Ayala Land unveils Shinji Ohmaki, Olivia d’Aboville and Neal Oshima installations

Iron, LED lights and stainless steel sheets makeup up Japanese artist Shinji Ohmaki’s installation, “Gravity and Grace.” The artwork, which will be at the fountain area of Tower One and Exchange Plaza until March 13, has been exhibited twice in Japan and once in Korea. Now on its fourth viewing, Ohmaki’s piece is part of the 2019 Art Fair, in partnership with Ayala Land and the City of Makati.

Ohmaki is an associate professor at the Sculpture Department of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He is known for his ambitious solo exhibitions and transforming spaces into extraordinary worlds to wake the visitor’s senses. He created “Gravity and Grace” by manipulating iron and and stainless steel sheets to make the cutouts look lightweight, like paper. He chose the shape of a vase, “the most primitive human invention,” according to him, to hold moving LED lights.

Japanese artist Shinji Ohmaki exhibits for the first time in the Philippines as part of the 2019 Art Fair, and in partnership with Ayala Land.

“It is about the redefiniton of being and reconnection with consciousness. It is a journey to liberate perception that awakens viewers to feel and think again. ‘Gravity and Grace’ further explains the relationship between human beings and nature. When the light is on, it travels through the cuts, forming poetic silhouettes, as if screening human history in a nutshell.”

Ayala Land has also partnered with Olivia d’Aboville and Neal Oshima, who collaborated to create “Plastics in our Oceans,” which tackles the abuse of plastic. One version of the piece can be found at the Greenbelt pond behind Ayala Museum, and another is at the newly constructed bridgeway connecting The Landmark to The Link Carpark.

Neal Oshima and Olivia d’Aboville’s collaboration, “Plastics in our Oceans,” is at the Greenbelt Pond behind Ayala Museum and the new bridgeway connecting The Landmark to The Link Carpark.

The Peninsula’s waterfalls along Ayala Avenue will be the stage for “The Birth of Venus,” an animated light projection of the famed classic painting, created by Manila-based production designer GA Fallarme together with Dutch light projectionist Helk-Gert Lenten and 3D motion designer Gedrick Roldan.

“Art makes a place more interesting and adds soul to a space,” says Cathy Bengzon, marketing head of Ayala Land Estates and Corporate Brand. “Developing our estates as a center for art and adding art to its public spaces is instrinsic to the way we have been developing our communities. We want to make sure that we bring art closer to everyone.”

Ayala Land head of marketing for corporate brand and strategic landbank management Cathy Bengzon, senior vice-president of Ayala Land Me-Ann Dy, Art Fair’s Lisa Periquet, Trickie Lopa, and director of Mind Set Art Center Queena Chu, with Japanese artist Shinji Ohmaki and chairman of Ayala Land, Fernando Zobel de Ayala.

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“Gravity and Grace” by Shinji Ohmaki will be at the fountain area of Tower One and Exchange Plaza, Ayala Avenue, Makati until March 13. For information, visit www.makeitmakati.com or follow @MakeItMakati on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.