More than 3D

In his luminous 76-year career as a contemporary visual artist, Ramon Orlina has explored and redefined glass sculpture as a medium for articulating space, depth, texture, and light. In this exclusive interview with MEGA, the Father of Philippine Glass Sculpture reveals facets about himself that make the legend  

- BIANCA SALONGA

The Museo Orlina in Tagaytay is an outstanding art destination south of the Philippine capital. Opened in 2014, it was Ramon Orlina’s dream project, which he built to house beloved works and collections by other artists whose work he admires. He is an architect, trained at the University of Sto Tomas. In his professional practice,

Orlina immersed himself in the process of building and constructing structures. “I wasn’t just designing, I did administration work,” he begins. “When I was practicing as an architect, I would really be involved in the construction. It was good training for me. It taught me to build things from scratch.”

A YOUNG RAMON, OLD QUIAPO

From the time he was a child, Orlina was always drawn to new forms and shapes around him. As a young nine-year-old boy, he often accompanied his mother to Quiapo. “She would go there for prayer hour,” he explains. “While she was in Church, I would go around and marvel at the new buildings around the area. There was no such thing as skyscrapers back then like the ones you now see in Makati.”

Around Quiapo, works by National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva and National Artist for Architecture Angel Nakpil impressed upon his young mind. “These were things from my childhood that inspired me. It made me want to be an artist, a painter, sculptor, and architect. But which one?” shares Orlina. “During these times, the local art scene did have the support it now enjoys. And so the architecture route was the most logical and practical.”

BUILDER OF GLASS DREAMS