Orlina on fire in ‘Brilliance’
BRILLIANCE,” to gemologists, is the fiery light that shines out of a gemstone’s core, coaxed to optimal brightness via maximal refraction that results from expert faceting.
It is no coincidence then that sculptor Ramon Orlina’s latest body of works bears the same title. For collectors, his works are gems created through a process akin to the transformation of rough stones to precious jewels.
Orlina has never taken light lightly, having been a practicing architect before his first solo show in 1975. Integral in edifice design is adequate lighting, whether natural or artificial, and it is apparent that he follows the same principle when he sculpts. His acclaim is, in fact, built on his ability to free arresting forms and illumination from almost opaque masses of glass and crystal.
Initiates to the lustrous Orlina trove must note that he is the only Filipino artist who executes with a method that suits marble, wood and stone, a method he has modified and personalized to fit his style and chosen medium. He has created his own niche with his popular green-glass material, which is actually industrial refuse from an architectural glass manufacturing company. His good relations with the firm endures and is testament to both parties’ commitment to having industrial by-product see new aesthetic life.
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His training as an architect has certainly served as robust foundation.
Frank Lloyd Wright is known for his glass design like the stained prairie windows. But his most famous creation is the Guggenheim Museum in New York, whose spiral construction provides the ideal vantage point for the full appreciation of the artworks inside. (This consideration is also evident in Orlina pieces, as they may be enjoyed from any angle.)
But it is Frank Gehry, the maverick behind the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain, who is honored by Orlina in his latest show.
“Tribute to Frank Gehry” seems a vitrified miniature of what could possibly be Gehry’s monumental sculpture/building. It reveals who Orlina, from time to time, looks to for structural flair. Planar curvatures and pointed protrusions resembling mathematical graphs that often define Gehry’s fantastic buildings are echoed in Orlina’s glass abstractions.
However the sculptures are shaped, they all appear to be buttressed by the three architectural pillars of strength, purpose and aesthetics. The requirement of durability is fulfilled as the sculptures display structural integrity crucial to the breakable material.
The artist does functional pieces. He has, for instance, created a champagne fountain in the past. Featured in this collection are the craggy expanses of “Unity” and “Green Earth,” whose illuminated bases double as ornamental lighting.
What excite loyal followers are the additions of color and theme. The greens, which are already popular (and, for some, represent bounty and prosperity), vary—from their original hue to moss and blue green, such as in “Flowers of Liberty,” among the cayed and deteriorated, and must be replaced.
Today, the same species of stone or wood are no longer available, nor is the skill that crafted those materials into homes. These days, it has become a responsibility, and more of an expensive liability, to own a heritage house.
While conservationists rightly crusade for the preservation of heritage houses, homeowners, on the other hand, wonder what to do with the heritage monsters that remain in their possession: how to maintain these crumbling structures, to meet the cost of specialized restoration that must be done, and how to make these white elephants at least earn their upkeep.
That today many old houses are decaying, boarded up, or empty does not augur well for the future of these aging ladies of Silay.
Finding new use for these aging ladies is the answer. Old homes can be made relevant to the community in a new way, as offices, clinics, schools, bed-and-breakfasts, or whatever function its owners may think of, provided that the original features of the architecture are not compromised or changed beyond recognition.
It is time for the Silaynon to take a good look at the city’s heritage assets, ranging from its architecture, lifestyle, cuisine and culture, and to realize that these assets are unrecognized generators of economic development that can be used to uplift many sectors of the Silay community.
It is time for these aging ladies of Silay to rethink their world view, and to realize that only by thinking out of the box can they make a solid contribution to contemporary Silay that will achieve the same economic and cultural impact that their ancestors did a century ago.
Thinking out of the heritage box is not only for aging Silay homes but for the entire population of Silay, which needs to realize that its heritage capital is a community development resource waiting to be tapped.
Silay is one of those great and special Philippine places. When walking its streets, the feel of the city, its people, and its story come at you strongly.
There aren’t too many cities left in the Philippines that still communicate that, which is the reason why Silaynons should do all they can to keep their city the way it presently is, because it’s the quality that makes not only their city but also themselves special.
The challenge for Silay is for it to keep part of its vision on guarding and preserving its aristocratic past, which is its very special heritage.
However, the other part of its vision should be looking firmly at the present, finding ways to make heritage drive its community and economy into the 21st century and beyond.
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at artist’s first glass garden pieces. The horticultural foray certainly gives new meaning to “cut flowers.” Other organic pieces come in peach, the hue of orange, said to deepen charm.
Charming indeed is “Subli,” a figure caught kneeling with arms folded as choreographed in the dance that venerates the Holy Cross. The folk dance is still performed to this day in Taal, Batangas, the artist’s province. The opaque solid base seems to allude to the artist’s deep religious devotion and the rendering of local culture speaks of pride for his provincial roots.
Not entirely new but still uncommon is azure blue crystal. The color invokes calm and balance and is apt for “Harmony,” supported fittingly by the clarity of a colorless base.
Whether in three-dimensional abstracts, cubist figures, or portions of smoothly curving bodies, key deep intrusions allow light passages and make deflection as well as reflection possible. Thus, in removal is enhancement: When indentations are made, or when grooves are created, they release fire that sears—and crafts— gemstones.
But where gems are expected to release fire, an Orlina oeuvre radiates undulating flame and brilliance.
“Brilliance” is on view at the 2/L, Archeology Hall, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City. Call tel. 6667755 or visit www.gallerybig.com.
For comments, e-mail the author at majorday@gmail.com.