Cover Wynn Wynn Ong shares the inspiration behind ‘Distillation’, a retrospective exhibition at the Yuchengco Museum
Wynn Wynn Ong shares the inspiration behind ‘Distillation’, a retrospective exhibition at the Yuchengco Museum
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After a six-year hiatus, the celebrated designer Wynn Wynn Ong returns with ‘Distillation’, a landmark retrospective showcasing her singular, genre-defying artistic vision at the Yuchengco Museum
In the Philippine art and design scene, Wynn Wynn Ong represents an exceptional level of craftsmanship. For 18 years, she had produced 16 distinct collections, before retiring in 2019 with her last exhibit titled Sa Dagat At Bundok held at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.
Yet, true artistry rarely stays quiet. After a six-year break, Ong returns with Distillation, a retrospective exhibition, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Yuchengco Museum. This exhibit seeks to celebrate her artistic legacy, while introducing her work to new audiences and providing an immersive platform for reflection, appreciation and dialogue around jewellery as both adornment and art.
Initially, Wynn Wynn Ong resisted the idea of another exhibit. “I actually had no plans to make a return to the scene nor to revisit my work. My tribute to the Philippines, Sa Dagat At Bundok, which was a fundraiser for Bantay Kalikasan held from November 2018 to April 2019, was intended as my final one,” the creative genius tells Tatler. However, while she was enjoying the calm and quiet in the countryside, a visit from her long-time friend Jeannie Javelosa, the curator and director of the Yuchengco Museum, rekindled the idea of putting together a retrospective. “Jeannie mentioned that they were celebrating their 25th anniversary in November 2025 and broached the idea of my mounting another exhibit in celebration. I reminded her that I was now retired. Being the indomitable person that she is, she asked me to think about it.”
Read also: Wynn Wynn Ong: the accidental artist
Above The Guardian bejewelled walking stick by Wynn Wynn Ong
Above The Chase bespoke chest by Wynn Wynn Ong
The Guardian bejewelled walking stick by Wynn Wynn Ong
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Javelosa’s persistence and the promise of full creative support proved persuasive. Two months later, Javelosa called Ong to remind her of the proposal, to which the artist agreed. “In the end, it was not difficult for me to say yes. I have had amazing experiences working with them. My team had also developed a wonderful working relationship with members of the Yuchengco Museum team, and I was extended full support for the major concerns that I had. It was, in a way, a homecoming for me and my work,” Ong says. The result is not simply a display of past works, but a carefully curated story of an artist’s journey.
Curation, as Wynn Wynn Ong notes, is one of the most difficult tasks for an artist, especially in her case, since every piece she created was one-of-a-kind and mostly shown in private collections globally. “If one puts one’s soul into each piece of creation, and it becomes a child of one’s making, it would be theoretically impossible to single out one from many others. Particularly so in my case, as I did not repeat a single design,” Ong explains. Over 18 years, Ong created 16 collections, and each piece had a name and a corresponding written story. “I remember every single one.”
The selection for this exhibit, therefore, had to be based on logistics, as most of her pieces were already in private possession across several continents. She focused on her works that are still in the Philippines, or what could be brought back in a feasible way. “We narrowed it down to the best pieces based on the selected stories, or on those that were in perfect condition or easy to restore to their original state,” she shares. The story she wishes to tell is one of visual progression, tracing the evolution of her ideas and the standard she set for craftsmanship. “As distillation is a process of extracting and condensing, the title [of the exhibit] was a natural fit.”
Read also: Hands On Manila: 25 years of ‘bayanihan’ and beyond
Above Burda Barong by Wynn Wynn Ong
Burda Barong by Wynn Wynn Ong
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A central theme of Ong’s retrospective is the dialogue around jewellery both as adornment and art. The artist emphasised that a piece of jewellery must be wearable, and while form and function co-exist, one cannot supersede or eradicate the other. “My jewellery is art in the sense that each piece is singular. Many collectors have referred to them as objet d’art,” she says, sharing that many of her creations, whether in the form of cuffs, neck pieces or brooches, are often displayed on a plinth or base. When the owner wants to use it, it comes off its display for the duration of the event and returns to its position the following day. “Several of my bags or minaudières are on coffee tables.”
Above Minaudiere called The Thin Line Between Symbiosis and Companionship
Minaudiere called The Thin Line Between Symbiosis and Companionship
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Besides jewellery, other objets d’arts are a part of the exhibit, including a two-piece lighting fixture that Ong considers one of her most technically challenging pieces. To create this, it took her and her team 16.15 and a half months just to produce the parallel lights alone. The process took 14 separate stages of design, which included making a life-sized mockup, a three-month-long process of sculpting the tapering segmented bamboo poles in jeweller’s wax, cutting them to fit the ceramic flasks, making wax sprues, casting in extreme high heat and cleaning out the investment powder. The decorative elements like tiny houses, human figures, trees and animals were sculpted separately over another four and a half months, with another three weeks to cast individually, clean and then assemble.
“Each bamboo pole tells the story of traditional life in the barrios. Each has its own tale which visually wove in some aspect of Philippine mythology,” she says. “One bamboo was the abode of Malakas. On it are small figures of men cutting down bamboo, an old woman walking on the country path, small nipa houses and a kapre [a tree-dwelling creature from Philippine mythology, described as a tall, hairy AP smoking and sitting on a tree]. Another part shows a pregnant woman while a manananggal hovers somewhere above. On the other pole, where Maganda dwells, one sees a bucolic scene. A bayanihan is taking place, and there are native dogs, goats, as well as a boy flying a saranggola [kite]. There is even a lechon on a spit,” she describes.
If one puts one’s soul into each piece of creation, and it becomes a child of one’s making, it would be theoretically impossible to single out one from many others. Particularly so in my case as I did not repeat a single design
Distillation not only puts Ong in the spotlight, but also her team at her atelier, Artisanal Works. “Fellow designers or creatives have asked me what the secret was in being able to create pieces that were akin to art. I believe it is the result of patience, sharing knowledge and finding the right ‘students’ to impart the knowledge to,” Ong says. For them to produce unique pieces through the years, consistency is key, so as well as setting clear expectations, establishing daily routines and building channels for praise or delivery of constructive criticism.
“There was a strong sense of pride in our work. Each member of our small team behaved with mutual respect and mentorship was practised at all levels, top down,” she elaborates. Ong strongly believes that skills can be taught, as with her team, who all did not have a jewellery-making background but were selected for their willingness to learn, and their tenacity in practising what became their craft. “We started with minimal knowledge and skills and over the course of nearly 19 years, we felt we had mastered and upheld ancient, traditional techniques and put a spin on new modern ones.”
Above Details of Resolute bar cabinet handle by Wynn Wynn Ong
Details of Resolute bar cabinet handle by Wynn Wynn Ong
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For new audiences who get to see Ong’s works for the first time at Distillation, she hopes to convey one message: that beautiful things that withstand the test of time take time to create. “I hope the exhibit will give a glimpse of what patience, persistence and passion can achieve.”
Distillation promises to be a memorable experience. For Ong, the goal was never fame or fortune, but to create something that would echo her legacy. “The most important legacy for me was to have been able to create so many wonderful and unique things that we hope will endure, and in a way that gave me, and my team, real joy,” the artist remarks.
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Whether on assignment or not, Maritess is always on the lookout for off-the-beaten-path destinations as well as the yummiest finds in the Philippines and abroad. In 2020, she plunged into the black hole of Korean la la land. Follow her escapades at @matetreyes.
