JUNE 2014 www.inquirer.net/red
LILIANNA MANAHAN Playful Innovator
Editor’s Letter ON BEING DIFFERENT
PHOTOGRAPHY JO ANN BITAGCOL
Anyone who can think out of the box can be an innovator. They may be in big, glass-walled corporate offices or on the busy streets of the city. They are people who know how to make things easier for themselves, and eventually, for others. For the makers of the more out-ofthis-world concepts, the term ‘gamechangers’ comes to mind. But there are people that fall between those two categories. I like to call them enablers, those in the background usually away from the public eye, who always seem to manage to trigger a rising action. A famous book calls it the “tipping point.” What they create are seemingly small but actually very powerful steps that help in leaps and bounds. My personal new favorite in the design world is Lilianna Manahan (page 19). I chanced upon her home accessories in one of Bungalow 300’s pop-up shows, where I bought my first of her work—a tray—and since then I’ve been smitten about everything she does. Her work comprises of everyday items made of substantial materials that result in quirky yet sophisticated pieces. They may not look too out-of-this-world or avant-garde, but these pieces will last, and influence many others. She is original and unafraid to execute her vision. Her goal merely is to create good design that many can relate to. At the same time, she empowers local craftsmen to push their limits when it comes to creating things. Jeremy Guiab (page 8) and his unique perceptions prove that good business need not come with a square suit. This month's fashion editorial features illustrations of the best shakers of the fashion world (page 13). And to end the issue with a fresh gush of wind, painted on canvas, Fernando Zobel graces our empoweRED section (page 30). Kurt Cobain was famous for a quote a lot less tragic than his life story: “They laugh at me because I’m different, I laugh at them because they’re all the same.” With this issue, may you be inspired to be brave enough to think outside the box. When was the last time you did?
Ria Prieto
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An initially reluctant beauty queen, Katia Wagner now embraces her 2013 Miss Earth Air title for the platform it provides her to reach and help more people
Having only been to the Philippines twice, 26-year old Katia Wagner can roll with any local, going by gestures to scale as much as she could of the language barrier. “In the Philippines, everyone's always laughing and in a good mood,” Katia states. “Asians are much friendlier than Austrians, that's why I feel I'm more Asian than Austrian.” Katia's father is Indonesian-Chinese while her mother is Austrian. Between her hometown of Vienna and the numerous relatives living in Asia and Australia, she's had plenty of cross-cultural experiences growing up. She now travels mainly to fulfil her duty as Miss Earth Air 2013, providing a face and a voice to various social projects that aim to raise environmental awareness and improve the plight of those who are disadvantaged by the current unequal distribution of natural resources. Katia was initially leery about the world of beauty pageants. “I never thought of joining them…” she shares. “But the National Director of Austria is a friend of mine, and she had been asking me for three years to join Ms. Earth.” As a woman of diverse interests, the last thing Katia seemed to need was a new career path that would demand plenty of her time and attention. “When my friend explained what Miss Earth is about, how it is involved with charitable causes and environmental projects, I thought, Okay, this is interesting.” It wasn't an instant fit. “I was completely unprepared for the pageant when I got here,” she recalls, laughing. “I was a normal person one second then the next, I have to be a beauty queen! The beauty pageant world is just so different.” For beauty queen makeup, it's always about drama, the heavier, the better. “I saw these girls, I just thought, Wow, they are artists! They can make themselves look perfect within a half-hour.” To catch up, Katia turned to YouTube, doing a crash course online to learn how to create the perfect stage look. “Doing day makeup is easy but beauty pageant makeup is like a science,” she attests. Despite having initial reservations about make-up, plenty of Katia's long-held “beauty secrets” continue to prove true. A proponent of the all-natural regimen, she freely admits to suffering from bad acne when she was a teenager. As a last-ditch effort, Katia began to rely only on water and natural-based skin products to cleanse and soothe her skin. “Even for my hair, I use a product I know is made from natural cleansing ingredients.” She cites Hana Shampoo as a great discovery, as
it helps keep her hair healthy, strong, and shiny even after the frequent styling they have to endure for Katia's many public appearances. “Last year, I brought back home a big box full of them,” she confides. Despite getting to know the world of pageantry up close and being a model herself, Katia acknowledges the undue pressure that both industries place on women. “Everyone in the media looks perfect through makeup and Photoshop, so women think they have to look perfect as well,” she admits. “My advice is for women not to focus on others but on themselves. Focus on your strengths and highlight those… It's just a matter of tricking other people into focusing on your strengths so they won't even notice what it is you aren't happy about with your face or your body. Every girl can do that.” As her Miss Earth Air reign winds down, Katia looks forward to doing more socially relevant projects. “I don't want to sit back. I want to use the whole Miss Earth year for environmental advocacies… I took a year off from work for this, and it's the most beautiful job in the world to be of service to others,” Katia states. “I'm lucky to have the luxury and the privilege to do it.” •
Contents admiRED /20
Lilianna Manahan Playful Innovator
ON THE COVER: Jacket and trousers, Joey Samson, 455 Adalla St., Palm Village, Rockwell Center, Makati; shirt, Harlan + Holden, Adora, Greenbelt 5. THIS PAGE: Oversized shirt, shorts, Joey Samson; earrings, Riqueza by Erica Concepcion-Reyes, Cura V, Power Plant Mall
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art Denise Weldon's art says be like water inspiRED A visionary businessman needs no suit baRED Why picking just one color is overrated attiRED The fashion world's movers and shakers, illustrated admiRED Finding delight is an art in itself exploRED The last frontier of South America devouRED Manila's first truly authentic Neapolitan pizza inquiRED What is a counterproductive invention? empoweRED Fernando Zobel, the painter of atmospheres
Editor-in-chief Art Director Associate Editor Copy Editor Editorial Assistant
Ria Prieto Ni単a Muallam Mara Santillan Miano Nazri Noor Josh Orbeta
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Arianna del Rosario, Ime Morales, Nikki Natividad, Yvette Tan
Contributing photographers
Sara Black, Tammy David, Sam Lim, Roy Macam
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Leica x Gagosian Limited Edition
acquiRED
LEICA VIRGIN To the uninitiated: Meet the camera you didn’t know you were lusting after words JO S H O R B E TA
A lowbrow photography enthusiast can brag all day about his $6,000 camera, but you’re not very impressed, because you know better— his overpriced gadget is made in China. Very few cameras can boast having stood almost a century of fine craftsmanship, only getting better with each decade that comes. Having a Leica camera, in the world of photography, is like carrying a Himalayan crocodile Birkin (authentic, of course), or driving a Morgan Aero Coupe. It has an inherent it-factor brought about by manual German craftsmanship by skilled technicians who have trained all of their adult lives to create the finest
camera money can buy. Just like the Birkin and the Aero Coupe, the label rings with familiarity, but seeing it with one’s own eyes almost always leaves a lasting impression. The edge of the Leica camera is two-fold: its history and its unparalleled features. In 1913, Oskar Barnack, an employee of Ernst Leitz Optische Werke, saw the need for compact cameras. He took the standard 35mm cinematic film, turned it on its side to give it an aspect ratio, and the rest was history. By 1925, Leitz Camera was producing the first compact cameras in the market. The challenge with the 35mm film was that it was a small film, which
meant pictures wouldn’t be as clear when enlarged. Barnack realized this early on and solved it by starting to develop the sharpest lenses in the world. Today, Leica, a constrained form of the original model name, is known for having the best lenses in the market, producing rich images even at the widest aperture setting. With the advent of mass-market, fivethousand-unit-a-day factories, only those with an exacting demand for quality photography will choose a Leica, but the value is worth the cost. To own a Leica is to hold technology with a century-old authenticity, and take part in the prestige of owning one of the world’s most sought-after cameras. •
art
SERENE SENSIBILITY Denise Weldon restores a long-gone sense of repose
Water, physically and metaphorically, holds a reflective characteristic. “The images from Water Spirit, whether graphic abstractions, refractions or magnifications, are all reflections. In looking at these images of water, I pause to witness its splendor, mystery, life force and beauty.” In what she calls her dance with the water spirit, Weldon was compelled to take care of nature’s gifts, herself, and others. To pause and find a quiet moment is a difficult feat given life’s loud bustle. Get past the impatient honk of cars and pitter-patter of keys on a keyboard, and you’ll get a glimpse of what Weldon draws her inspiration from. “The way light would wrap around a baseboard, or fall upon a chair, or create a silhouette on a cushion as it poured through a fan, or illuminate a curtain, or shine upon a bee in a lotus flower.” It can be said that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. For Weldon, it’s a matter of knowing where to look. • Water Spirit
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water extends to the metaphorical. It washes us inside and out, refreshes our spirits, and directs our ebb and our flow. This was the driving force of her creative process. Weldon is known to “forage,” a term she coined for herself. It is a process in which she gravitates to things she loves—things that pique her interest—freezing them in photographs until she can make out patterns forming among her subjects. “This exhibit literally flowed at a pace all its own, and the experience made me mindful of both the pace and rhythm.” She allowed herself to be carried away in assimilation of the nature of her subject. “Water Spirit was a little different in that it is a fluid but unified body of work during which there was a lot of reflection and understanding throughout the process. Reflection: As the artist gazed into the droplets of water that had become the subjects for her work, she saw something gazing back.
FO R MO R E I NF O RM ATI ON ON DE NI SE WE LD ON A ND HE R W O R K S ,
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“All that I shoot surrounds us, but we seem to be in a constant state of ‘busy-ness’ so much so that we hold our breath, refrain from noticing people, places, and things that are around us daily.” To the normal eye, water droplets on a windshield are nothing more than mere markers of a rainy day. The sound of footsteps on a concrete street is just as common as the way light appears from a bulb at the flip of a switch. Humdrum. Ordinary. Mundane. Photographer Denise Weldon says: slow down and watch. A visit to Silverlens will put you in the presence of Weldon’s latest exhibit: Water Spirit, in which black and white images of water in different forms and contexts remind onlookers that something so unexceptional and unassuming holds so much power. “Water contains energy that harmonizes our bodies and refreshes our spirit.” More than just the physical invigoration we feel after a shower, or a swim, the power of
ACCESSORIES THAT POP Discover Dune London’s S/S ’14 collection
Dune London sets the tone for the new season with versatile footwear and accessories featuring signature details unique to the brand’s fashionable aesthetic. Neutral leathers are colour-blocked on sandals to channel clean minimalism. Metallic hardware embellishes roomy to structured day bags—perfect for storing work-to-dinner essentials, while high heels and sleek sandals come in luxurious mix-print leathers and tropical pop colours. For men, classic brogues are reinvented in buffed cognac leather and supple navy suede. No matter the trend, head to Dune London to find the perfect styles to finesse the season’s key looks. Dune London offers ladies’ and men’s footwear and accessories and is exclusively distributed through Stores Specialists, Inc. Clockwise from top: Finchy sandals, P4,250; Dripple Lock bag, P3,650; Braker oxfords, P6,950; Bravado oxfords, P6,950; Hydro sandal, P3,250; Bakey bag, P2,950, all available at Dune London, Greenbelt 5
Guiab works hand-in-hand with artist Gary-Ross Pastrana in this 400-square-meter warehouse space in Cubao, constructing commissioned design pieces for clients in various industries—from real estate companies to private businesses. The fish is to become a decorative piece for a new Japanese restaurant.
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inspiRED
Conceptual Visionary Jeremy Guiab and how he has successfully merged three industries only very few can: art, design and business W ords Y vette Tan P HOTO G RAP HY TAM M Y D AV I D
“I don’t consider myself an artist,” says Jeremy Guiab. “We work a lot with artists, so I know how they think, but I’m not one of them. I’m more of an enabler.” We are sitting in the office above the Bespoke workshop, which is strewn with furniture and random pieces. There is a sense of organized chaos. A white carabao made of wire stands to one side. Across the space, craftsmen work on wood and iron. Guiab runs Bespoke with artist GaryRoss Pastrana, who lounges on a nearby couch. “I handle logistics, Gary handles the creative side of the business.” The company conceptualizes and builds furniture,
showrooms, interiors, and art installations, specializing in conceptual pieces that your regular contractor would balk at, such as producing one million chairs in two months, which Bespoke did for artist Paul Pfeiffer for the 2008 Biennale at Sydney. Bespoke also works with artists, either as collaborators, or as a launchpad for their ideas. “They use this as their lab to test materials and processes.” Collaborators include Nona Garcia, Louie Cordero, Poklong Anading, Gaston Dama, Yason Banal, Patty Eustaquio, and Maria Taniguchi. “We’re very choosy with the people we work with,” Guiab says. “I
think it’s about relationships. The first is their personality, then their thought process of the concept, because artists can be very impractical with their ideas. They start with impossible drawings then we compromise, bring it down to something that can be done. I like doing this because they really push the limits of production. They’ll say, ‘Why can’t we do this?’ Because what’s very commonly produced is what’s easy to produce, they challenge your mettle in terms of furniture and sculpture. We enjoy their company.” Bespoke started by making knockoffs of designer chairs, with the intention of
Guiab, known for his love of artful fittings and taxidermy, decorates his office with an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, a Hans Wegner peacock chair, a deer taxidermy, and Louie Cordero pieces. By the door are biker backpacks Guiab dons when he drives around the city on his Honda Super Four.
familiarizing themselves with materials and processes. They specifically chose chairs, Guiab says, “because chairs are the real test of an industrial designer: new materials and ergonomics, which I think a lot of chair designers do not understand. And then I realized that we weren’t designed to sit, so sitting a lot like modern humans do isn’t really good for the posture, so we left chairs a few years ago.” The process was exciting, though it did come with its share of challenges. “We didn’t know anything about any of the industries we went into. We didn’t know anything about ironwork and woodworking, and people I got to work for me didn’t have any experience either, so there was a lot of research and a lot of experimentation, a lot of watching how established industries worked on the materials and their processes.” This fascination with high concept and practical execution has led the two to create
Broke, which Pastrana explains, is a “platform for creating objects that sits in between art and design.” “… Art is purely just to make something. In design, you have in mind the client and the people who are going to use the object, unlike art, you don’t really care what the object is going to be used for,” Guiab says. Broke aims not so much to bridge that gap as to get people thinking and talking about it. “It addresses the urban space, and how it can be utilized in a public setting,” Pastrana adds. Their exhibition at the West Gallery, for example, featured working lamps designed as tiny lamp posts and billboard towers. Their next exhibit, held at Finale Art File, will be a one to one replica of Finale’s old space in Megamall, filled with functional items that reflect that same space. “In a way, the content of the show and the content of the exhibition, and the space itself,” Gary says. “That’s what we want to achieve with Broke. We don’t just make furniture, design
objects or art objects. It’s between leading into space, or art history or design culture. It’s more interesting to me if it incorporates all kinds of interests, stories and topics.” Broke isn’t the only outfit consciously trying to merge art and design. Artist Leeroy New, for example, has delved into fashion and furniture, and Pablo gallery has collaborated with different artists and graphic designers on furniture pieces. To Guiab, this equal embrace of form and function can only be a good thing. “I think that it’s good that we’re going towards more functional objects because artists only think of themselves. When they go into design, they should start thinking of other people.” He adds, “I think artists should be businessmen also.” • “I didn’t know I was going to be in this industry. But from a young age, I knew I liked ordering people around.” Jeremy Guiab in his Bespoke office. Sitting nonchalantly on his desk is a preserved, and very real, human brain suspended in formaldehyde.
Above: Two oversized lamps—Anglepoise to the left and Flos to the right—accompany the Tanya Villanueva painting above the couch. Right: There is something uncanny in every cranny. A figure of a young boy with his leg cut off is propped by the window, above a crocodile skull. Below: These larger-than-life speakers stand one story high and blasts rock music throughout the warehouse.
baRED
MANn ABout town When bored with your usual manicure, add sparkle. If that doesn't do the trick, grab some scotch tape. Lay a strip diagonally or vertically across your colored nail, and paint the exposed side with another color. Simple, easy, unique. Experiment with different color combinations. Deborah Lippmann Magnet Appeal Set featuring Magic Man, Punk Princess and Hard Knock Life
attiRED The Avant Guardian Martin Margiela Margiela shamed the excessive 80s vogue with la mode destroy—papier mâché vests, ragged shirts, one sleeve longer than the other. Veering away from that decade's attitude of establishment, 'deconstructed' was rebellious, and Margiela's indifference towards convention added character to his designs. He proved that he is more an artist than a designer when he stepped down from his creative director position in his eponymous line in 2009. The company still has not named a successor since.
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Sweater, Rick Owens, Archives, d'Homme et Femme, Midland Offices, Gamboa St., Legaspi Village; trousers, Dior Homme, Homme et Femme, One Rockwell; shirt and shoes, Maison Martin Margiela, Univers, One Rockwell
AFTER THE INK IS DRY Write this in pen: In the capricious world of style and culture, these people have made a permanent mark. I L LU ST R AT IO N ARC HI E C AYA MAN D A
W O RD S JO SH O R B E TA
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The Power Players Michelle Obama and Condoleezza Rice Obama is a graduate of Harvard Law, and is a pioneering advocate of anti-obesity in children—a looming but usually ignored issue in the United States. Rice, the first and so far the only African-American woman to have held the position of US Secretary of State, is a concert pianist, golfer and literary awardee. These two women, photographed in the most important political affairs in designer garb, are living proof that this facet of the American Dream, though often constrained, is achievable. On Michelle Obama: Dress, Oscar de la Renta, oscardelarenta.com; shoes, Casadei, Bonifacio High Street Central; jewelry, Harry Winston, Greenbelt 5. On Condoleezza Rice: Dress, Elie Saab Haute Couture, eliesaab.com
The Storyteller Wes Anderson It takes a certain level of genius to style a film as meticulously as Wes Anderson does. Director of becoming classics The Royal Tenenbaums and the Grand Budapest, Anderson possesses an old-world vision of characters that creates an air of intimacy so reminiscent of childhood fantasy that reality seems almost mundane.
Blazer, Givenchy, Shangri-La Plaza Mall East Wing (opening soon); sweater, Jil Sander, Univers, One Rockwell; shirt and trousers, Saint Laurent Paris, Univers, One Rockwell
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The Asian Invasion Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung, Joseph Altuzarra, Jason Wu The Asian designers brought a balance to a fashion world once too western. People love them for their diverse design references, maybe to the credit of their longer cultural history. It wasn't long before the fashion world started giving them their due.Balenciaga recently named Wang as its new creative director, even though it might not have been the best decision, given Wang's urbane aesthetic being quite a jump from the French house's luxurious sensibilities. Altuzarra, Gurung, and Wu have all been recognized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, the trade association for American fashion and accessories designers. Altuzarra also won this year's Womenswear Designer of the Year award.
On Alexander Wang: Shirt, sweater, trousers, and sneakers, Balenciaga, balenciaga.com. On Prabal Gurung: Blazer and jeans, Balmain; shirt, Lanvin; shoes, Common Projects, all available at porter.com. On Joseph Altuzarra: blazer, Rick Owens; shirt and sweater, Todd Snyder; trousers, Ann Demeulemeester; sneakers, Gucci, all available at porter.com. On Jason Wu: Shirt, Neil Barrett; trousers, Acne Studios; sneakers, Common Projects, all available at porter.com.
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The Tastemakers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen These girls prove that there is life after celebrity. The Olsens transitioned from acting—more gracefully than most who grew up in the entertainment industry—to business ventures, the most prominent one being their CFDA-awarded line, The Row. Though not immune to controversies about anorexic disorders and other Hollywood accounts of great importance, Mary-Kate and Ashley have the world smitten with their sartorial slouch and nonchalant elegance.
On Mary Kate: Dress, Givenchy Haute Couture, 3 Avenue George V, Paris. On Ashley: Dress, Chanel Haute Couture, chanel.com; shoes, Christian Louboutin, christianlouboutin.com; jewelry from Cartier, Ground Floor, Newport Mall, and Bvlgari, Greenbelt 4.
admiRED
The Art of Delight Childlike enthusiasm broadens the artistry of Lilianna Manahan
Previous page: Oversized vest, trousers, Joey Samson, 455 Adalla St., Palm Village, Rockwell Center, Makati; earrings, Riqueza by Erica Concepcion-Reyes, Cura V, Power Plant Mall; flats, What For Shoes, Adora, Greenbelt 5;The Snoot by Lilianna Manahan, studiomagee.com
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“When I feel delighted about something, I always go back to it and find something new each time.” 29-year-old industrial designer Lilianna Manahan confesses, “I love doodling!” When she isn’t working on her brand Studio Magee, she finds time to draw in a sketchbook she carries with her, or play with her young niece and nephew. They inspire her and her work because she learns a lot from them. “It’s really just the things we talk about; or my happiness when I’m watching them, just letting them be children,” she shares. This delight she feels about them and their antics is the same emotion that she hopes people will feel when they come across her work. It speaks of her character so eloquently. “When I feel delighted about something, I always go back to it and find something new each time.” Her older sister and “operations manager” Juana Manahan-Yupangco, says fondly, “She is an eternal kid.” As a child she has always loved drawing and creating things. Fortunate enough to be raised by similarly artistic parents, artist Tats Manahan and director Johnny Manahan, she honed her skills at some point with the use of Balzac models—minature 3D models of furniture that come in sets. Growing up her interests expanded, causing her to consider medicine, architecture, and even archeological forensics. When she went to London after high school for a year of study, she found, amidst all the romance and charm of the old
European city, that her heart truly belonged to design—product design, in particular. Upon her return home, she enrolled at the University of the Philippines to study Industrial Design. “I like it because it is both art and an ‘industry’ thing,” Manahan explains. With product design, Lilianna is able to create artworks that are functional, and the nature of work comes with an expansiveness that she is more than comfortable with. It allows her to experiment with different materials, presenting options in landscape architecture, toy design, technology, furniture and so on. Product design is so flexible, an artist needs only to choose her own adventure. On her third year in U.P., Manahan took on to learn from no other than Kenneth Cobonpue, whose design team she joined after graduating from the university. Cobonpue, in Lilianna’s own words, was very patient about explaining things to her. More than anything, she came out of this professional encounter wiser, with a richer vision. “I make it a point to visit when I’m in Cebu; I make them look at my work and ask them to help me make it better.” A childlike enthusiasm always entails an eagerness to learn. Her first major work, “Omelette” (2010), featured more than a dozen ostrich eggs that she hand-painted with delicate designs and
embellished with appliques and embossing. Just three months ago, at the prestigious Asian inaugural of Paris’ Maison et Objet trade show in Singapore, she was chosen as one of the “Rising Asian Talents,” representing the Philippines along with contenders from Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea. Currently, Manahan is preparing for an October show for CITEM’s Red Box Program. “I am also working on old pieces that need improvements, building my portfolio, fine-tuning details and processes,” she shares. She has found her focus in the creation of products, home accessories, and “little things.” The bigger items will come later in her life, she thinks. Many of her whimsical concepts are brought to life with the use of her favorite materials, which are metal (brass, mostly) and ceramics like bone china. Many of her quirky concepts and drawings, inspired by the drawings on her sketchbook, have manifested themselves to become chairs, tables, lamps, bookends, and the popular vanity stand Mwah, Moi!. Other ideas come from the books she has read, her travels, and old trinkets of her grandmother. When she isn’t working on a show, as a freelancer, her days are more unstructured. She goes to the gym, or on
Windbreaker and trousers, Joey Samson, 455 Adalla St., Palm Village, Rockwell Center, Makati; sandals, Ancient Greek, net-a-porter.com
road trips—especially when it’s fair season. Occassionally, she returns to old habits: football and surfing. The bigger scheme of her creative process, however, is mostly inspired by a strong spiritual belief. “Everything I do is based on Colossians 3:23. To paraphrase, ‘Do everything in the glory of God.’ When you work, design, stand, sit... It’s hard to please myself and others, so I set my goals up to something bigger like glorifying God. This is the standard that I live up to, the end to what I want to do. So I always try my best, sometimes I get frustrated. But I
want to give my best to God, and bless the people around me also. This is what I live by; it’s all encompassing. It keeps you focused, by narrowing down your options so you are not confused. If you do it this way, you’ll find that God blesses you with more. I have found that it works.” She remains playful in life and art, but she admits that it is becoming more challenging through time. “It gets harder when you’re older, you get distracted by a lot of things,” she says. “Having God direct my life gives me so much focus.” •
Button down, Joey Samson, 455 Adalla St., Palm Village, Rockwell Center, Makati; Nog by Lilianna Manahan, studiomagee.com
Words Ime Morales Photography R oy M acam M akeup P atrick A lcober of S hu U emura Hair H Salon
desiRED
EXOTIC AND EARTHLY LUXURY
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Swarovski rediscovers the world in its beauty, richness and history
The leading producer of luxury crystal, Swarovski, did not take its usual route of crystal jewelry design. Their Spring/Summer 2014 collection drew from a host of influences such as nature, contemporary art, and diverse cultures, marrying their classic sophistication with a more organic taste. Using the most cutting-edge techniques that Swarovski is known for, with tradition and craftsmanship never being sacrificed, the brand is able to create jewelry that highlights the glamour of the African tribal aesthetic and the idea of monochromatic blue. “Tribal Glam”, as the first collection is called, juxtaposes the art and craftsmanship of Africa and an urban feel, featuring versatile two-in-one styles, displaying versatility and an air of ease. “Monochrome Blue”, explores more natural and organic lines while using simpler materials, concentrating on giving richer hues of blue using pigmentation techniques. With an air of joie de vivre, Swarovski’s new collection presents a strong identity, and a modern and elegant stylistic signature.
Amazing necklace, Swarovski; available at Rustan's
exploRED
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the lost world Exploring the last frontier in South America W O R DS Sara Black as told to Josh O rbeta
“Raw, pristine, magical, a lost world of a lost time.” For photographer Sara Black, these are words that encapsulate Patagonia, a region located in the southern end of America, sitting on the border of Argentina and Chile. With its deserts, steppes, and grasslands, the southern portion of the Andes Mountains provides allure to those wishing to seek adventures from a time gone by. “There's no other place I've been that’s quite like it— it’s like the last frontier. It takes you back to a time long ago, and far away,” Black says. It is a trip to consider for those who seek a challenge and don’t mind having only a backpack in tow. “We stayed at assorted cabins and lodges which were all comfortable, but don't expect Shangri-La! Yes it was difficult to get to; it’s the farthest I've traveled to from Manila.... It’s easily like you're flying for two days if you go straight.” Despite the arduous trip, Black says that there’s something for everybody, “There’s such a wide variety of activities to do in Patagonia. We went on an ice trek and I wouldn't recommend that to someone who isn't at a good fitness level as it is physically taxing. But it’s very rewarding too! It's a magical, surreal experience to be trekking on ice— especially for someone who grew up in the tropics. But if that isn't your thing, you can just visit to see the scenery.” For those who would prefer a less rigorous experience, Patagonia is home to national parks that offer majestic views of the vertiginous mountains and the lakes and rivers that surround the area. The Nahuel Huapi National Park, the largest and the oldest park in the region, allows visitors to take in views of the breathtaking Nahuel Huapi Lake. Visit San Carlos de Bariloche at the southern shore of the lake and experience the finest chocolates in Argentina. The Torres del Paine National Park houses a diverse ecosystem, with evergreens and numerous species of orchidaceae, the Andean condor, the South American gray fox and caracara. Travelers can opt for the one day hike, though the park offers hikes in increasing difficulty for those more eager. Patagonia: Dead and alive, lost and found, past and present.
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Tourists with a hearty appetite will also enjoy the exotic fare. “The food was excellent. We had so many good meals. There was hearty food like lamb that had been roasted for a whole day and just fell off the bone. We also had other ‘wild’ food like hare and guanaco.” But, unlike the fearless Black, not everyone is willing to try more unusual food. There is a sprinkling of restaurants along the region that may satiate more traditional stomachs. Delight in pasta cushions filled with chicken, mozzarella and tomato at the cozy Fuegia Bistro in El Chalten, sip an artisanal Patagonian microbrew in Don Pichon in El Calafate, or take in flavorsome sea bass at Angelica’s Restaurant in Puerto Natales. The Patagon region is a place teeming
with culture, and some aspects may even seem familiar. “Argentina and Chile are Hispanized due to their being Spanish colonies so there was a point of familiarity there. But what interested me more were the ancient tribes of Patagonia that were totally unknown to me before this trip. The Patagons were first ‘discovered’ by Spanish explorers and they were much like the North American Indians in their way of life.” For Black, the glacial ice trek is a memory to last a lifetime. “I had to slap myself, I couldn't believe how fortunate I was to experience something like that. Glacial ice is such a foreign concept to me, and to be enveloped by it was just breath taking… There is just the sensation of the purity of nature and
Sea lions, birds and the breathtaking view of the Beagle Channel
how it is inspiring. I have more respect and admiration for nature.” The Patagon region is chock-full of exciting activities for every type of traveler— be it for the traveler seeking introspection, the adrenaline junkie who cannot get enough, or someone looking to discover a forgotten world. •
“I had to slap myself. I couldn't believe how fortunate I was to experience something like that.�
Clockwise from top: The magical Ushuaia sunset at 11pm; Deserted island on the beagle channel: the last frontier; Dream-like ice trek: enveloped by ice and extreme cold but challenging enough to make anyone sweat in their thermals.
devouRED
LIVING NEAPOLITAN Italy shares its secrets with Manila WO RDS N ikki N atividad
All pizzas are cooked in this two-ton stone pizza oven crafted with stones from the Sta. Lucia Mountain in Italy.
PHOTOGRAPHY SAM LIM
The Philippine market, accustomed to the instant gratification satisfied so easily by cheap fast food, is possibly so saturated with American-style comfort food pizzerias that perhaps the fact that pizza is an Italian innovation has slipped our minds entirely. Motorino Pizza intends to remind us what authentic Neapolitan pizza tastes like and why it’s worth the hype. Hailing from New York, Motorino Pizza is borne of standards higher than most American-style pizzerias found in Manila. The founder, Chef Matthieu Palombino, is an Italian born in Belgium and raised in Brooklyn dedicated to the craft of Neapolitan pizza-making as any born and bred Italian. He honed his skills in Italy under the wing of one of the first pizzerias in Napoli, Naples, famous for their decade-old pizza recipe. After a year, he came back to Brooklyn with a more refined understanding of classic Italian cuisine, and the guns to jumpstart Motorino Pizza. The greatest contrast between Neapolitan pizza and your typical pizza chain, two strides and a phone call away, is production quality. While American pizzerias dutifully abide by the mantra of “bigger is better,” all in terms of size, topping, and oil drippings, Italian pies take careful measure towards balance of flavors. You can identify the latter by its charred, leopard spotted crust, a soupy center, and an arrangement of toppings that have all been calculated to create an experience savory enough to keep you off fast food (indefinitely). Chef Palombino is a merciless mentor and demands that all his pizzas offer the same superb quality on par to his standards. To adhere to the high principles of the founder, the restaurant utilizes ingredients and equipment dictated by his strict parameters. The restaurant is fully furnished with a two-ton stone pizza oven, crafted straight from the stones of the Sta. Lucia Mountain in Italy. These stones allegedly retain heat better, and makes for the perfect oven. All ingredients, save for the vegetables that are sourced locally, are shipped straight from Italy. Their secret ingredient is the flour—one of the best pizza flours in the world. The owner refuses to reveal its name. If your palate is used to American comfort food, Motorino Pizza is quite a breath of fresh air. And unlike other chains, Motorino promises not to compromise its integrity for the sake of market demand. •
inquiRED
What is a counterproductive invention?
compiled by ria prieto
I think heels are a counterproductive invention. I'd rather zip around the office in flats or sneakers than have to hobble around every time I need to get up from my desk. —Cai Subijano, editor
Twilight, since it set back feminism about 50 years. —Ana Martha Moreno, entrepreneur
Buzzfeed. Procrastination has never been made easier. –HAPPY DAVID, businesswoman
Facebook! It is great at keeping in touch and sharing photos, but not only is it a huge waste of time but it also discourages people from talking about their personal experiences when they meet in real life. Instead they say, “Didn’t you seen my photos on FB?” I have a love/hate relationship with FB. –Vicki Abary, PR manager
Social media. It’s the greatest thing if you need to get things out there. In hindsight, it can also lag productivity. I’m guilty of that but to get things done and done on time, discipline needs to be in check. —Vicky Tensuan, writer
empoweRED
TO PAINT AIR
Hispano-Filipino artist Fernando Zobel’s works had a rarefied, emotional depth to them that transcends language, or as noted art critic Emmanuel Torres describes, “…think of Zobel as a painter of atmospheres…his later paintings (have) these enormous blushes of color (that) tend to fuse into each other. He painted air… He painted atmospheres. Very effervescent.” The late art historian Rod Paras-Perez had identified Zobel as a pioneer in nonobjectivism in Philippine modern art. At the ascendancy of modernism among young artists in the postwar period in the twentieth century, Zobel introduced the Saeta paintings in 1957 with an aesthetic markedly defined by fine, calligraphic lines. At the start of the 1960s, with the painterly vigor in his Serie Negra works, Zobel conjured visual environments that showcased his mastery of harmony and balance. Seemingly random gestures and brush strokes create a positive use of space and possess a strong, meditative quality. Fernando Zobel pursued the life of a fulltime artist in Spain. His later works, such as the Serie Blanca paintings and the variations on the Cuenca landscape and Jucar River in the late 1970s, have a refined and lyrical depth that transcends visual language and the physical media of canvas and paint. Zobel had the fortuitous opportunity in his lifetime to witness the beginnings of modern art in the
WO R DS JE I E NT E PHOTOG R APH Y ( portrait) C hristos K arantzolas
At the end of the month, a retrospective on Fernando Zobel’s oeuvre offers a glimpse at the master known as the “painter of atmospheres”
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work of Filipino artists, the birth of Abstract Expressionism in New York, and the growth of abstract painting in Spain. The artist described it “like winning first prize in a lottery!” Representing Zobel’s journey into nonobjective abstraction is a major exhibition in Ayala Museum entitled “Journey into Space: The Visual Odyssey of Fernando Zobel,” on its Third Floor Galleries from June 30 to October 5. It will gather paintings, sketches, and photographs, mostly dated from the late 1960s to 1980s from public and private collections. This show is a long-awaited follow-up to Ayala Museum’s 2009 show Fernando Zobel in the 1950s, which showcased his earlier, more figurative works. •
Above: Quatro Lineas (1972), oil on canvas, 60 x 60 cm, Ayala Corporation Collection Right: Academia VII (1970), pencil and ink on paper, 51 x 50.5 cm, Ayala Museum Collection