Nikki's Beat

Social realism always plays a big part every time artist Nikki Luna mounts an exhibit.

She recently opened an installation show titled Beat at the Lopez Museum where she used soil, 14-karat yellow gold, sugar, videos and bone china to put across her message. She focused this time on the lands inhabited by the indigenous communities in the mountains of Northern Mindanao and the farms in the rural areas of the Philippines.

New York-based artist Ernest Concepcion joined Nikki in the exhibit. He painted on the walls of the museum gallery while Nikki’s installation art pieces filled up the space. Real soil was all over the gallery as well as jewelry display boxes showcasing diamond-shaped hearts made of sugar. There were also gold seeds and rice embedded on raw clay. The soil used came from seven different militarized areas in Mindanao.

Beat is ongoing until November. Nikki’s works are titled Precious and Fertile (for the bone china installation), Embellished Earth (for the gold and soil installaion) and Azucarera (for the cast sugar installation).

Beat plays with dual meanings, defeat and rhythm. Nikki’s works are displayed alongside Juan Luna’s two paintings pertaining to peasants and revolution while Ernest’s murals are displayed with Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo’s artworks. (No, Nikki Luna is not related to Juan Luna.)

Nikki will have an artist talk on Aug. 11, Saturday, 2 to 4 p.m. at the Lopez Museum, Benpres Building, Exchange Road corner Meralco Avenue, Pasig City.

Something to look forward to is Nikki’s participation at the prestigious fifth Beijing Art International Biennale on Sept. 28. She will be joining other artists from all over the world.

Enjoying country life

Over 1,300 guests flocked to the first “Balik Bukid Country Fair” at the Sta. Elena Golf & Country Estate, a world-class golf course and residential community in Santa Rosa City, Laguna. The event was held to give modern Filipino families an opportunity to experience true country living.

Guests at the Tantoco farm called “Holy Carabao” enjoyed activities like horseback riding, fishing and tree climbing. Families also got a chance to ride a carabao cart.

At the country fair, there were also off-road biking, interactive trekking with Worldwide Fund for Nature, obstacle courses for kids and adults. They also enjoyed a full-size trampoline and a zipline ride. Kids had fun riding boats, fishing, chasing chickens and ducks and playing with other farm animals. They were also treated to entertaining and educational puppet shows and arts and crafts sessions by Acacia Waldorf School.

Bazaar merchants sold unique and eco-friendly items including clothing, accessories and home décor, all done by local craftsmen, entrepreneurs and designers. Guests also enjoyed healthy, organic cuisines from various food merchants while savoring live performances from artists like the Patikeros from Negros Occidental, Bobby Balingit, Spread the Love, Drum & Dance and Non Baang.

You may share with them your ideas on How To Live With Soul by posting on Balik Bukid’s fanpage wall. If they like your post, you get the chance to win a gift that can be claimed at Sta. Elena Golf & Country Estate’s head office at Enterprise Tower in Ayala Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas in Makati City.

The next event is on Sept. 1.

(For inquiries, call 886-8686. Check outwww.facebook.com/balikbukid and www.staelena.com.ph.)

An exclusive dinner party

One of the most exclusive cognac brands from the House of Remy Martin, Louis XIII Grande Champagne Cognac, feted Ferrari enthusiasts to an exclusive dinner party co-hosted by Autostrada Motore Center chairman Wellington Soong. It was held at the Ferrari showroom at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.

Louis XIII uses only grapes from the Grande Champagne territory of Cognac, France and is especially blended from 1,200 samples of eaux-de-vie. It is further aged in several hundred-year-old oak barrels and is then placed in a crystal decanter handcrafted by Baccarat.

Dinner was prepared by my Xavier schoolmate and fellow foodie JJ Yulo followed by endless rounds of toasting. Joey Pineda, Remy Cointreau International commercial manager for the Philippines, said, “Louis XIII believes in excellence above all else, and is honored to be part of this most exclusive event with Ferrari, one of the world’s most luxurious car brands.”

There was a sampling of Louis XIII Grande Champagne Cognac as Christophe Bourrie, Remy Cointreau’s regional director for Louis XIII, offered pointers on how to best appreciate the cognac.