop culture, myth and symbolism were the themes in a glorious display of two-dimensional artworks, sculptures with installation performance, photography, video and ceramics.  

At the second floor of the museum is the MET's Upper Galleries "The Philippine Contemporary:  To Scale the Past and the Possible-over 200 artworks drawing chronological and current references from the survey exhibition.  

A must-go and see to everyone, the outstanding showcase of contemporary art in the Philippines is inspirational and optimistic of the best that's yet to come.

   

By Lor Calma.

By Nestor Vinluan.

By Lor Calma.

By Eduardo Castrillo.

By Napoleon Abueva.

By Maria Taniguchi.

By Lani Maestro.

A closer look at the wall.

By Lee Roy New

By Paolo Vinluan.

The author.

Metropolitan Museum of Manila is located at at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila, 1004 Philippines. Museum hours is 10am-530pm. Visit www.metmuseum.ph