Would you like an Amorsolo with that sofa?

B&B Italia mixes furniture with Filipino masters in exhibit

WE’RE SURE you’ve looked at an artwork in a museum and wished you could put it in your home at least once. An exhibit at the B&B Italia showroom in BGC works out that fantasy for you.

For the month of April, Amorsolos, HR Ocampos, Orlinas, a few Zobels, and many more pieces by National Artists and Philippine masters will be sharing space with luxury couches, tables, and beds, in an exhibit called Art and Space: Series 2.

Some pieces from B&B Italia start at P900,000, but next to an Amorsolo, it seems like a small price to pay. Everything on the floor will be on sale — including the art, which had been sourced from art galleries and private collectors.

The artworks and the furniture were pieced together and styled by Glenn Cuevo. “I have the cities of Milan, Copenhagen, Paris, and Tokyo to thank for the stimulating dose of international design,” he said during a speech at the exhibit’s opening on March 30.

The artists have been divided into several rooms: The Amorsolo Room features two Amorsolos that share space with the Bend Sofa, the Pianura Small Table, and the Pochette Armchair. Arturo Luz and Lao Lianben works hang above the Blitz Table by Mario Bellini. Only 100 of these have been made, and No. 7 is in the Philippines. The work of contemporary artist Jigger Cruz hangs next to the Camaleonda sofa and the Mini Papilio chair. Another showroom shows a sprinkling of works by Ang Kiukok, HR Ocampo, Fernando Zobel, more works by Arturo Luz, Annie Cabigting, and Juvenal Sansó.

This is the second time the furniture brand is mounting Art and Space. “Usually for B&B Italia, we display our products in a normal setting, when we have our furniture on display,” said Holly Quiec, Senior Business Manager for Focus Global Inc., which distributes B&B Italia in the Philippines. “You’ll be able to appreciate our furniture better because it’s in a setting where you can picture it in your home, not just in a showroom.”

The exhibit is ongoing at the B&B Italia Manila showroom at the Twenty-Four Seven McKinley Building, BGC, Taguig until April 30. For inquiries, appointments, or private tours, contact B&B Italia Manila through 8705-9999, through Facebook (@bebitaliamanila), Instagram (@bebitaliamanila), or the website (bebitaliamanila.com). — Joseph L. Garcia