ManMadeWoman

The recent show of Nikki Luna, artist and founder of startART project, titled ManMadeWoman at Silverlens Galleries in Makati City, was a statement about beauty and what it meant to the marginalized.

The exhibit featured 100 Barbie dolls cast in ceramic bone china. These artworks represented beauty standards, stereotypes and gender inequalities. There were also eight “Beauty Queen” crowns made of Swarovski crystals. Perhaps these crowns represented hundreds of women vying for a beauty title. Each crown was accompanied by an iPod. 

These sound installations each had different questions with recorded answers from different women. They were typical questions of what would be asked in a beauty pageant. There was also a mirrored booth with a sound installation, too. One could enter this booth with another crystal-encrusted crown floating above.

Nikki’s works have often been associated with human rights advocacies and women’s struggles. She became very well known in the Philippine contemporary art scene after her installation piece of resin-cast guns covered in lace sold above the estimate in Sotheby’s. She also had a product collaboration with Japanese retail giant Mitsukoshi. She also participated in the recent Beijing Biennale, Aichi Triennale in Japan, Singapore Biennale and Milan Art Fair. 

I can’t wait for what Nikki will showcase next!

A pop of art

Just a month ago, I was shopping at Liberty of London when I came across Original Penguin shirts made in collaboration with Pepsi. Of course, those shirts were so expensive that I didn’t buy any. Somehow I hoped they would be available in Manila one day at a more affordable price. I did not expect my wish would be granted.

In a global first, Original Penguin and Pepsi recently collaborated in creating a capsule collection, Live for Now, now available in Manila.

For the Manila launch, the apparel brand invited some of Manila’s sought-after faces to bring to life the design and character of the collection. Everyone enjoyed booths such as Graffiti Wall Design, where one could use a device to digitally make one’s own graffiti on the 812-ft. screen; and the Instagram Photo Booth that printed out all photos with hashtags #PenguinXPepsiPH and #BeAnOriginal. There were also a face painting kiosk and a play corner wherein everyone enjoyed a friendly competition over tic-tac-toe, foosball and an over-sized Jengga!

The fashion show was the highlight of the event with a parade of colorful fashion pieces followed by the breathtaking stunts of the Futkaleros. 

The Original PenguinXPepsi collection is available at Original Penguin stores in Glorietta 2, Greenbelt 5, Bonifacio High Street, TriNoma, Alabang Town Center, MarQuee Mall Angeles City and Ayala Center Cebu.

(Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.)