Astonishing Paris
In 1988, American poet Billy Collins (eventually an official Poet Laureate) published his first book, The Apple That Astonished
Paris. I can’t find a copy of the title poem now, but I recall that it harked back to the impressionist painter Cezanne, who was supposed to have said: “I will astonish Paris with an apple!” Another version has it as “I want to astonish Paris with an apple.”
He proceeded to do just that, elevating the still life genre with his representations of baskets of apples. Plus other fruits.
I was reminded of the supposed astonishment he caused, and Collins’ tribute to the painter, when I saw some photos of an exhibit recently held in Paris. Not of apples, but of sculptured “wearables.”
I could be accused of hyperbole in raving about the artworks of Michelline Syjuco. And worse, of bias! As she’s an unofficial niece of mine. Her younger brother is my godson.
But I can’t help saying that I’m happy for her — and that she did astonish at least a part of Paris. Who knows? With the glowing reactions that her works drew, it may still become all of Paris. There will always be that possibility, the start of which happened on Paris Design Week from Sept. 3 to 10, which showcased “The Complete Universe of Maison@Objet in Paris.”
Last year when Michelline or “Mickey” represented our country at London Fashion Week, she was shortlisted as a Vogue Italia Talent for 2015. This led to further support from CITEM or Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, which has been organizing delegations to showcase Philippine talent abroad.
The “Maison et Objet” show is said to have been CITEM’s biggest project yet. For the first time, it organized and sponsored Fashion Philippines — “the best of the best in terms of fashion that the Philippines has to offer.”
Our veteran design genius Budji Layug was selected to stage and curate the show. From the outset, he declared that he wanted a very highly curated high-fashion presentation, so that only the best pieces would be put on display. After all, the Maison was known to be the biggest lifestyle showcase in the world, and it would attract the best design talents from all over.
Meetings and consultations with Budji went on for six months. Other Filipino design mavens who joined the delegation in Paris included Ricky Toledo and Chito Vijandre of Firma, designer Butch Carungay, Mia Arcenas who has been making waves in the fashion industry in Cebu, Maison’s representative for Asia Chiqui Veneracion, Bianca Cueva who handled the accessories of Carissa Cruz Evangelista (niece of Josie Natori), and Katrina Delantar, who does sustainable accessories made of recycled paper.
Also in Paris to help Mickey set up her exhibit was her youngest sister Maxine Syjuco, avant-garde artist in her own right, and who, together with Michelline and middle sister Trix, have of late been gaining stardom in art and fashion spreads and magazine covers — for their individual and collective blend of beauty and creativity.
Yes, the genes have it. And the environment. As the three daughters of premier artists Cesare and Jean Marie Syjuco, they are heiresses to creative cornucopia, complete with a family atelier right next door to their residence in Ayala Alabang, billed as Art Lab.
Maxine conducts workshops for children in that venue when she’s not producing poetry, photographs, and paintings with a common ethereality. While helping big sister set up her exhibit in Paris, Maxine had also arranged meetings with galleries that expressed interest in showcasing her work.
Meanwhile, Trix is soloing it in Vancouver, having rented a studio where she paints, close to the University of British Columbia and a couple of beaches nearby — Kitsalano and Jericho — where she communes with nature and draws inspiration. Two galleries have asked her to exhibit next year.
She’s due back this month, albeit not in time for the opening of a group show last Friday at Galerie Astra at the LRI Design Plaza in Makati — billed as “Raconteur” — where her paintings join those of other young abstractionists Melbourne Aquino, Fitx Herrera, Demi Padua, Ritche Yee and Arco Iris. Guests of honor at the opening were Junyee and Gus Albor. Trix joins another group show on Sept. 13, at Art Center in Megamall. Then she’ll have a one-person exhibit in November.
Back to Michelline, several years ago a particular work of hers truly astonished this observer. It was on exhibit at a foyer of Picasso hotel in Makati: an equine sculpture that had me telling her that had I the wherewithal, I’d drag it home. Eventually I believe it joined the Picasso’s permanent collection.
Mickey moved on to designing clutch bags and minaudières of handcrafted wood and metal clasps, studs, spikes, and what looked like other proto-Goth stuff, also jewelry that were all oneof- because individually sculpted.
I recall a show she had at Firma where the gamut of her artworks had expanded to include brightly colored skulls that also served as clutch bags, plus other wearables that were of beaten brass, eventually with semi-precious stones mixed in.
All of these plus new bejewelled works titled “Metamorphosis” as well as sculpted tikbalangs frontlined the Philippine pavilion in Paris last week. A major draw among Syjuco’s myriad items of continually evolving art was a sculptural dress of hand-torched and hammered brass with semi-precious stones.
Witnessing the show’s progress by way of photos shared in social media by Daniel Hesse, friends and fans in Manila whooped it up vicariously. Standout surrealist painter Gromyko Semper ejaculated: “These rival Dali’s golden sculptures! I would say they’re even more visionary!”
A proud visitor to the exhibit was our Ambassador to France Tess Lazaro. Other photos showed Kenneth Cobonpue, Babette Aquino Benoit, Lilianna Manahan, and Michealle Torres, former EIC of Metro magazine, now Paris-based and who did the PR for the exhibit.
I asked Michelline to report on her exciting week. This she happily did:
“It was really such an experience and definitely a big step, not just for me but for the rest of the Philippine delegation.
“It was so inspiring to see all the diferent things going on in the design world. The Philippine pavilion was very highly visited, especially by buyers from the Middle East. They were in awe at the craftsmanship and uniqueness of the pieces produced in the Philippines. We also received a lot of foreign press, including television, magazines, and fashion bloggers.
“For many years people have been telling me that Paris is the place for my work. People here have a deep appreciation for art — and they love the idea that my pieces are truly one of a kind. I was visited by fashion insiders from Chanel, Dior, and Jean Paul Gaultier, who all said that the work is ‘ magnifique’ and that these three fashion house giants would be very interested.
“They suggested that I contact Jean Paul Gaultier personally because he would be crazy about the pieces and very excited to showcase my work at exhibitions he organizes. They used to work alongside him. They were so sure that he would go gaga over my hand-carved and hand-painted bags.
“They told the translators to tell me that they have worked for the biggest fashion brands and so they have an eye for talent. They also said that what I am doing is new and very, very high fashion. Of all the things that happened at the show, this excited me most because it gave me validation that I am on the right track. Although I have no intention of becoming a designer for Chanel or Dior, I will definitely look into the exhibitions that Gaultier puts up here in Paris.”
She received orders from seven different highend boutiques in Europe, and also got invited to do sculpture exhibits in Paris, the USA and Dubai. She admits that all these got her very excited.
“However, it’s quite daunting as well, given that I will have to be working full-time and nonstop when I get back to Manila. My sculptural dress form was also the most photographed and publicized piece at the show. If I received a euro for every pic taken of that sculptural dress, I would be very rich!
“Now that I’ve gotten super positive feedback from the Paris fashion sector as well, I am very confident that this is where my work belongs. Of course, all things take time, and small steps are needed, but I’ve already been able to get an agent in Paris who will help bridge the gap.
“Sometimes things get really hard, and people don’t see the struggle. But it is a real struggle, and there have been times when I’ve been tempted to quit or go another route. But I believe that if you do what you love, everything else will follow. And although people were initially confused by what I do (a fusion of art, design and fashion all rolled into one), I think that they are slowly but surely beginning to understand and appreciate it. As my dad always tells me, I am always one step ahead. So I must remember that it takes some time for people to begin to follow suit.
“When I started out, I was the only one doing wearable art, and people didn’t understand it. Designers were designers, and artists were artists. There was no in-between. I always said that I was both, because when design and fashion are extremely good, they transcend into art. And that is what I always have and always will aspire for — the level of art.”
So happy for you, Mickey! Brava!