A celebration of Filipino contemporary artist Jay Yao teaming up with luxury leather goods brand Celestina took place last week at The Untitled Space. The collaboration, entitled “Memory Stains,” explores the taste of sour, salty, sweet, and spicy through photography. At the event that was part exhibition and pop-up presentation, each work on view included elements inspired by taste and was accompanied by a limited-edition Celestina leather bag. Viewers were encouraged to further the artist’s exploration by indulging in carefully curated cocktails and Filipino style hors d’oeuvres.
As much as it was a celebration between artist and brand, it was also a celebration of Filipino art. The Ocampo family, founders of Celestina, are highly supportive of Filipino art and craftsmanship. Yao, partly raised in Manila, has held numerous exhibitions in the Philippines and in 2005 represented the Philippines for the Goethe-Institut Project “Art Connexions: SYD-MLA-KUL.” Yao and Celestina collaborated once before along with B+C to do a pop-up shop to sell art for Teach for the Philippines.
Courtesy of Celestina
Yao’s work is on view at the Tyler Rollins Gallery in New York through the end of the month. Proceeds from these works will go to support Teach for the Philippines.
Courtesy of the artist
