Landings and Takeoff

Italian painter, stage designer and ceramist Nino Quartana welcomed guests at the San Agustin Museum as he opened his latest exhibit Landings and Takeoff. This exhibit, part of the Embassy of Italy’s celebrations of the 65^th anniversary of the Philippine-Italian diplomatic relations, consists of Quartana’s works depicting stylized urban/rural Philippine landscapes as if viewed from an aircraft window.

Having lived in the Philippines for five years now, he has developed a kinship with the country as he included the Mayon Volcano in some of the works at the exhibit. One earlier work also included at the exhibit is Bahala Na Si Batman that embodies the Filipinos’ carefree and relaxed attitude even in times of distress.

Emanuela Adesini, Nino Quartana and Madame Silvana Novelli-Fornari

One of the new works that caught my eye in this exhibit was Bon Voyage Jean Giraud – Homage to Jean Giraud (Moebius). It also showed a stylized Philippine landscape complete with the Mayon Volcano in the background but with a touch of Moebius that fit very well with the exhibit’s title Landings and Takeoff. Another interesting work is Mayon 2110 in which the fields surrounding the volcano has given way to urbanization.

An Eventful Landing in the Kontea of Kokonino
- Homage to George Herriman

See the 19 lanscape paintings in the exhibition over at the San Agustin Museum located inside Intramuros. The exhibit Landings and Takeoff runs up to July 14, 2012. Part of the proceeds will be donated to the museum to fund the restoration of wooden sculptures and frescoes.