Up and Coming Tagaytay Artists

For many years, Tagaytay has always been a popular destination to many tourists. It was always a place to stay at, not to stay in. However, permanent life in Tagaytay would be the ultimate dream as it features a picturesque view and a cooler climate. 

With its magnificent Taal Lake and unending nature activities to do, Tagaytay offers a respite from the city life even while it’s near the city. More importantly, it is home not just to many beautiful sceneries but also home to many talented artists! Sculptors, painters, and contemporary artists- you name it!

Indeed, art is the language of the wise and creative. In search of the people who speak this language fluently, it’s time to look for a property for sale in the legendary “Tags”!  

From locally homegrown talents to Tagaytay-based visual artists, here are up and coming Tagaytay artists whose works you have to be on the lookout for: 

Roman Orlina

Arguably the most famous artist on this list, Roman Orlina is a contemporary glass art sculptor who graduated from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) with a degree in architecture. He currently owns a Museo Orlina in Tagaytay, which features some of his greatest works! His primary material in all of his works is the use of glass, which he claims is “an endlessly intriguing material.” 

His first breakthrough, “Wings of Victory,” was the artwork that gave him fame as an international artist. It was displayed at the eight-story atrium in Wisma Atria, a shopping center at Orchard Street in Singapore, in 1986. The “Wings Of Victory” is an all-metal sculpture consisting of 67 birds, each measuring 1 meter in length.

Ramon Orlina’s first international installation was a hanging sculpture of 67 birds entitled “Wings of Victory” | Photo by Peter Schoppert from Public Art SG

However, even before 1986, Orlina has commissioned major public works in the Philippines, such as his 1983 four-part project for the Sto. Niño de Paz Community Chapel in Makati City. The project included an 8-meter sculptural design called “Dove of Peace,” a 10-meter high “Mudras Cross,” a chapel centerpiece “Altar Tabernacle,” and a flexiglass portrait of “God the Father.” 

Moreover, in 2011, Orlina made a 10-meter high bronze & carved glass sculpture on a granite base for his alma mater, the University of Santo Tomas (UST), entitled “QuattroMondial Monument.” The design features four people holding up a globe, with the four people representing the 400 years that UST has upheld “erudition” and “excellence.” In fact, one of the models for the male statue’s body is Piolo Pascual, a theater alumnus of UST.

To celebrate UST’s 400 year-anniversary, Orlina was commissioned to create a sculpture for his alma mater | Photo by Marvin Alejandro from Causing Great Wonder

Orlina, with his innovative use of glass as a material for sculpting, painting, and designing, helped bring forth a new medium and a new spirit to art in the Philippines. The origin of using glass as his medium began during the Martial Law era, wherein he lost some of his major architectural clients. Because of this, he found respite in exploring his creative side and trying out a more modern perspective on painting and sculpting. 

Some of his glass artworks are currently put up at auction on the Art-Net Website, but most of them are already sold to art buyers and collectors. If you’re looking to add unique glass designs and etchings to your household collection of grand and valuable items, Orlina’s pieces are definitely something to invest in!

 For further viewings of this glass-sculpting pioneer’s works, you can visit his Museo Orlina located at Hollywood St., Hollywood Subd. Tolentino East 4120 Tagaytay City, Philippines. They are currently accepting museum tour bookings, with a maximum of 15 people per group. 

Christian Culangan 

This young artist has incomparable talent that brings out a new level of audio and visual art creativity. Hailing from the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) in Manila as a Fine Arts Graduate with a Major in Advertising, Christian Culangan communicates emotive portraits of ourselves through figurative and expressionist paintings. A man of many talents, Christian utilizes a lot of mediums to express himself through art.

He is skilled in graphic designing, video editing, sound designing, drawing, and painting. He imbues a lot of his designs with found objects such as zippers and fabric, creating a detailed texture that helps his art speak more volumes.

Christian Culangan’s “Bigay Todo”, showcasing his use of zippers to act as a revealer of humanity’s inner skin, representing their innermost selves | Photo by Galerie Roberto

His career as an artist started from humble beginnings, back when he was awarded the Graphic Artist of the Year award by his high school, Salvador Araneta Memorial Institute. From then on, he has since joined multiple art competitions during college, such as the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence Competition (MADE), from which he was a semi-finalist in 2016. In 2017, his art won 2nd place at the Shell National Student Art Competition (NSAC). 

One of his most striking artwork series is a project on Caloocan City, which he dedicates to the concept of “conceal and reveal.” It includes impasto paintings of glum and dreary figures in dull-themed backgrounds who appear to be bleeding out bright pastel colors. According to Culangan, the portraits advocate against the suppression of our natural emotions. To Culangan, the zippers represent the reality of our society, in which we are called to conform and bury our innermost feelings and trauma. 

His most recent work, Lack: Down, features his take on the current pandemic situation that the country faces. It is a 48×36 inch oil painting of a bald man wearing a face mask, with a zipper incorporated into the upper half of the man’s face mask. It is available for viewing at the gallery of Tagaytay Contemporary, which hosted an online exhibit last 2020 instead to make way for the health and travel restrictions imposed by the government.   

His artworks are also available for viewing at Artcube Gallery PH, Village Art Gallery, Art Verite Gallery, Kaida Contemporary, Boston Art Gallery PH and Art Break, and Christian Culangan’s Instagram page.

Khrisna Rosette E. Nañola 

Khrisna, a young, talented, and empowered woman speaks the language of art fluently in a variety of styles. From gouache and acrylic painting in realism, expressionism, cubism, abstract, and impressionism, there is almost nothing that this prodigy can’t create!

Entitled, “Love is the Secret Code”, Khrisna portrays a mother as a machine, due to recent scientific development that aims to create AI to take care of children | Photo by Khrisna Rosette on Facebook

Coming from an “artist family,” her roots as an artist started with influences from her siblings and family members, who also dabble in the field of art. She is a member of the University of the Philippines’ Painter Club (UPPC), a University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) alumna who graduated with a degree in BS Development Communication. 

Her artworks have been featured in many shows all over the country, such as exhibits in the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), UPPC’s annual Labing-Isang Daliri, and Manila FAME International. She has also been part of the South Arts Festival and a Philippine-Malaysia Joint Art exhibit entitled “Of Art and Wine,” to name a few. 

Khrisna’s own beautiful rendition of Van Gogh’s Starry Night is a trademark of her talent as an artist | Photo by Khrisna Rosette on Pinterest

Her works feature a lot of traditional, abstract, and mosaic-like figures that convey meaningful statements. One of her works, entitled “Hesukristo,” is an acrylic painting on canvas that portrays the body of Jesus Christ held by the Virgin Mary, whose figure is painted like a stained glass window. According to Khrisna herself, the artwork symbolizes “compassion, hope, and new life.” The painting was sold and auctioned off together with other pieces she displays online or in show exhibits. 

She also has an environmental piece, “Beauty at its Purest,” that showcases the various 12 Philippine endemic species making up the clothing of a beautiful woman, presumably the “Inang Bayan, Perlas ng Silanganan.” It was submitted as part of the artworks auctioneered off for a nature conservation exhibit by the Philippine Faura Art Society, sold at Php 25,000.000.   

For inquiries or commissions for Khrisna’s art, she can be contacted directly through her Facebook profile, Krishna Rosette Nañola, and email at [email protected]. 

Indeed, it is fascinating to know that there is a multitude of artists whose works are displayed in areas of Tagaytay! Excluding the honor of being presented in galleries, another one of the most suitable destinations for a magnificent piece of art is a home that is equal in its grandeur. Like an art and design organization, Brittany Corporation also boasts the work of its own architect artists, who design pieces of living art that begs to be lived in. 

Imagine living in a place that looks like something that came out of a museum painting! That imagined daydream will soon be a reality with the luxury real estate properties for sale in Tagaytay! Designed after the aesthetic view of the Swiss Alps, Brittany Corporation’s Crosswinds Tagaytay will make your home life more meaningful in its tranquil and pleasant landscape. 

Homes are our own artworks that we get to choose and design. Make sure to select the perfect canvas to do it in with a Brittany Property. A luxury condominium for sale is waiting for your artistic touch, so take up the brush and paint it now! 

Patrick M. Agluba

Patrick is a 24-year old sculptor artist based in Tagaytay whose art dwells on the themes of imagined characters and the concepts of human nature! He also commissions work for people who would want sculptures that provide traditional touches to modern living. He is a member of the ARAL Artist Community, a group of Philippine artists advocating to elevate arts in the country through shared learning and experiences! 

He graduated from the Bataan Peninsula State University and is currently an AG Arts and Craft member in Tagaytay. In his job, he creates caricatures, statues, and art statement pieces. One of his recent works, involving a man drowning in a tin can full of water, tackles the social issues faced by Filipinos during this pandemic. 

According to Patrick, the tin can symbolizes poverty. Tin cans are commonly seen and associated with poverty-stricken areas because the more affordable food selections such as sardines are packed in tin cans. Furthermore, Badjao singers and street beggars typically pass around tin cans to get alms. He uses a tin can to signify how Filipinos feel like they are helplessly drowning in the multitude of issues that they face daily.

A recent sculpture by Patrick is an art statement piece on the poverty struggles of Filipinos during the COVID-19 pandemic | Photo by Patrick Agluba from Facebook

Most of these issues are related to poverty exacerbated by the pandemic. Since the lockdown, lots of livelihoods, businesses, and jobs were lost. People were forced to stay indoors. This resulted in difficulty in scourging for funds and a piling amount of unpaid bills and debt. Patrick Agluba manifests these issues in his art sculpture, displaying his prowess for sculptures that provide important messages. 

Aside from serious art statement pieces, Patrick Agluba also creates miniature figures of popular characters such as Saitama from the anime series of “One Punch Man” and other pop-culture personalities. He has also submitted a multitude of works to Art Show Philippines, including a creative sculpture on a reimagination of Vincent Van Gogh and his iconic sunflower painting.  

Being relatively early in his art career, this man still has a lot of potential in the art industry, with his works awaiting the local recognition it deserves! To learn more about this promising young artist, you may contact him directly through his Facebook account, Miranda Patrick Jam, or through his contact number, 0906-809-0312. 

There is nothing better than supporting these local artists. 

With their support, Filipinos help local artists pursue their passion and enrich lives and communities. Through local artists’ works, people can discover more about themselves, their cultural values, and social issues about their nation. It’s also better for the local economy! 

All in all, art seeks to create impact and bring purpose to humanity’s life here on Earth. By supporting local artists, a greater appreciation is made with regard to understanding the unique story and setting that these pieces tell. Filipinos can help the country’s artists by commissioning artworks, donating to art organizations, attending exhibits, and wording out encouragements to continue their work! 

 A wonderful place home to culture, arts, sights, and properties for sale, Tagaytay truly has it all! Overall, there is a lot of artistic talent to be found in the magical land of Tagaytay. There are still many unknown and unlisted artists in this city, so be on the lookout for their works online and in art galleries on your next trip to Tagaytay! 

Visit Brittany’s official property page to know more about Brittany’s beautiful thematic offerings or follow us on our Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts!

UP NEXT: Secret Places in Tagaytay | Brittany Corporation