Sinuous Architecture and Evocative Forms

Sinuous Architecture and Evocative Forms features the new works by Ramon Orlina, the Philippines’ preeminent glass sculptor. Marking the celebration of Orlina’s 80th birth anniversary, this exhibition organized by Art Cube puts a spotlight on the artist’s seamless blend of architectural and figurative finesse and the delicate beauty of glass.

Offering a veritable glimpse into a wide range of Orlina’s stylistic preoccupations—from genre themes such as mother-and-child and graceful nudes to abstract rhapsodies of geometric and curvilinear forms—the exhibition exemplifies the artist’s remarkable ability to evoke a harmonious balance between straight lines and graceful curves, as well as the interplay between solidity and ethereal transparency.

With an acute eye for detail, Orlina’s sculptures evoke the sense of witnessing beauty distilled in his chosen medium. Each piece stands as a testament to the artist’s prowess in capturing the essence of fluidity within the static nature of glass, particularly exemplified by his inspired interpretations of the human body.

Audiences will likewise be captivated by Orlina’s exceptional talent in transforming glass into mesmerizing works of art that effortlessly bridge two seemingly disparate worlds: art and architecture. Not too many people know that the artist is also a licensed architect, who fuses the elegance of his chosen medium with architecture’s emphasis on structural integrity.

Orlina’s choice of glass as a medium—in his signature emerald green as well as in varying gem-like tones—allows the master to play with translucency, even the illusion of softness and movement. His every sculpture doesn’t have a back and a front: each can be appreciated in a multiplicity of vantage points, inviting the viewer to move around it and experience seeing how the work interacts with light.

The exhibition holds profound significance within contemporary Philippine art, offering a compelling showcase of a master artist who remains at the pinnacle of his creative prowess. Never complacent and always pushing the envelope of his artistry, Orlina epitomizes his belief that an artist worth their salt doesn’t have the word “retirement” in their vocabulary.

Sinuous Architecture and Evocative Forms celebrates the legacy of a visionary artist and reaffirms the significance of art as an essential conduit for exploring the beauty of human aspiration. Ramon Orlina’s masterful works serve as beacons of light for current and future generations, urging them to push the boundaries of medium, scale, and the limits of artistic expression.