P I N O Y D E S I G N S
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ONY U
Apol Lejano-Massebieau seeks out the inspiration behind
some of the unique and stunning pieces at the Manila Fame
design fair — and in the handicrafts
,
adherence to Filipino
traditionalism and personal statements, finds that home is
where the art is
AT THE MANILA FAME
showcase last
March, Daniel Latorre Cruz’s booth
was striking in its originality. Angular
objects giving the impression of mass
and weight sat on the few square
meters of white space he had at the
capital’s biannual design trade show.
On closer inspection the pieces showed
themselves to be made of rusted metal
and poured concrete, the designer’s
version of garden furniture — although
looking at them, sculptural installation
is a term that came to mind.
Accompanying the pieces was
a small wooden house, from the
façade of which protruded cubes and
rectangles of light. Latorre Cruz’s
inspiration here was the
bahay na bato
(
stone house). You entered and saw,
scattered on a table, small objects
made from capiz. It’s a material that
you would not be surprised to find in a
traditional Filipino home, except you
