WITH CREATIVITY, people can discover new things and mold interesting shapes out of seemingly ordinary materials. At MC Home Depot, an unlikely meeting of glass and stone, born from a collaboration between Ramon Orlina and David Kaufman, is on display.
Titled Rebirth, the exhibit features 12 of Mr. Kaufman鈥檚 stone artworks alongside a unique sculptural piece that is the first in Philippine art history. The process was simple: he provided a white marble sculpture onto which Mr. Orlina attached segments of his signature carved green glass.
Interestingly, this is their first collaboration as artists and their first time mixing these two mediums.
鈥淲e met through my bronze statue project in Batangas, where he supplied the bronze from Thailand,鈥 Mr. Orlina said of Mr. Kaufman at the exhibit鈥檚 launch on April 24.
The eight-foot bronze statue of Our Lady of Caysasay, completed in December and inaugurated in January, is found in the courtyard of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay in Taal, Batangas.
He said that it was a blessing that Mr. Kaufman, an architect and marble businessman, imported the bronze on his behalf for that project 鈥 from there another creative opportunity bloomed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an impressive work. After this, I was thinking that this is a good modern direction,鈥 Mr. Orlina said.
As the more junior of the two, Mr. Kaufman explained that it was 鈥渁 miracle that he was given a chance.鈥
鈥淩amon Orlina is a master glass sculptor, so this is a miracle that he made the choice to work with me. It was always my ambition to collaborate with such a master,鈥 he said. 鈥淗e wants my work to have its own voice and identity, so that when our pieces come together, there are two artists in dialogue.鈥
It鈥檚 not accurate to say that Mr. Kaufman is a total newbie in art. The Filipino-Spanish architect, who divides his time between Manila and Madrid, has dabbled in painting, photography, and sculpture.
He told 大象传媒 that his architectural background makes his stone works unique compared to how traditional artists would perceive them.
鈥淭o most people, stone is just an architectural material,鈥 he said. 鈥淢y goal with these pieces is to paint with stone.鈥
Rebirth features 12 stone artworks mounted as if they are canvases of their own, the blend of various colors and patterns challenging viewers鈥 notions of vibrancy and texture on stone.
鈥淚 produced these dozen works in the span of two weeks, so I simplified everything to zen. It鈥檚 all very Japanese,鈥 he added.
As for the collaboration with Mr. Orlina, the encounter of glass and stone is far from over, with the two agreeing that there is much to be improved in their prototype sculpture.
鈥淗e was forced to explore marble because of my proposal. We鈥檙e really both learning because this is not yet finished, with components that we feel can be improved, especially the joinery,鈥 Mr. Kaufman explained. 鈥淭his is the first time glass and stone have ever come together in Philippine glass history. We鈥檙e still exploring how to laminate glass and stone because it鈥檚 normally not put together.鈥
He added that Mr. Orlina鈥檚 wife, Lay Ann, served as the quality control inspector for the work they put out. 鈥淪he was really involved to make sure that this is the level that the Orlinas are looking for,鈥 he said.
Mr. Orlina, who was responsible for the lamination and joinery part of the challenge, did not reveal the secrets behind how they plan to improve the prototype.
What he did say was how this would not be the last time the world sees a Kaufman-Orlina sculpture.
鈥淵ou will see more of our works together,鈥 he said.
Rebirth by David Kaufman runs until May 8 at MC Home Depot, on the 4th floor of Uptown Palazzo in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. 鈥 Bront毛 H. Lacsamana
