Global Pinoy Ramon Orlina: From atelier to 'atalyer'

Filipino sculptor Ramon Orlina's name is almost synonymous with an atelier featuring world-class glass sculptures. A little known fact about him though is that he's also into "atalyer" or a talyer (automotive shop) that produces "art cars."

 

An art car is a vehicle "redefined" as a work of art. During the recent "Manila Auto Salon" competition and exhibit at the SMX Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City from November 24 to 27, Orlina's "Art Car" was cited as the Best Mural of the show.   

Orlina's entry was a Volvo Limited Edition with painting inspired by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian (March 7, 1872 to February 1, 1944).

 

Orlina told GMA News Online that he chose the painter Mondrian as an inspiration because he appreciates the Dutch artist's modern style, which was way ahead of his time.

 

In the 1920s, Mondrian began producing grid-based paintings, the style for which he came to be renowned.

Many of his paintings were defined by straight black lines, the white spaces filled with primary colors such as yellow, red, and blue.

 

Orlina said, "Architecture tinapos ko. Modern architecture nag-start sa Bauhaus; 1920 mga design niyang ito, very modern na. Yung kanyang design, yung kanyang grid is still used by advertising people today."

 

Orlina said the style he did on the art car was "appropriation. Ina-appropriate mo yung dating design sa bagong trabaho. Inspiration."

 

He chose to produce his Mondrian-inspired artwork on a Volvo 780 Coupe designed by Italy's legendary automotive designer Nuccio Bertone, saying it is one of the rarest and most exclusive automobiles that Volvo has produced.

He said it took him four months to work on the "Art Car" that he entered in the competition.  

Orlina's Atalyer

 

"Orlina's Atalyer" transforms automobiles into works of art. His clients can pick an artist of their choice and he will transform their automobiles into a work of art though custom paint work.

 

Abstract, expressionist, modernist -- Orlina's Atalyer in Sampaloc, Manila can translate these styles onto their clients' automobiles. Asked why he chose to put up "Orlina's Atalyer," he said he has really been into cars since his youth. "Minsan akala ng misis ko nagtatrabaho ako, yun pala nandun ako sa kotse," Orlina said. "Ang gusto ko talaga sculpture, yun talaga ang line ko. Nung una wala talagang gumagawa sa atin nun. Wala akong kinopyahan. Yun ang advantage ko. Hindi ako pumunta sa abroad. I did not have any master, I didn't follow anybody. Nobody gave me a technique for me to follow. I was able to follow my own direction," he added. Orlina's Atelier Orlina said transforming cars into works of art is more of a hobby for him. His main line of business remains glass sculpting. Last year, BluPrint Magazine named Orlina one of the Global Pinoys whose designs are making waves the world over. The prestigious list includes scupltor Deniel dela Cruz, furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue, and architect Felino "Jun" Palafox.

The BluPrint article written by Dr. Gerry King, an internationally known Australian artist, said, "Orlina's contribution to society, both to its spirit and economy, is witnessed by the major commissions he has received." King, like Orlina, is a designer of contemporary glass artworks.  King said he was in awe when he first saw Orlina's artwork, the "Arcanum XIX Paradise Gained" at the Silahis Hotel, during his first visit to the Philippines in 1976. "In the 1970s, few large-scale contemporary glass artworks existed anywhere in the world. This work gave the lie to the popular notion that contemporary glass was a creature of Europe and North America," King said. Orlina's "Arcanum" is currently on loan at the National Museum. One of Orlina's most recent artworks is "Quattro Mondial" made of cast bronze and glass. He made it for his alma mater, the University of Santo Tomas, where he took up architecture. The larger-than-life artwork celebrates UST's 400th anniversary. Orlina said nobody taught him how to make glass sculptures. He had to learn to do it on his own, the hard way. He said he attended industrial exhibits to learn what type of glass and which tools to work with to produce glass sculptures. He said one artwork usually takes him about a month to finish. "Ang assistant ko mga labindalawa. I do the forming, very rough, kasing rough ng hollow block. Then iga-grind, smooth, and polish. I work everyday," he said. "I do abrasive, parang kinukudkod ko," Orlina explained. "Sculpting is chiseling. Just like working on jade, or working on your teeth, grind, smoothen and polish." Orlina's artworks have been exhibited and commissioned by art collectors all over the world. He has received various awards including the following:

King wrote, "Ramon Orlina may have started his career in contemporary glass sculpture in the wrong place but he has certainly made it the right place." - YA/HS, GMA News