‘So Many Scars’

It’s very refreshing to see talented young artist Angelo Quintos in the local art scene. This 19-year-old’s genre is quite different from the present crop of young contemporary visual artists in the country.

From the airport, I went straight to the opening of Gelo’s well-attended first solo exhibition titled So Many Scars at The Metro Gallery in San Juan. The place was packed with young people, collectors and art aficionados.

Gelo, managed by Derek Flores of DF Art Agency, usually wears a jacket/hoodie or a T-shirt every time he paints. Instead of wiping the brushes on a piece of cloth, he just wipes them on the clothes he is wearing. In that way, not a bit of paint gets wasted and makes the clothing an art piece of its own. He was wearing one that night, which I found fascinating. 

Gelo’s art is a mixture of street art, poetry (painted words on canvas) and graphic design. Though his works are influenced by those of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Cy Twombly, there is still that personal Gelo Quintos touch that makes his style his own.

For Gelo, So Many Scars was a dream come true. He said that things fell into place rapidly and he was thankful for the opportunity.

The recently concluded exhibit reflects the artist’s “openness to capture the world of his youth as he himself is transformed by it.” Having just finished Multimedia Arts at iAcademy and an incoming freshman at the College of Saint Benilde, this promising artist still has a long way to go.

My dream was shattered when I wanted to purchase one of his works but I was told it was sold already. I look forward to his next show where I hopefully can get one of his works.

A Pinoy fiesta

(From left) Winwyn Marquez, Thia Thomalla, Joanna Eden and Angelica Alita.

It was a celebration of everything Filipino at the SM Mall of Asia Atrium when Kiehl’s recently held a Pinoy-fiesta themed event to showcase its limited-edition Kiehl’s Loves the Philippines line.

The luxury skincare brand reintroduced its most popular products decorated with New York-based artist Ali Mac’s illustrations of Philippine culture.

The new line includes the Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol-Free Toner that gently cleanses and refreshes facial skin without harsh synthetic drying agents; Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado that has beta-carotene and shea butter to moisturize the delicate under-eye area; Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which contains lavender essential oil, evening primrose oil and squalane to restore and repair skin by the time you wake up in the morning (I swear by the effects of Midnight Recovery, especially when I have dry skin!); and the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel-Cream, which is formulated with imperata cylindra root extract and antarcticine. This non-greasy product offers 24-hour hydration and shine control. This product also bears the limited-edition design of the Banaue Rice Terraces.

The event also highlighted Kiehl’s partnership with Bench, the country’s leading clothing and lifestyle brand and distributor of Kiehl’s products, and SM Supermalls.

Kiehl’s product manager Joan Hwang said, “We are honored to work with proudly Filipino brands that only want the best for their customers. By understanding the unique weather conditions in a tropical country like ours, we can provide Filipinos with heritage skincare products that cater to their specific needs.”

(These exclusive products are available at Greenbelt 5, Rockwell, Shangri-La Plaza, TriNoma, Alabang Town Center, SM Mall of Asia, SM Makati, SM Aura, SM Megamall, SM North EDSA, Robinsons Magnolia, U.P. Town Center, Podium and Ayala Center Cebu.)

Going green

Big Ass Fans managing director for Asia Pacific Brian Smith and Philippine Geogreen CEO Liza Crespo.

Among the products available at the pop-up store, which lasts until Sept. 7, are the Solatube Daylighting Systems, which are engineered to capture the sun’s rays and bring these into one’s home. Installing the Solatube can be done in as little as two hours and entails no structural changes to the building. Also available are Haiku fans or large fans that can generate cool breeze. It not only makes all rooms of the home comfortable, but brings huge savings in cooling costs as well. 

The atmospheric water generator (AWG) can extract water from humid ambient air. Water vapor in the air is condensed by cooling the air below its dew point, extracting water in the process. This device is designed to render the water potable with multiple stages of filtration.

To assist customers in their design solutions, leading furniture manufacturer Philux will provide furniture and design ideas to promote a green lifestyle and complement Geogreen’s products.

Philippine Geogreen marketing head Elaine Lazaro said, “We recognize that Filipinos want a green lifestyle, but that they have limited ways to make this possible. With this pop-up store, we want consumers to know that a green lifestyle is attainable and that they can do so while preserving home aesthetics, while using high-quality products that match their needs for durability and environment sustainability.”

BDO is offering its zero-percent interest promotion over a six-month period for those with a minimum purchase of P30,000. Buyers will also get a free solar-powered power bank valued at P2,000.

GOLF BUDDIES AT DA GIANNI. Lino Palenzuela’s golf mates had a ball feasting on tapas and other dishes at Matteo Guidicelli’s now very popular go-to restaurant-bar located at Westgate Alabang named Da Gianni. Birthday boy Lino (seated) is surrounded by golf buddies Tito Reynoso, Henry Hagedorn, Raffy Villareal, George Schulze, Noel Hermitano, William Foley, Sal Lacson and Quito Moras.

(Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.)