The Art of Window, Display, and Design

Front cover of Vibal Foundation’s newly released book titled “Fifty Shades of Philippine Art: Art of Window, Display, and Design”

True to its mission of producing books that will help promote and preserve Philippine arts and culture, Vibal Foundation adds yet another addition to its Fifty Shades of Philippine Art series— The Art of Window, Display, and Design.

In this latest addition to the Fifty Shades of Philippine Art, Vijandre and Toledo catalogue both their famous windows from their lifestyle and furnishing stores as well as their interiors and fashion production. As a design team, Vijandre and Toledo provided tips for lighting design, illustration, and installation of multi-materials ranging from paper, wood, fabric, and even computer printouts.

The 2009 Christmas window of AC+632, Once Upon A Dream, was inspired by the Fairy Tale King, Ludwig II of Bavaria. The tableau features an imagined fantasy of the king, who from his Gothic bedroom in Neuschwanstein Castle daydreams of his sleigh pulled to the heavens by dolphins and the winds of Zephyr and Aura as his idol, the Sun King Louis XIV, gives his blessing as personified by the rising moon. (photo by Patrick Uy).

The book features essays on a myriad of art styles and design elements from across the globe while presenting various tips and principles of visual merchandising, interior design, and fashion. This book also highlights the authors’ design inspirations and a deeply felt and moving travelogue that gives the readers a succinct overview of their encyclopedic love for history and art of world culture.

Memories of a Kingdom, the January 2014 window of FIRMA inspired by the school mistress Anna Leonowens’ stay in the court of Siam in the 1860s. Handpainted Buddhist scrolls and lacquered deer flank a tableau of carved lacquer hsun-ok vessels with a painted wood panel of Phra Phikanet (Ganesh) on the wall and a Dong Son bronze drum on the floor (photo by Ricky Toledo).

Among the highlights of the book are a trip to Kenya inspired by the Hollywood film Out of Africa and the legendary tale of Isak Dinesen, leading to a detailed study of Anglo-African safari-style; an in-depth look at the concept of mono no aware (fleetingness of life) and Japanese art and style as filtered through the geisha culture of Kyoto; a peek into the world of fantasy and imaginative recreation as seen through the mad king Ludwig of Bavaria; the distillation of classical aesthetics through the prism of Giacomo Puccini’s opera Tosca and an intimate tour of the Eternal City; a behind-the-scenes examination of the authors’ private abode that is a veritable showcase of cross-cultural influences; and a summation of the cultural kaleidoscope of multi-culture elements behind the duo’s wildly successful benefit fashion shows for the Philippine National Red Cross.

The chapter Joyous Cross-Cultural Encounters features a behind-the-scenes peek at the interiors of the authors’ residence, which include the foyer with the Sukhothai buddha at the back; a crying St. John bust in a niche; a wall with portraits; a French farm table with a collection of candlesticks that contrast with Philippe Starck chairs and a Plopp steel stool by Oskar Zieta; a French escritoire; a pair of Italian Renaissance Revival sgabello hall chairs; a Spanish painting of San Sebastian; and a Vietnamese santo (photo by Ricky Toledo)

Complete with essential travel tips, an annotated and extensive bibliography for a deeper and critical appreciation of world art, and a lavish illustration program with over 500 images, The Art of Window, Display, and Design serves as a highly useful art and design reference for aficionados of the world art and culture.

Conjuring Dreams of Africa, the AC+632 window inspired by Karen Blixen’s tale of adventure, lost love, and tragedy in her 1937 autobiographical book Out of Africa, which was also made into an award-winning film (photo by Ricky Toledo).

The Art of Window, Display, and Design will be available in major bookstores and select art galleries in late March and will be sold at an affordable price of Php 550.00 per copy. To reserve your copies, please email marketing@vibalgroup.com .