WYNN WYNN ONG'S ARTISTIC IEGACY, DISTIILED

Wynn Wyn Ong is back. After a six-year absence from the scene, she is mounting “Distilled,” opening Nov. 5 at the Yuchengco Museum, to honor her design career and her atelier, Artisanal Works, featuring quintessential pieces including some never seen before, from private commissions and the designer’s own collection.

- RICKY TOLEDO & CHITO VIJANDRE

This is a chance to see, up close, the pieces of this influential designer known for her mastery of craftsmanship and innovative use of materials while merging cultural and historical aesthetics and storytelling in an impressive oeuvre that spans jewelry to bejeweled lights and furniture. The creations she would show us through the years always brought surprise and delight, and her annual show was the most anticipated by collectors as well as plagiarists, although by the time the latter had figured out how to do a diminished facsimile, Wynn would have moved on to the next thing percolating in her mind, not to mention that there was a long waiting line for bespoke pieces and exhibitions abroad that kept her atelier busy. She was so in demand that when she announced her retirement in 2018, many were shocked by her sudden departure. We caught up with the designer recently to talk about her coming show, why she left, and what she is up to.

THE PHILIPPINE STAR: Why did you decide to mount an exhibit?

WYNN WYNN ONG: I usually don’t revisit a chapter that I’ve closed but Jeannie Javelosa, the powerhouse director of the Yuchengco Museum, mentioned that the museum was going to celebrate its 25th anniversary and asked if I could mount an exhibit. The Yuchengco team was wonderful to work with on my first exhibit, and I wanted to celebrate their milestone.

What guided you in the selection of pieces and how they will be presented?

We selected pieces that best captured a certain technique or stage in evolution, from collectors who were kind enough to part with them for at least six to seven months. We actually have some pieces that are returning home from other shores.

What are the highlights?