Unearthing Lorenzana’s voice & vision

Luis Lorenzana is a self-taught artist whose early works reflect distinct political awareness.

Recently, Luis mounted an exhibit titled Luis Lorenzana Archival Collection at Leon Gallery in Makati City that consisted of his early works that he unearthed from his studio. A book on this archival collection was also launched during the opening of the exhibit.

Luis discovered the entire collection of his early works hidden in his studio, still intact. Previously in his career, these works were considered to have no commercial market. I was lucky enough to see these amazing paintings and sketches with him in his studio.

The pieces were shown to Ken Hakuta, an international art collector with a strong interest in promoting art from the Philippines to an international audience. The collector has a reputation for acquiring, archiving and exhibiting historically important bodies of work in collaboration with the world’s leading museums.  The paintings reminded Hakuta of works by Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara and neo-expressionist American painter Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Hakuta then made the decision to acquire the entire body of work, referring to it as the Luis Lorenzana Archival Collection. This acquisition is important because rather than having the works dismantled and dispersed among various collectors, making it almost impossible to organize for a coherent exhibition, they remain together and therefore may be researched, viewed and interpreted as a comprehensive whole.

People seeing these incredible artworks for the first time become a channel for Luis to communicate to spectators on how he started and what direction he is heading to as an artist. It demonstrates his visions and voices then that were neither seen nor heard.

The book, also called Luis Lorenzana Archival Collection, includes critical essays by Michelle Yun, senior curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Asia Society Museum in New York; and Ryu Niimi, director of the Oita Prefectural Art Museum and one of Japan’s leading curators of international contemporary art. Fukuoka Prize winner Ambeth Ocampo adds historical context to the collection’s anchor works that feature Filipino heroes; with a biographical essay by Lisa Guerrero-Nakpil. The book is published by International Arts & Artists, a leading non-profit art touring organization in Washington, DC. Its founder and president David Furchgott was in Manila for the occasion as well as Michelle Yun.

The execution of the exhibition was carefully and artistically planned. It has always been the practice of Luis to use ornate frames that will complement his artwork. The presentation was a visual feast as he modified and painted on the frames as well.

Luis, a wonderful painter,  has always been a great friend. By seeing the collection, I was able to appreciate and understand his works. Luis truly is one of the more talented contemporary artists in the country. And not only that, he is one of the nicest people to have around.

Congratulations, Luis!

(The Luis Lorenzana Archival Collection book will be exclusively sold at Leon Gallery and Artbooks.ph.)

Effortless style

New York shoe brand Yosi Samra launched its upgraded collection for 2017 in its SM Aura store.

The 2.0 collection promises to raise the bar for the brand’s established key attributes — easy, brought by its effortless style; luxurious, because of its quality craftsmanship; and modern, driven by its runway-inspired detail.

With its newly improved sole design, this new collection has become ultra-flexible without compromising its oval toe-shape design that guarantees a more flattering and structured look. The insole is now padded with extra memory foam, providing more comfort than ever.

Launched in 2009, Yosi Samra is the eponymous brand that pioneered the fold-up ballet flats at movement in New York City. Since then, Yosi Samra has been featured in fashion bibles like Vogue, InStyle and Glamour. Sarah Jessica Parker, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron and Reese Witherspoon have also been spotted wearing the brand’s fold-up ballet flats.

Yosi Samra is exclusively distributed in the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia by Green Tee Inc.

(Visit Facebook www.facebook.com/YosiSamraPhilippines and @yosisamra.ph on Instagram.)

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