Museo Orlina is the showcase of the artistry of internationally acclaimed Ramon Orlina, pioneer and foremost practitioner of glass sculpture in the country. Before Orlina, glass was largely appreciated only for its utilitarian function: as drinking vessels, window glass panes or automotive windshields. A visionary, Orlina saw beyond the humble origin of this industrial glass residue. The result is an exultant body of works that, through the decades, have dazzled the art scene and prized by numerous collectors. Triumphantly, Orlina has transformed the medium by elevating it to the dignity and respectability of art.

The Museo Orlina opens its door to the public, where they can view superb examples of Ramon Orlina’s scintillating artistry to their delight and enchantment.

Orlina’s contribution to society both to its spirit  and the economy, is witnessed by the major commissions he has received. The first, ARCANUM XIX, Paradise Gained, greeted me in the foyer of the  Silahis Hotel on the first day of my first visit to the Philippines in 1976. In the 1970s, few large-scale contemporary glass works existed anywhere in the world. This work gave the lie to the popular notion that 
contemporary glass was a creature of Europe and North America 
(the work is now on loan to the National Museum).

Dr. Gerry King is an internationally known Australian artist and designer working in contemporary glass. He is also an author, lecturer, workshop leader and consultant. Taken from BluPrint Special Issue on Global Pinoy.