On the night of Manila Art 2024’s gala held October 9th 2024 at the SMX Convention Center Aura, Ramon Orlina launched his coffee table book to the public entitled “Visions in Glass”.
The launch was warmly welcomed by Manila Art’s visitors and enthusiasts as the event also highlighted some of Orlina’s artworks that were on display.
ABOUT THE BOOK by Cid Reyes
He alone had uncovered the previously unknown.
No one in his country, the Philippines, or Asia, and no one anywhere on the entire planet ever did.
Otherwise, Michelangelo, Auguste Rodin, Henry Moore, and Constantin Brancusi could have used this material. People frequently say, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Still, Filipino-turned-global sculptor Ramon Orlina proved this point by creating dazzling sculptures out of recycled glass.
No less than the National Artist for Sculpture, Napoleon Abueva, lauded his groundbreaking work in the field. He praised Orlina for being a trailblazer in the glass sculpture field. In a country where the term “glass” is solely associated with windshields, industrial windowpanes, and practical items such as drinking glasses, ornamental figurines, and trinkets, the material was never considered worthy of artistic creations.
It wasn’t until Ramon Orlina came along.
Orlina has been captivating in his country’s art scene since 1976, and his influence has only grown. Many of the world’s most important cities in Asia, Europe, and the United States have hosted exhibitions of his works.
Now, in the ninth decade of his life, this Filipino sculptor is still at the forefront of glass art.
Glass is a material that naturally allows light to manifest its truths and realities through its clarity and transparency, but only to a sculptor who grasps its essence can it show its secrets and mysteries. Orlina exposes and embraces its many contradictions: Glass is stiff and pliable at the same time. Perhaps the most concerning aspect is its susceptibility to breakage. Its interior luminescence is light-dependent, but it appears to be floating in midair; it is motionless yet able to exhibit incredible movement articulations. Its light bursts quickly, but it remains indefinitely imprinted in one’s memory. Although glass has three dimensions, its ethereal depths make it appear to have more.
“Ramon Orlina: Visions in Glass” is the authoritative book detailing the life and work of a Filipino sculptor now known as “Il Maestro” among his contemporaries in the Asian, American, and European glass sculpture communities. Featuring lavish photography of his most important works, this book chronicles his innovative and prolific output over fifty years. The book thoroughly examines his significant works, including those for public and corporate spaces. His global accolades and global awards have also helped elevate the Philippines’ profile in the art world.
Ramon Orlina is a national treasure, and this book is a valuable resource for learning about his life and career.