MANILA, Philippines - Firma was the venue of choice for three of Manila’s talented jewelry designers — Joyce Makitalo, Michelline Syjuco and Nicole Whisenhunt — who came together for “Modern Mythologies,” an exhibit of pieces inspired by Philippine super heroines Darna, Dyesebel and Galema. Together with Ayala Malls, the show was presented at Greenbelt 3 where jewelry and design aficionados and fans came to celebrate the beauty and strength of the Filipino woman as envisioned by the trio.
Some of Manila’s most stylish women — like fashion designer Criselda Lontok, Maritoni Tordesillas, Techie Hagedorn and Junie Peña — came wearing their stunning Joyce Makitalo pieces which had the same timeless quality as the new pieces on exhibit. Joyce is an artist at heart who paints, and plays the guitar and the Indian zithar. But what she does with gemstones is truly amazing and this collection definitely showcased her skill with wondrous colors and textures. It also spoke of other worlds that she conjures in her mind.
“The idea of physically strong women in costume didn’t really inspire me at first, but after doing research, I discovered that Dyesebel and Galema were freaks of nature and Darna used an anting-anting,” Joyce says. “This really got me excited!“
Ideas began to flow from there and pieces like the Globus Ariera Bertud (Banana Orb) pendant were born. This piece was inspired by the most powerful anting-anting, the hiyas ng saging — a pearl-like globe that comes from a ripe banana at midnight. It is said that the person who seeks this anting-anting must wait for the banana heart to open and drop the pearl that one must catch with one’s mouth in order to gain powers. Joyce definitely makes it easier and more glamorous for today’s aspiring super heroines with her modern talismans studded with opals, jaspers and corals.
Multimedia artist Michelline Syjuco brought the art crowd led by Sylvana Diaz of Galleria Duemila, Tessie Luz and Elena Colome. Her mother, artist Jean-Marie Syjuco, and sisters Maxine and Trix, both performance artists, were there to lend support. They actually just finished another exhibit together, Michelline included, creating art installations for each floor of a boutique hotel.
Michelline’s skill in sculpting big pieces is distilled in her hand-sculpted jewelry inspired by the three heroines. “Darna, Dyesebel and Galema are strong, independent women — these are the qualities that inspired me for this collection.” Her hand-beaten Darna Cuff with a huge triangular tourmalinated quartz crystal was one of the statement pieces created for today’s power women. There was also a Galema cuff in oxidized silver with raw amethyst crystal and a Dyesebel one with a hexagonal smoky quartz crystal rising from torrential waves. Integral to her designs were the gemstones that she had specially cut to her specifications from raw geodes.
Nicole Whisenhunt has been experimenting on new embroidery techniques and this collection showcased it. She zeroed in on the characters’ traits and chose materials and techniques that would be appropriate.
For Galema’s serpentine movements, she made use of draping knotted stones, adding embroidered pendants and cascading beads. Darna’s pieces were sharp and geometric in shape like the gold star rings with three intersecting triangles and the beaded belts with diamond patterns. Onyx centered earrings had oval embroidered patterns emanating from them. For the Dyesebel suite, the designer opted for cultured pearls and crystals to mimic the reflections from the sea.
For inquiries, call Firma at 757-4009 or visit the ground floor of Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati, fax 757-4010 or e-mail firma2@vasia.com