The Orlina Family: Crafting a Legacy

MagazineArt

Apr 25

Words Portia Placino
Photography Gail Geriane
April 25, 2025

From top: Michael Orlina, Ramon Orlina, and Anna Orlina

This is an excerpt from Art+ Magazine March-April 2025 cover story.

Beauty comes to mind when looking at a Ramon Orlina sculpture. The sense of wonder is immediate and inescapable. There is absolute beauty in each piece–each curve or sharp turn, the way forms encapsulate the glass, and the fascinating facets of light as it strikes the sculpture–breathtaking. One incredibly rare moment is seeing the sculptures of the three Orlinas–Ramon, Anna, and Michael–lit up by the setting sun against the city backdrop. No photograph could ever give justice to what was seen by the naked eye, though the photography team will certainly try.

“Twist & Shout” by Anna Orlina, “Where Flowers Bloom so does Hope”, “Pegasus” by Michael Orlina. Talenti’s Allure Lounge Armchair. Lodes Volum collection, blown glass lamps designed by Snøhetta. Photography by Gail Geriane

Behind the beauty is danger. Talking with all three artists reveals as much. The machines are heavy, the glass breaks, and manipulating the sculptures demands much physicality. Engaging the material is something they share–and though their technique is rooted in the patriarch–the 81-year-old Ramon, the siblings Anna and Michael have developed their own interpretation of cold working glass. Yet, in each of them, the danger remains. Anna shared that even if she has her own studio and lets trusted friends work there, she doesn’t teach yet. It is the father, Ramon, who taught his children and his studio assistants. Even now, he still does the cutting– the core of the sculptures–while the assistants help polish the pieces. Everyone in the studio needs full protective gear and respect for the dangers of the medium is absolutely necessary in the artistic process.

Anna has the most different technique of the three. Though they all share the cold working technique, Anna combines different pieces of glass, often with varying colors–forming her often representational pieces.

Michael’s process is more anchored to his father, with his own set of nuances. As mentioned earlier, it is cold working–working and sculpting the glass without heat. Much like his father’s technique, his core process is to cut, grind, smooth, and polish. He observes where the breaks happen, and he learns through the process.

Photography Gail Geriane @gailgeriane Assisted by Jotham Meregildo @jutam_meregildo, Creative Direction Santi Albalate @santi.albalate, Hair and Makeup Tanya Lilang @tanyalilang, Styling Mika Reyes @notmikareyes, Assisted by Clyemae @clyemae, Nika Althea @nikkaalthea Vianca Escalante @viancaofficial.ph, Shoot Coordination Coleen Wong @thecoleenwong, Production Team Jeferson Dumangon @dumangonledesma, Kevin Español, Intern Martina Reyes @rnartina

Special thanks to Tile Gallery Philippines President and Vice-President Kenneth Hing and Raymund Hing, and Marketing team.

Shot on location Gallery 7, Design Center