Fan flurry of fun

CEBU, Philippines - Rachy Cuna's admirers were certainly breezed and gradually blown away as they marveled and wondered how ladies' everyday fans can be modeled, wrought and emblazoned into 18 fascinating works of art, exhibited in the recently launched AbaniKo at the Hotel InterContinental Manila.

At the centerpiece of his collection was a giant obra maestra that was ornamented with flowers that seemed to float on a glittering vertical pond of sunset, unveiled by Embassy of China Counselor Shen Zicheng and the hotel's General Manager Christian Peridon.

Without a doubt, the creations of the Philippines’ only floral architect is rooted in his deep Filipino heritage and love of culture and the arts. This is evident in the variety of themes that rolled out from Oriental references as in his playful Buddha Bloom of the chubby golden Gautama showering Chinese coins, the robust Green Nirvana of a religious deity, the uncomplicated Bambusa outlined by decors resembling bamboo nodes and the towering Golden Dimsum heightened by a series of small wooden steamers.

Cuna also submerged towards our perpetual bond with the sea in works namely Fishful Thinking and Cumulus while carefully playing around with dreamful spectrum in other marine inspirations like Midas Catch and Denizens of the Deep.

While he chose a more elegant approach to pieces such as Blanco y Negro and Circles in My Mind, the rest of the collection unfolded his love for the giggles of life in the fan-filled Let's Have Fan and the cunning Musical Chairs, finally compounding the bouncy inspiration in Orange-Minded – a light parody of green-minded-and Fishball Pa, from where he stripped the fan naked in its outline, to stick the fried balls into.

Undeniably, Cuna's creative genius not only comes from his affection towards folding fans of daily life, likewise in his use of materials that, from our standpoint, would be far from being ingredients to a masterpiece.

Seen at the well-attended event were proud mother Pacita Cuna, brother Ricky Cuna, doting aunt Lily Cuna, Jullie Yap-Daza, Precy Ramos of National Bookstore, Xandra Padilla of Crossings Department Store, Toto and Patchot Mapa of Old Asia, Rita Dy of Singapore Airlines, Mariza Cojuangco, Marvi Yulo, Ponche and Cecil Santos, Weng Domingo, Lei Lagdameo, Josie Joya Baldovino, Liela Salgado and Gerry Sabinosa.

Rachy's works is scheduled to be shown in various cities around the country, while plans are being finalized for the exhibition in several ASEAN cultural metropolises. (FREEMAN)