Finding warmth in cold materials
Metal is a volatile material often strained by its own durability, but at the hands of the master craftsmen from Prado Filipino Artisans Inc., it becomes an intricate sculpture with soft curves and defined lines.
Designer Miguel A. Prado Jr. took advantage of the material’s flexibility to refine his craft with different proportions and shapes. The interlocking metal wires formed a geometrical semblance of flora and fauna that seemingly come to life with the amount of detail placed in the pieces.
“Metal is a very cold material and the challenge is to make it soft and attractive,” said Prado, president of Prado Filipino Artisans Inc.
The company specializes in crafting galvanized iron wire and bimetal sheets into artful home décor, lighting, and special types of furniture. His pieces have been praised both locally and internationally for their quality and are currently being exported to Europe, US, Japan, Australia, and the Middle East.
Prado is proud that all of his designs are handcrafted and hand-finished by the artisans of his company. “Most of the products now on the market are mass produced. What we want is to prove we can do much more because Filipinos truly are gifted as far as handwork is concerned,” he said.
Established in 1987, Prado Filipino Artisans Inc. initially produced a wide range of handmade wicker products with rattan, wood, natural fibers, sea grass, and twig accents. The company was considered the trendsetter of handdyed wicker baskets. Prado created wicker crafts for more than 20 years before he decided to move on to metal wares as other companies started copying his designs.
His metal creations garnered critical acclaim globally and were sold at international stores such as the Galeries Lafayette in Paris and Harrods in London. He was chosen as one of the Philippine representatives to the Asean Trade Mission for the Tokyo International Gift Show and Fukuoka and took part in various international exhibits, including the Frankfurt Fair and a solo exhibit in a palazzo in Bologna, Italy.
Visit the upcoming 65th edition of Manila FAME from April 21to 23 for a chance to discover emerging talents, source for an all-inclusive business solution from the Philippines, and to find out more about the country’s rich artisanal heritage.
Manila FAME, the country’s premier design and lifestyle event, is organized by CITEM, the export promotions arm of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). For information, visit www.manilafame.com.