23 February 2015 – Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel M. Lopez opened the “Philippine Design Exhibition” of furniture and home décor on February 17 at the Tokyo Midtown Design Hub which he described as a venue to showcase Filipino excellence, ingenuity and unique creativity on the world stage.
In his remarks before some 100 quests from Japanese corporations and importers, Ambassador Lopez said “this path of creativity and tradition of excellence continues to be proudly carried by all the designers featured in this exhibit today – how their works reflect life, nature, the human spirit and this generation’s responsibility to preserve the environment.”
The design exhibit is open to the public until March 01 with the items on display exemplifying the craftsmanship of the Filipino designer to capture the beauty of nature and use locally sourced and environmentally sound materials. “Philippine designers pool their God-given talents to foster greater awareness and appreciation of the value of design – especially how ideas add value to products and the quality of human life and how innovation promotes linkages between world-wide communities. Designers exemplify the philosophy that dreams should be bigger, allowed to travel further and create new things that manage to keep this world a constant place of wonder,” Ambassador Lopez said.
Mr. Motomi Kawakami, Chairman of the Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP), congratulated the Philippine Embassy and its Trade and Investment Office in Tokyo for organizing the “Philippine Design Exhibition” that brought to Japan the furniture and décor of Filipino designers. The exhibit was supported by the ASEAN Japan Centre, represented in the opening ceremony by Secretary-General Yoshikuni Ohnishi.
Following the remarks, Ambassador Lopez led in the ribbon-cutting ceremony joined in by Mr. Kawakami, Secretary-General Ohnishi, JDP President Kazunori Iizuka, Design Center of the Philippines Executive Director Myrna Sunico, JDP Executive Director Shiro Aoki and Philippine designer Anne Pamintuan.
The design exhibition featured the furniture and décor by renowned Filipino designers Al Caronan, Ann Pamintuan, Antonio “Budji” Layug, Carlo Cordaro, Kenneth Cobonpue, Luisa Robinson, Maria Cristina “Maricris” Floirendo-Brias, Miguel Carlos Aguas, Milo Naval, Renato Vidal, Rene Alcala, Tes Pasola, Tony Gonzales and Vito Selma. Ms. Pamintuan was the first Asian woman designer to be featured in the International Design Yearbook. Mr. Cobonpue, who has been honored by the JDP with five Good Design Awards, earned the title of Rattan’s First Virtuoso from Time Magazine. The exhibition was organized by the Philippine Embassy’s Office of Trade and Investment headed by Commercial Counsellor Maria Bernardita Angara-Mathay. It was attended by 14 exporters representing various regions of the Philippines that promote Philippine artistry and craftsmanship.
The “Philippine Design Exhibition” shows the products designed by “Movement 8,″ which is an alliance of designers who have the passion to share their talent and creativity to forward Philippine design to the world. The exhibition is open to the public from February 18 to March 01 at the Tokyo Midtown Design Hub and held with the participation of the Japan Institute of Design Promotion, Japan Graphic Designers Association Inc., and Musashino Art University. END