Movement 8: Living in art

ARTISAN group Movement 8, famed for their injection of art into lifestyle, marked their eighth anniversary last week, a resounding testament to their perspective that "living in art" is not just a fad.

If there's a batch of Filipino designers and artists that has cracked the global market, it's Movement 8.

In the '80s, few would have guessed it would be in home and furniture design where the Filipino would find a niche in the world market. At that time, everybody was banking on fashion design to land the Philippines on the world stage.

But as it turned out, in 1999, then Citem head Eli Pinto marshaled the trade exposition body's resources to project and market the collective talents of Budji Layug, Kenneth Cobonpue, Tes Pasola, Tony Gonzales, Ann Pamintuan, Milo Naval and Carlo Cordaro.

But as Carlo didn't stay in Movement 8, concentrating instead on his Cebu-based furniture business, Pinto, a graduate of Parsons School of Design, became the eighth member.

Pinto had that rare eye and talent for design, and more important, the leadership to nurture moody and temperamental designers and artists and point them to a productive direction.

Pinto and Layug yielded an impressive creative collaboration and before long, Movement 8 was making an impact at major world trade fairs, enjoying a burgeoning following in major design cities, from Frankfurt to Milan.

Today Movement 8 includes Renato Vidal, Maricris Floirendo Brias, and Rene Alcala (of Domecillo fame).

Eli passed away almost three years ago. "I miss her every day," Budji said.

Budji has never stayed put. His life has been one exciting, creative movement. In the '70s, he was known as Budjiwara, the hairdresser of Manila's elite.

The public hardly know that Budji didn't set out on a hairstyling career. During a wild sojourn in Europe, a very young Budji, with buddies Louie Cruz, Ron Gomez, and Petusa, thought of enrolling in Vidal Sassoon's famous school because, as Louie says, their bunch of spoiled kids wanted to overstay in London, and their parents wouldn't let them. So a sure way to stay on was to study hairdressing.

Of course, only Budji and Petusa acquired skills from that grand excuse. They topped the class. Petusa would later do covers for British Vogue under the exotic name Pedro.

As early as then, Budji proved to be a natural artist. Whatever he laid his hands on, he produced a work of art. In the '70s, it was a pair of scissors, and Budjiwara became the hottest salon.

Having outgrown his hairdressing phase, he went back to the family furniture business, and again, set the design trend in the country. His innovative bamboo furniture won a market at Bloomingdale's.

Budji has come so far. His designs-from furniture to homes to buildings-are here and abroad, from Kuala Lumpur to Provence in France.

His B at Home in Bangkok is a well-known design showcase.

Collectively and individually, Movement 8 evolves its art on the world stage. Cobonpue is the hottest furniture designer, with a following even in Hollywood (Brad Pitt has a Cobonpue).

He told us he had just come from yet another show abroad. His latest, Noodles Collection, photographed for the first time in Marissa Fernan's Cebu Pride of Place coffeetable book to be launched soon, is an interesting line inspired by doodlings.

For this anniversary event that went without hype, Movement 8 created artworks, again to raise the bar.

They turned the elegant B at Home into a vast design statement.

For the first time, Budji displayed his paintings-abstract acrylics. Not known to many, Budji's paintings when he agrees to part with them, which is actually between never and rarely have caught the interest of yuppie art collectors in Asia, who see a few of them in the Bangkok showroom.

But it takes some convincing for Budji to part with them or to even exhibit them. The Movement 8 anniversary was an exception.

Kenneth created a wall installation that, for him, defined space in relation to figures.

Tes Pasola, whose paper wall art is sought after by collectors, displayed a bright mural in the receiving area. Her Christmas paper installations are worth the trip to Grand Hyatt on M H del Pilar in Manila.

Hyatt has tapped Tes to do the Christmas decor this year. It was Ann Pamintuan's turn last year.

At the anniversary, Ann displayed her metal sculptures and lotus metal bed. Tony Gonzales showed his paper wall art and the big hit in the Gifts and Graces auction this year-his mother-of-pearl vases.

Luisa Robinson displayed her table centerpieces made of shell and mesh wire. Rene exhibited his signature mother-of-pearl mirror.

Maricris showed her lanterns. Milo didn't have the time to contribute pieces but his winning furniture were all over the venue.

The Inquirer/ANN