'Shade my eyes and I can see you'

That is the title of the two-man show staged at Silverlens Gallery. Two artists, Nikki Luna and Zean Cabangis, used photos for their work. Nikki used them in light boxes while Zean used them as the base for his mixed media work. This is the first show of Silverlens for 2012.

Nikki’s work was entitled Leaf Cuttings. Each piece was dedicated to the memory of women who have disappeared --— Sherlyn Cadapan, Karen Empeño, Tanya Domingo, Beng Hernandez and Isabel Arriola. She had 10 cabinets, all of which came from her early work called Compartmentalized back in 2009 at the Art Stage Singapore.

Nikki is an installation/conceptual artist and an advocate of women’s and children’s rights. Silverlens Gallery’s Isa Lorenzo and Rachel Rilio teamed her up with painter Zean, who played with photo transfers on canvases and paintings. Both Nikki and Zean worked outside the box of photography. Nikki’s installation pieces of cabinet drawers with photo images inside took a peek into the lives of women who were victims of forced disappearances and political killings. Some of the images she used included a blouse, a handkerchief, an embroidered detail of a cloth, a birthday cake, a flower, a dining table — all showing intimate everyday memories of women. 

This exhibit is very close to Nikki’s heart. As a supporter of women’s and children’s rights, she is also the founder of startARTproject and is currently taking Master of Arts in Women and Development Studies in UP Diliman. 

Others present during the opening of the exhibit were bloggers and art collectors Trickie Lopa and Cecile Zamora, bag designer Rita Nazareno, artists Maria Taniguchi and Patty Eustaquio, Ely Buendia and filmmakers Kiri Dalena and Adjani Arumpac.

 ‘Unfurgivable’

“Fur is ugly. Fur is unforgivable.”

This message was clearly heard when Prive Luxury Club’s fashion-oriented weekly series presented an event by Strip: Ministry of Waxing dubbed Unfurgivable.

Unfurgivable, a campaign that discourages the use of humanized fur on bare skin, bags, coats and shoes, was launched via an exclusive photo exhibit and fashion show.

Fashion photographer Miguel Miranda took photos of Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Isabel Roces, Phoemela Barranda, Nina Estaco, Kylie Padilla, Ornusa Cadness, Roshni Hemlani, CJ Jaravata, Xtina, Kit Barraquias, Laureen Uy, Xeng Zulueta, and radio DJs Sam YG, Slick Rick and Toni Tony of Boys Night Out in next-to-nothing but lavish jewelry, bags and accessories created by Martin Bautista, Gabriel Martel, Nicole Whisenhunt, Joyce Makitalo, Trousseau by Reshma and Princess Peacock. The shoot was styled by Gerick Ortiz.

Host and Prive co-owner JM Rodriguez welcomed the guests. The grand launch continued with a fashion show by Wanderlust, the Maggie Wilson-Consunji line of daring swimwear.

From Jan. 13 until Mar. 31, Strip will donate P50 to PETA for every Brazilian wax treatment done. First-time customers enjoy a special discount on Brazilian waxing treatments for supporting the anti-fur movement, too!

Special thanks to Cura V, Make Up for Ever and Maquillage Professionnel.

(Strip: Ministry of Waxing is located at 2/F Serenda, Bonifacio High Street (901-0892) and 4/F Greenbelt 5 (501-3997). Visit www.strip-manila.com. and www.peta.org.)