Artistry & activism

Artist Nikki Luna’s activism and art are tied together. This is seen in her many profound artworks that speak of her beliefs, advocacies and the message she wants to send out to the world.

Luna recently staged a solo exhibit  titled Violence Need Not Be Bloody For It To Be Validated as Such at Finale Art File in Makati City. The three-piece installation is said to be the artist’s commentary on the current extrajudicial killings and blatant misogyny.

The first piece was the statement “Womanhood is Weapon” formed from 5,000 pieces of white cast ceramic bullets on a 65-ft. wall. The 5,000 bullets were planned months ago to approximate the drug-related extrajudicial killings, with the thought of giving the tally a generous leeway.

The second piece was a floating white cold cast marble dress that is identical to the one that Vice President Leni Robredo reportedly wore when she received the infamous statement from President Rodrigo Duterte regarding the length of her skirt.

The last piece was a floor video installation that showed a woman sweeping off blood from the street, an actual footage collected by filmmaker Alyx Ayn Arumpac.

Luna works with materials distinctly associated with femininity, such as textile and items borrowed from the domestic space (milk, eggs, curtains, lace, flowers, dresses, ceramic, etc.). But her concept of a woman is not limited to just a gender but an idea that comprises the displaced, the vulnerable and the wronged. Their absence in her works is a mapping out of a different collective history that needs to be told, one way or another.

Nikki Luna graduated from the University of the Philippines-College of Fine Arts with Painting as her major. She went on to take her art residency at the Cooper Union School of Art in New York in 2008. Since then she has mounted several group and solo exhibitions of paintings, pieces of sculpture and installations in local and international art galleries and museums in Milan, New York, London, Japan, Beijing, Singapore, Hong Kong and more.

Luna, a Cultural Center of the Philippines Thirteen Artists awardee in 2015, represented the Philippines at the Singapore Biennale 2014, Aichi Japan Triennial 2013 and Beijing Biennale 2012. She will leave for New York next month for her six-month artist grant from the Asian Cultural Council. She is also preparing for an upcoming London show and a solo traveling exhibit in Europe next year.

Luna’s women and children advocacies are endeavors she studied in-depth under a Masters in Women and Development Studies at the University of the Philippines. She was recently offered an unconditional place at Goldsmiths London MA Art & Politics and Goldsmiths MAAT (artists teachers) program. She is also the founder of StartArt, a non-profit organization providing art workshops to women and youth victims of human rights violations in far-flung areas of the Philippines.

Emporium of design

Furniture store MOs Design celebrated its  10th anniversary recently.

Launched in 2007, MOs Design started with four brands furnishing its three floors, with BoConcept and Natuzzi Italia occupying the first and second floors respectively.

Over the years, MOs Design has expanded its repertoire of international furniture brands.  It welcomes Sancal into the fold. Sancal is a Spanish furniture brand rooted in innovation that is approachable, sensible and practical. Each of its pieces is brightly colored by the stories of global designers and the vibrant creative culture of its hometown in Yecla.

With its love for design,  the furniture store also worked in tandem with creative studio Electrolychee. A series of five murals tells the story of the store, from its beginning to its development, success and a contemplation of how the future unfolds.

The third floor of MOs Design on Bonifacio High Street in Taguig City was transformed into a party space for the celebration.  The store’s third floor, also known as the Design Gallery, is home to iconic designer brands Vitra, Ligne Roset, Tom Dixon, Anglepoise and Carl Hansen & Søn.

At the event, chef Markus Gfeller of CAV served traditional Spanish dishes with his trademark twists. The merienda snack bar was served in the afternoon, giving guests a selection of finger food such as Bacalao croquetas, Jamon Monte Cristo sandwiches, Chorizo and leek tortas, Plantain buñuelos with chili chocolate ganache and Shrimp churros with garlic aioli. Chef Markus also prepared an alcohol-free Strawberry basil punch to pair with the light snacks.

The snack bar gave way to the pintxos bar in the evening, adding Avocado gazpacho, Manchego and patatas tortilla, Shallot torta with queso ice cream, Beef and bean empanada, Tuna with black sesame crisp salad, Calamari with tomato and chimichurri, and Plantain buñuelos in burnt butter ice cream served with a strawberry basil cocktail with rum. Served throughout the event was the Sumiller by Manny O., a single varietal wine made from grapes from the Spanish town of Yecla — the very same town where Sancal is from.

DJ Migs Santillan spun a playlist that consisted of Trap and Futurebass music to reflect the lightness and creativity of both MOs Design and Sancal. He also played a bit of New Wave music that ended the event on a high note.

(MOs Design is located at B2 9th Avenue, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City. For more information, call 856-2748 or visit www.mosdesign.com.ph.)

The beauty hot pot is here!

In Kyoto, Japan’s Miyazaki Prefecture, a special breed of chicken is raised for its special flavor profile. The Jidori chicken’s flavor is so robust that just the stock is enough to make people form long queues where it’s served, particularly in Japan and Singapore.

For the ever-curious Filipino palate, all it takes is a visit to S Maison, Conrad Manila in Pasay City for the Bijin Nabe by Tsukada Nojo (Japanese for “Tsukada Farm”) Philippines.

The new Japanese restaurant specializes in bijin nabe (beauty hot pot), which brings the rich flavor of the Jidori chicken in a delicious hot pot. Aside from using the freshest vegetables, meat and seafood, it also has a rich, milky chicken stock that’s imported from Japan.

The prized stock is made by stewing the chicken for 18 hours, turning it into a silky, collagen-rich pudding. Aside from lending a unique flavor, the high collagen content is also known for its rejuvenating properties and health benefits.

“We brought the restaurant to the Philippines because bijin nabe is something new and there is nothing like it here locally. We take pride in being a restaurant that focuses on the quality and the traceability of the ingredients,” said owner Alyanna Uy.

There is a ceremonial attention that goes into serving the bijin nabe. With the help of the restaurant’s well-trained staff, every set of ingredients is delicately added into the stock, letting guests enjoy the food in increasingly delicious phases.

Apart from the Chicken Collagen Hot Pot, the restaurant also serves other delectable dishes such as the fresh Romaine lettuce Caesar salad with shio-konbu; Nikumaki onigiri or rice balls wrapped in bacon with special soy sauce; the Chicken Nanban, which comes with a rich tartar sauce made with Miyazaki pasteurized eggs; and the Maximum fried egg plant, a crispy bite-sized eggplant that is my ultimate favorite in this restaurant.

Fried sweet potatoes with honey vanilla ice cream is also a great dessert.

(For more information, visit bijinnabe.ph.)

(Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.)