PH creatives join biennial design fair in Paris
Through the Design Center of the Philippines, the country will participate in “Révélations,” the International Biennial of Crafts and Creation from May 21 to May 25 at the Grand Palais in Paris, France.
“Révélations” is organized by Ateliers d’Art de France, which celebrates both French and international craftsmanship.
Under the creative and curatorial direction of Milo Naval, the Philippine delegation will showcase the country’s exceptional know-how in weaving fibers, shellcraft and metalwork. The Philippine showcase will be part of the Le Banquet section that highlights fine craft workshops from around the world, presenting new signatures and fresh looks with 100 bold pieces from 10 countries and regions.
The country’s participation in “Révélations” is the first of several international initiatives under the Year of the Philippine Design 2025, the Design Center’s flagship program for next year.
Neil Felipp, a brand known for bejeweled evening bags made with shellcraft, and metal craft, is one of the participants
For “Révélations,” Felipp made a three-piece sculpture called Constellation 1.0. The sculpture integrates 3D technology with shellcraft. The process began through creating forms in clay. Each piece was molded by hand. Once the forms were achieved, they were 3D-scanned and further refined before being 3D printed with an increased scale of 200 percent.
“Traditionally, to create these large-scale forms, it would take about three months, but with 3D technology, we were able to expedite that to two weeks, thus creating an efficient solution to a traditional craft,” Felipp said.
After being fully 3D printed, it is then sealed with a layer of fiberglass to further strengthen the structural integrity of the sculpture. “From there, we created a celestial pattern to coincide with the constellation concept. Three types of shells were used: yellow mother-of-pearl, white mother-of-pearl, and white cabebe to give depth to the pattern. As a finishing detail, brass sheets were meticulously and strategically placed to further emphasize the shell patterns.”
