Brussels show presents private side of screen icon Audrey Hepburn

BRUSSELS -- An exhibition tracing the private life of screen icon Audrey Hepburn through hundreds of photos and personal items opens in her hometown of Brussels this week to mark the 90th anniversary of her birth.

The "Intimate Audrey" show features nearly a thousand objects gathered by one of her two sons, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, born from her relationship with the US actor and producer Mel Ferrer.

Alongside the glamour of the star who shot dizzyingly to Hollywood fame -- winning an Oscar at just 25 for her role alongside Gregory Peck in "Roman Holiday" -- the exhibition focuses on Hepburn's life as a mother and as a UNICEF ambassador, a role she threw herself into during the five years leading up to her death in 1993.

"Fundamentally we don't learn anything new, but when we get to the end, we see that the girl that the world fell in love with... has blossomed into this woman. You see it, you feel it," Sean Hepburn Ferrer told AFP on the eve of the opening.

The show reveals a simpler side to the star whose appearance in a dazzling Givenchy gown in "Breakfast At Tiffany's" -- perhaps the most famous "little black dress" of all -- became one of the defining images of 20th century glamour.

"This woman who was a style icon basically lived in a little cotton dress all her life -- a simple life," Hepburn Ferrer said.

Hepburn was born Audrey Ruston on May 4, 1929 in the Brussels district of Ixelles, to a Dutch mother and a British father who was then working for a Belgian subsidiary of the Bank of England. 

The exhibition of around 800 photos, some previously unpublished, include black and white portraits that evoke the severity of Dutch aristocracy -- a world she knew as a child. 

Then come the first steps in London, where a teenaged Hepburn dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer -- only to have to give it up, her son said, after the traumas of war left her physically too weak for the rigours of professional dance.

That left acting "as a default choice."

A meeting with French writer Colette while shooting in Monte Carlo gave Hepburn her big break, with the author choosing her for the lead in a stage adaptation of her short story "Gigi."

"It was of course she (Colette) who brought her to New York in 1950-51," Ferrer Hepburn said. The move led to her role in the romantic comedy "Roman Holiday" and subsequent stardom.

A photo of the two women annotated in Colette's hand features in the exhibition, along with drawings, writings by the star, the dress she wore at her wedding to Ferrer and the second Oscar statuette she was awarded in 1993 in recognition of her humanitarian work.

The exhibition in Brussels runs until August 25, with profits going to the fight against rare diseases and cancer.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Dior gowns that made headlines star in London exhibition

LONDON -- From Princess Margaret's 21st birthday gown to Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence's red carpet dress, Christian Dior outfits that have made headlines go on show in a London exhibition dedicated to the French fashion house.

With a supporting cast of accessories, sketches and perfume bottles, "Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams" takes a close look at the history of the luxury brand he founded in 1946 and which remains the epitome of haute couture.

In all more than 500 items, the legacy of the late couturier and his six successors are on display at the Victoria & Albert Museum from February 2.

"Not only did (Dior) ... revolutionize fashion design ... but he was also important in how he did business," Oriole Cullen, Fashion and Textiles curator at the V&A, told Reuters.

"His business model was very much something which is still in use today. He wanted to look globally and at different markets."

One of the earliest outfits on show is Dior's signature Bar suit: a sculpted off-white jacket synched at the waist and black pleated skirt. The 1947 design revolutionized womenswear and was dubbed Dior's "New Look."

Another highlight is the gold straw embroidered silk bodice and full-skirted gown Dior designed for Britain's Princess Margaret's in 1951. She wore the gown for her official 21st birthday portrait.

Dior's love of Britain -- where he staged several fashion shows -- is also explored in the exhibition, which is based on a previous Paris House of Dior display.

"He was a self-confessed anglophile," Cullen said. "For him it was an important market."

Dior died in 1957, aged 52. A young Yves Saint Laurent took over and was followed by successive creative directors Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri, at the helm since 2016.

Their designs, worn by royals and celebrities, are mixed alongside the founder's, each loyal to his legacy and fascinations. Dior was superstitious -- his lucky star is on display -- and Chiuri has paid homage to that in her creations.

"Around the world Dior is Dior. Many people don't know that there were many designers at Dior," Chiuri told Reuters.

"I think we have to respect this heritage but at the same time we have to move this heritage in the future. I look around, I take a lot of inspiration but at the same time my idea is to make this element contemporary for modern women." 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA star LeBron James giving $2.5 million to Muhammad Ali exhibit

LeBron James is donating $2.5 million to support a Muhammad Ali exhibit at the Smithsonian's new National Museum of African American History in Washington, D.C., the basketball star and the museum announced on Thursday.

The Cleveland Cavaliers forward said he was a longtime fan of Ali, one of the most beloved sports figures in history, who died on June 3 after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's syndrome.

"Every professional athlete, regardless of race and gender, owes a huge debt of gratitude to Muhammad Ali," James said in a statement. "His legacy deserves to be studied and revered by every generation."

The "Muhammad Ali: A Force for Change" exhibit features items from the late boxer, including a training robe worn at Dundee's Fifth Street Gym in Miami. While the exhibit details Ali's sports journey, it also highlights his community activism, spirituality and politics.

“We are extremely grateful to LeBron James,” said Damion Thomas, curator of the museum's Sports Gallery. “As the most socially active superstar in sports today, LeBron James is a testament to the influence of Muhammad Ali (who) embodied the racial and social tumult of his times, blurring lines between politics and sports, activism and entertainment.”

James' business partner, Maverick Carter, is also contributing to the exhibit, which has been on display since the museum opened on Sept. 24.

The funds will also support the museum itself, which is located on the National Mall.

The $540 million museum contains 36,000 items that trace the journey of African Americans from slavery in the 1800s to the fight for civil rights in the 20th century and lauds modern icons such as media mogul Oprah Winfrey and tennis champion Serena Williams.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Maserati partners with Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles

MANILA, Philippines – Why does a Maserati look, sound and feel so uniquely different? How does Maserati honor bespoke traditions, built over its 101-year history, to create a thoroughly modern, state-of-the-art driving experience?

To answer these questions and share the passion that defines Maserati, the Trident has partnered with the totally transformed Petersen Automotive Museum to create an immersive exhibit, “Made in Italy – Design to Line” featuring the company’s flagship super sport sedan, the Maserati Quattroporte S Q4.  The exhibit premiered in conjunction with the reopening of Petersen Automotive Museum last Dec. 5.

“Maserati is in love with the automobile. With its profound history, the company is deeply committed to sharing its passion with this generation and the next,” says Christian Gobber, president & CEO, Maserati North America, Inc. “Maserati’s support of the Petersen Automotive Museum with our education exhibit, ‘Made in Italy — Design to Line,’ made perfect sense from both global and local perspectives, given that the museum is located in Los Angeles, at the very heart of car culture.”

Located on the Museum’s second floor, the dedicated gallery tells the story of how Maserati — a modern, high-tech, high performance vehicle — develops from a concept to reality. The story of this journey is told through five chapters: Raw materials; body shell; drivetrain; trims and finishes; and final product.

Maserati is one of the world’s most distinguished automobile manufacturers, with a reputation for engineering excellence and for creating cars of exceptional beauty. In 1963, Maserati mounted a race engine in a four-door sedan, forever changing the way the world looked at luxury motoring. Today’s sixth-generation Quattroporte continues the Maserati tradition of building cars that blend high performance and supreme comfort, with a flair for design unique to Italian automobiles. Quattroporte’s sporting pedigree boasts Maserati’s remarkable racing heritage—including historic wins at the Indianapolis 500 and in Formula 1 with legendary driver Juan Manuel Fangio behind the wheel.

source: philstar.com

Mind Museum decodes Da Vinci's genius in exhibit

MANILA -- Painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer and writer. What went on inside the mind of Leonardo da Vinci?

Plenty, it seems, if you check out “Da Vinci – The Genius,” the most comprehensive exploration of Leonardo da Vinci’s work at the Mind Museum at the Bonifacio Global City.

Created by the world renowned Grande Exhibitions Australia, the exhibition will run from September 1 to November 30.

Jason Brown, Grande Exhibitions exhibition production manager, said Da Vinci lacked neither imagination nor ingenuity as evidenced by the 200 pieces of the Italian polymath’s extraordinary works from paintings to war machines and even codices in the exhibit.

The exhibit shows full-scale interpretations of Da Vinci’s inventions including a mechanical drum, a multi-directional gun machine and an aerial screw, as well as high-quality reproductions of his Renaissance art.

“Most of Da Vinci’s artwork is too fragile to travel. These are the best examples outside of the Louvre or the museums in Krakow, Poland. You won’t find plastics in this exhibition. All the replicas are made of wood and metal that would have been available to da Vinci during his time,” he told reporters.

The exhibit features 13 themed areas of Da Vinci’s work, giving visitors an immersive experience into the mind of a genius.

In the Military Engineering section, visitors are given a glimpse into the mind of Da Vinci as a weapons maker. Some of the replicas in the exhibit include an assault ladder (the better to scale enemy walls), a multi-barrelled gun machine (the great granddaddy of the modern machine gun) and a Scitian Wagon, a nasty looking war chariot with four large scythes that would not look out of place in the Colosseum.




One highlight is a wooden replica of Da Vinci’s concept of a tank: an armored vehicle capable of moving in any direction and bristling with cannons on all sides. To move the tank, eight men inside the vehicle turned cranks attached to trundle wheels which were in turn attached to four large wheels. The Da Vinci tank is actually a dream come true for Assassin’s Creed gamers.





Other sections of the exhibit on hydraulic and aquatic and civil engineering also reveal the brilliance of Da Vinci’s intellect. In one corner of the exhibit -- like a reverse Abe Sapien suit – stands a rudimentary diving suit that would help people breath underwater. The suit is made of a watertight leather tunic reinforced by armor that would protect the air bag from being compressed in deep water. Flexible hoses with leather joints reinforced by spirals of metal drew in air from above the surface while valves regulated the air intake.





Another invention that would have made Tony Stark proud is a humanoid automaton, which would have been the world’s first robot if it was actually built. Da Vinci drew sketches of the automaton before he painted the Last Supper in 1495. It is not clear, however, whether there was an attempt to actually build the device. The robot was clad in medieval armor similar to that of a knight and was designed to make several human-like motions.

Other inventions that leave people in awe are replicas of a self-propelled car, a hammer driven by an eccentric cam and rolling ball bearings.


Da Vinci, however, wasn’t just interested in conceptualizing suits or automatons. He was also interested in flight and hydraulic engineering. The physics/flight section of the exhibit shows how Da Vinci was one of the first scientists fascinated with flight as shown in his concept of the Aerial Screw, considered as the ancestor of today’s helicopter. Meanwhile, the hydraulic and aquatic section also showed his designs for a double-hulled ship and a submarine.





In the Art section, one cannot help but be drawn to a replica of Da Vinci’s most famous work of art: The Mona Lisa. One secret revealed in the exhibition is that a blotch mark on the corner of the model’s eye is actually water damage to the varnish “most likely caused when she was on display in Napoleon’s bathroom.”
Another piece of artwork, which is presented only in animation, is The Last Supper, which is the most famous religious painting of all time.




Other works of art presented in the exhibit include The Annunciation, Virgin of the Rocks, St. Jerome and Portrait of a Musician. There is also a self-portrait of the Italian Renaissance polymath.

A separate section is also given to Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man, which illustrates the theories on proportion postulated by the Roman architect Vitruvius.


Maria Isabel Garcia, curator of the Mind Museum, said the exhibit seeks to ignite the spirit of curiosity, exploration and expression found in the life of Da Vinci.

“Throughout the three months, we want everyone to enter the exhibition hall and not just look at his works but to find him – to find Leonardo. Leonardo’s genius also now lies in sparking the creative in each of us,” she said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pinoy holds exhibit for child cancer awareness in London

LONDON - A photo exhibit by a Filipino care worker was unveiled at the Philippine Cultural Centre in the British capital to raise awareness of child cancer.

“Kulay”, a collection of images by Elija Paul Villanueva, is a snapshot of life in the UK through the eyes of an overseas Filipino. The photos feature nature, landscapes, portraiture and fashion.

Philippine Ambassador to the UK, Enrique Manalo, attended the ribbon cutting ceremony, joined by a handful of Villanueva’s friends, supporters and collaborators, including several members of various Filipino groups in the UK.

Fashion model Anastasija, from Britain’s Next Top Model, also attended the opening, having worked with Villanueva in the past.

“A lot of my images have a very minimalist style. At the same time, because everything is digital these days, I use a lot of software and computer techniques to combine art and technology,” he told ABS-CBN Europe at the launch.

He added: “Life is full of color, especially for people who move to another country. I experience so much and I am still young. Photography allows me to document everything that I see along the way.”

The show is dedicated to his younger sister Myla, a teenager in the Philippines who is battling lymphoma, a cancer affecting cells from the immune system.

According to World Child Cancer, an estimated 3,000 children are diagnosed with cancer in the Philippines, with a typical survival rate of less than 20%.

“It’s a big help to be able to share what I am going through. I want to raise awareness of childhood cancer, linking different organizations in the UK and beyond by telling the story of my sister’s battle,” he said.

Originally from San Juan City in the Philippines, Villanueva moved to the UK in 2009, at the age of 21, in search of a better life for his family, taking on the role of main breadwinner following his father’s illness.

He now works as a senior care worker in England while being active in the Filipino community, from hosting a radio show about OFWs, to winning Mr. Philippines UK in 2011. He is also studying business at university.

Yet despite a busy schedule, photography and art remain his passion. Before moving abroad, he worked for a photography studio as marketing manager, which built a solid foundation for his practice. He now works freelance shooting events around the UK, as well as pursuing personal projects in fashion, music, and fine art.

“This is how I express whatever I feel inside. I have always wanted to paint, and I found a way to convey my ideas through photography. I felt connected to it and it was easy for me, the imagination just flows,” he revealed.

“As a Filipino abroad, this is also the only way for me to record my experiences and be able to share it with family and friends. And this is a way for me to pass on something to the youths, to inspire them, especially my very own children in the future.”

“Kulay” is at the Philippine Cultural Centre in Suffolk Street, London until November 23.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Historic exhibit on Fil-Am presence in US to be held at a university in NY

The centuries-long presence and contributions of Filipinos in American Society will be celebrated in an exhibit at the Stony Brook University in New York next month.

Titled “Singgalot—The Ties that Bind: Filipinos in America from Colonial Subjects to Citizens,” the free two-month “historic traveling exhibit” will showcase the place of Filipino Americans in the US through rare images and trivia.

The exhibit will highlight “the tenuous political relationship between the United States and the Philippines” from as early as the 1500s, and will follow through the beginnings of the Filipino-American communities in Louisiana in the 1600s and the participation of Filipinos that fought for the US Army during the Second World War.

“[It] will feature rarely seen historical image of Filipino migration between 1906 and 1935 as workers at Hawaii sugar plantations, West Coast farms, and Alaskan canneries,” the news site Filipino Reporter said.

Last December, US First Lady Michelle Obama named the Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles, California as one of the five new Preserve America communities in the country, a part of the “federal initiative that encourages community efforts to preserve cultural and natural heritage.”

Historic Filipinotown is a newly created district in the southwest portion of Echo Park in Los Angeles, via a resolution proposed by city council member Eric Garcetti in 2002.

The Filipino community is considered one of the largest and influential ethnic groups in the US. According to the 2010 US Census, there are more than 2.5 million Filipinos there, with the largest concentrations in the states of California (nearly 1.2 million), Hawaii (more than 197, 000), and Illinois (around 114, 000).

Developed by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program in cooperation with a number of organizations, “Singgalot” will be open to the public from February 12 to April 22 at the Charles B. Wang Center, Room 201 in Stony Brook.

There will also be a community opening program on March 3 at 3 p.m., followed by a campus opening reception on March 8 at 6 p.m. — ELR, GMA News

source:gmanetwork.com