Rimowa luggage art to be auctioned off by Leon Gallery today

MANILA, Philippines - Five beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces of Rimowa luggage used by Filipino artists as a unique base for their art will be auctioned off today at Leon Gallery. 

“The Artist’s Journey” art auction — featuring luggage artworks that were originally on view at the Museum Foundation of the Philippine’s “MaARTe Craft, Food, Art & Design Fair 2015” — will be headlined by five artists: Martin Honasan, Jason Montinola, Max Balatbat, Ferdie Montemayor and Heart Evangelista.

Honasan, a former art director and designer, has five solo exhibits and numerous group exhibits under his belt, and has been featured on many art publications. For “The Artist’s Journey,” he seeks to discuss what he calls the “psychological need for familiarity, and natural instinct to be drawn to the gravity of faces.” Like other works in his oeuvre, his piece contrasts the freedom in an expressionistic approach with the restraint of figurative paintings.

Showcased in several solo shows in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, Jason Montinola has also participated in group shows in Manila, Negros Occidental, California, New York and Malaysia. For “The Reverse,” he brings his signature expertise in representing the human subconscious, blending both traditional ideas with otherworldly imagery.

Max Balatbat gained renown for his “Avenida Manila,” which won the Il Lorenzo Magnifico Award–Silver Medal in the Florence Biennale 2009 in Italy, not to mention accolades from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the University of the East (UE), and the Philip Morris Philippine Art awards, among others. “Hawla” — a mixture of rope, screws, custom fabrics, acrylics and burlap — represents the red light district of his childhood Caloocan. “I was inspired by the beauty of the place,” says Balatbat. “It was my playground.”

In “Going, Going, Going Home,” Ferdie Montemayor employs his style of monochromatic blurs and patterns to show his point of view on the travelling bag. He describes the piece as “a traveller standing on a global platform” on the front side, “an unending cycle of a person travelling around the globe.” Montemayor has been cited by artistic bodies such as the Metrobank Foundation Awards and The 13 Artist Awards, and his work has been displayed in several group exhibits nationwide.

While a newcomer to the art scene, Heart Evangelista has proven she is an artist in her own right with a sold-out first exhibit followed by a second show in Singapore. Her piece for “The Artist’s Journey” titled “Upstream” is a teaser for her upcoming exhibit called “#fisheries,” inspired by her memories of fishing with her father.

“The Artist’s Journey” art auction will be hosted today at 2 p.m. by Leon Gallery at the ground floor of Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legazpi Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City.

All proceeds will be used to fund projects of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines dedicated to promoting the country’s national artistic heritage.

For information, call 856-2781 or email info@leon-gallery.com.