Wynn Wynn Ong highlights stunning jewelry, career in ‘Redefining Boundaries’

Burmese-born jewelry designer Wynn Wynn Ong is celebrating 15 years in fashion and design with a retrospective exhibition, titled Wynn Wynn Ong: Redefining Boundaries, which opened at the Yuchengco Museum in Makati City last Thursday. 

In a statement, the Yuchengco Museum said Wynn Wynn Ong: Redefining Boundaries showcases “the creative journey of a jewelry designer, who is Burmese by birth, but Filipino at heart— from designing handcrafted heirloom jewelry to creating unique collections of art, furniture, couture, and objets d’art.”

It added that “18 portraits of Ong’s muses in their fantasy alter egos captured by model-photographer Jo Ann Bitagcol” are also featured in the exhibit.

The museum also said the exhibition is presented with support from Wynn Wynn Ong Artisanal Works in celebration of March as International Women’s Month.

Ong’s career as a jeweler began in 2001, when she designed pieces for herself that she could not find elsewhere. Although she didn’t have formal training, that didn’t become a hindrance to her achieving success as a globally lauded artist whose works are now sought after by collectors.

Meticulous attention to detail and age-old techniques, such as casting using the so-called wax method, ensure the uniqueness of her pieces. In fact, Ong never repeats designs and limits the number of pieces she creates each year.

Ong’s works reflect her family’s roots in Burma, her childhood in Vienna, summer trips around the world , and her life now in Manila. She incorporates her interest in environmental sustainability in her works by using local wood and recycled materials. In her hands, monkeys, geckos, carabaos, birds, and other Philippine flora and fauna created from precious stones and metals are transformed into pendants, necklaces, the handles of cabinets, and minaudieres.

Wynn Wynn Ong: Redefining Boundaries runs until June 15. The Yuchengco Museum is at RCBC Plaza, corner Ayala and Gil J. Puyat avenues, Makati City. It is open from Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (632) 889-1234 or visit www.yuchengcomuseum.org.