The human body is another canvas for the contemporary visual artists and designers. Using materials and designs inspired by the indigenous, the industrial, and the recycled, visual artists explore the seamless unity of functionality and embellishment, of storytelling and shock appeal, of revival and retrieval, and of design and aesthetics.
The top choice of medium with which artists explore and play with is jewelry. This affirms that Art as Design, Design as Art is a direction that should be celebrated, rather than ignored.
The Yuchengco Museum spearheads this celebration with ArtWearAble—an exhibition series that highlights fine expressive art and modernist jewelry by painters, sculptors, and designers who have further transformed body ornamentation—through jewelry—to the level of fine art and original design.
The Yuchengco Museum’s inaugural exhibit of ArtWearAble is a survey of jewelry designs by National Artist for Visual Arts Arturo Luz, Swiss-born jeweller Hans Brumann, nationalist sculptor Eduardo Castrillo, installation artist Leeroy New, architect and sculptor Ramon Orlina, furniture designer Ann Pamintuan, glass artist Impy Pilapil, and installation artist and jewelry designer Michelline Syjuco.
