Museo Orlina (Tagaytay City)

There is a new tourist spot in Tagaytay and is definitely something worth the visit – the Museo Orlina. The museum is just a few meters downhill from the Econo Hotel - the first hotel you will see at the ridge from the Tagaytay-Calamba Road. The sign to the museum cannot be missed. In fact, it is this sign that prompted my consciousness that the renowned Ramon Orlina has already opened a museum in Tagaytay. I have heard of Orlina glass sculptures in the past. When I read about the Museo Orlina signage while navigating my vehicle after finally reaching the Tagaytay ridge, I already know that I will be one of its countless visitors.

The museum is a townhouse inside a subdivision where there is a view of the Taal Volcano. Slowly driving downhill, I can already see the museum with its sign perched on the rooftop of the townhouse. There is an entrance fee of P 100.00. After registration, there is three (3) minute film showing about the sculptor and the museum itself. One of the highlights of the film is when BenCab signed the car being painted at its garage.

After the film showing, I slowly walked around the displays of various sculptures and paintings. I looked at a glass sculpture trying to comprehend the message it tries to convey. The sculpture’s color, texture, twists and turns of the glass masterfully crafted is susceptible to various interpretations. I tried to find the interpretation in these sculptures trying to delve into the mind of the artist who created them. What is great about painters and sculptors is that they can create something extraordinary from the ordinary. While a piece of glass is common, it is not when sculpted to perfection. Just take time to look at the pieces of sculpture in this museum and you will definitely see beauty in a glass.

I walked from the basement to the top floor of the museum. I tried to look at the pieces with an open mind. It is not easy to understand glass sculptures from my point of view. Is it true that only an artist can understand a fellow artist? I looked closer at the glass sculptures. I stared at each one for several minutes. With an effort, I began to understand how art creates a soul from something without life. I began to understand how a piece of wood or glass can be transformed into something that beautiful. But, as I walked and study the pieces, I know I am not only looking for something beautiful. I want to see beyond the beauty of these works of art. I want to know the story behind these paintings and sculptures.