Jewelry designer Wynn Wynn Ong celebrates 15 years in fashion and design in a retrospective exhibition titled Wynn Wynn Ong: Redefining Boundaries. The retrospective showcases the creative journey of a jewelry designer who is Burmese by birth, but Filipino at heart — from designing handcrafted heirloom jewelry to creating unique collections of art, furniture, couture, and objets d’art. Also on view are 18 portraits of Ms. Ong’s muses in their fantasy alter egos captured by model-photographer Jo Ann Bitagcol.
“When you say jewelry, it’s something that you adorn yourself with. I don’t think it’s limited to the body — I think jewelry can extend to every facet of life,” said Ms. Ong, whose career as a jeweler began in 2001, when she designed pieces for herself that she could not find elsewhere. A lack of formal training was not an obstacle to her success as an internationally lauded artist whose works are now sought after by collectors. Meticulous attention to detail and age-old techniques, such as casting using the lost wax method, ensure the individuality of her jewelry. In fact, Ms. Ong never repeats designs and limits the number of pieces she produces each year.
Her work reflects her family’s roots in Burma, a childhood in Vienna, summer trips around the globe, and her life now in Manila. She incorporates her interest in environmental sustainability through using local woods and recycled materials. She transforms monkeys, geckos, carabaos, birds, and other Philippine flora and fauna created from precious stones and metals into pendants, necklaces, the handles of cabinets, and minaudieres.
Wynn Wynn Ong: Redefining Boundaries is on view till June 15 at the Yuchengco Museum, RCBC Plaza, corner Ayala and Gil J. Puyat Avenues, Makati City. Museum hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (632) 889-1234 or visit yuchengcomuseum.org.
