Friday, November 6, 2020

Art for Everyone: Cartellino Launches First Edition at Gallery by Chele

As the quarantine experience continues to change and transform our daily routine, the need to feed our eyes and soul with the finest local contemporary art remain equally as important for some semblance of normalcy. An innovative new online platform promises a unique and engaging experience to reconnect with the local art scene, and even own limited edition prints signed by artists to add to your collection. Prepare for a visual feast with First Edition by Cartellino...


An online only platform, digest and shop, Cartellino reimagines and reconstructs the art experience with digital possibilities to interface with artists, collectors and enthusiasts to support the visual arts. Cartellino takes this experience a step further with the launch of First Edition providing ease of access and making art available for everyone. Starting November 16 to 30, First Edition will hold a special two-week run of limited edition archival prints from over a hundred artists for enthusiasts and collectors built on the mission of art supporting its practitioners and selected charities. At the launch held in Gallery by Chele last November 6, the experience of nourishing both the eyes and palate becomes complete with the masterful culinary creations of Chef Chele Gonzalez.


Cartellino was created to build collectors, empower artists and inspire enthusiasts for the visual arts and Asian contemporary art with a reliable platform and also offer something back. Art for everyone is the goal, and accessibility with its digital platform differentiates the art experience keeping it relevant. 

The name, which means "little paper" in Italian, draws inspiration from the practice of adding prominent markers or subtle details in early Renaissance portraiture like the artist's signature, the subject's name, a personal motto or religious salutation. Cartellino makes it own mark in the local art scene by tapping enthusiasts looking to learn and engage with contemporary art with a modern platform. Accessibility transforms the experience and with just a few clicks or taps on your mobile device, Cartellino makes art available for everyone possible. 

And it all begins with Cartellino's innovative First Edition with its inaugural two-week run of limited edition archival prints from November 16 to 30 where you can purchase your very own piece of art (for everything you need to know about collecting art prints, editions and multiples, visit the informative website of Cartellino here).


The dynamic trio behind Cartellino is an equally colorful palette of creative personalities led by Gallery Stephanie Director Abby Frias Teotico as business consultant, former MEGA Magazine graphic designer Tanya Malilin as Creative Director and Elo Dinglasan as Content Editor. As a response to the quarantine experience, art galleries have adapted and evolved with increased online presence to sustain operations and the idea of an art e-commerce site emerged. The new normal, like any crisis, always presents both challenges and opportunities. Cartellino fully embraces the change by engaging with its market online and with First Edition, the experience becomes much more real.


A unique initiative, First Edition by Cartellino brings hundreds of local artists together showcasing their various works that are then made available to enthusiasts and collectors with limited edition archival prints. The unparalleled access of limited edition archived prints makes this all possible with everyone benefitting from the new and refreshingly defined art experience and even allowing an opportunity to give back. How does it work? All artists retain the rights to their original artworks and the numbered editions allow each reproduction to generate value over time. The collective of artists are divided into groups, each with its own cause and artist communal fund. All partnered curators and collectives as well as individual artists under Cartellino's Picks have each chosen a beneficiary like The Children's Rehabilitation Center, Philippines (CRC), Stickers for Food PH, The BABAYEnihan Initiative the Lakambini with LILAK, St. Lukes Medical Center, Institute of Urology with ART ROCKS, Remember Love with AKAP Pamilya, Concerned Artists of the Philippines and The Lumad Bakwit School of the University of the Philippines-Diliman College of Fine Arts (for a full list of local artists, beneficiaries and updates, check out their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/cartellino.art/ and their website at http://cartellino.com/).

For every print purchased, 50% of the profits will go to the artist, 30% to the selected beneficiary and 20% to be pooled into an artist communal fund which will be split across the roster. For Cartellino's Picks, the sum 30% of proceeds will be divided equally across its three beneficiaries. Cartellino makes the math simple so everyone can enjoy contemporary art without the fuss. It's a business model that has both advantages and disadvantages. The arrangement helps local artists, enthusiasts and charities but it can also be financial gamble. Cartellino is confident that First Edition will reach a broader and more diverse audience looking for a way in to contemporary art and starting a personal collection. 

Why start your personal art collection with prints? Prints are set a significantly lower price that make it accessible to beginners. Prints are also more convenient and portable. There's big a difference and peace of mind in moving an original artwork, say a Manansala or Sanso, to your dorm, apartment or office instead of simply opting for a limited edition archival print signed by the artist (learn more about all the basics you need to know about prints, editions and multiples from Cartellino here). And on November 16, over 120 artists will showcase their work to art enthusiasts and collectors with First Edition. Here's a peek at some of the works that will be available...


First Edition will be offering a curated selection of local contemporary art in limited edition archival prints starting November 16 to 30 reflecting a diverse variety of artistic styles, from the vibrant palette of colors with the Noche de Invencion by Illustrador ng Kabataan Jomike Tejido...


...the pensive grace of Theatrical Chastity by Sarah Geneblazo...


...a colorful reinterpretation of 105 shades of blue with The Untitled Pantone (Blue) by MM YU...



...and the stunningly graphic rendition of Masuso III by Kara de Dios. With over 120 artists signed up with First Edition, art enthusiasts and collectors can easily find a piece that matches their personal style or mood.



And there's more. The bright burst of colors allows you to be The One with the Tiny Flowers by Shannah Orencio...



...enter and explore the deep world of contemporary art with Portals by Wiji Lacsamana...



...or lose yourself in color with Curator by Gwen Bautista and Jeffrey Jay Jarin. It's a comprehensive dive into local contemporary art, and you can be a part of it with just a few clicks or taps and maybe oven own a piece or two to start your collection. As we transition to the normal, Cartellino offers an engaging new way to experience art on a more personal level with First Edition.  


At the launch of First Edition by Cartellino, Gallery by Chele provided the perfect backdrop with their own interpretation of modern cuisine from the very first course all the way to dessert in a seamless experience befitting an art launch. The ornate yet flavorful starter of Uni Crisp with fresh pomelo, cacao nibs and alamang; the inventive Kare-Kare Bon Bon with peanut praline, beef cheeks and bagoong mayo; and the delicately constructed Chori Burger with the sharp notes of savory chorizo complemented by creamy mousse on a light and airy meringue bun opened up the palate with its unique play on both flavors and textures. 


Each one with its own distinct flavor, the indulgent trio transforms comfortingly familiar notes into a refreshingly new experience in the creative style of Chef Chele Gonzalez. Chef Chele brings his own Spanish perspective to local flavors, recreating and reinventing it for a uniquely different take on flavors we know. The Kare-Kare Bon Bon is one such example, capturing the essence of the traditional dish presented in a playfully creative and new way. One bite of the bon bon dipped in the smooth mayo-based sauce infused with bagoong is both nostalgic and new. The Uni Crisp with its contrasting notes and textures comes together in a delicately balanced bite, while the Chori Burger is elegantly deconstructed that pops with a bold savory richness in just one bite. 


The Smoked Duck Ham with Liliacea Potato Salad, Seasonal Jam and Rustic Bread and Ube Cochinillo Tacos with Cebu Lechon, Sweet Potato and Mushrooms teases your palate with its masterful execution and complex weave of flavors. 


The Ube Cochinillo Tacos by Chef Chele combines traditional flavors like roast pork and purple yam with the comforting layer of hearty notes from the sweet potatoes finished by the earthy hints of mushrooms for yet another tasty creation while the Smoked Duck Ham with its bright salty notes and savory richness are perfectly tempered by the tart seasonal jam and crusty bread. It's this delicate balance of bold and nuanced notes that makes this duo another tasty prelude before the main course...


The Mackerel Parilla with white bean emulsion, jamon iberico and sherry wine is an elegantly plated dish bringing fresh and clean flavors to the palate. The first bite delivers the natural briny sweetness of the butter-like melt-in-your-mouth mackerel followed by the sharp hints of jamon iberico and the velvety smooth finish of the mildly sweet white bean emulsion.  


Each dish is a personal canvas for Chef Chele's flavorful and colorful combinations, feeding first the eyes before the palate. 


In contrast with the subtle yet rich notes of the Mackerel Parilla, the Tiger Prawn Rice with a plump and succulent prawn on soft fluffy rice simmered in a rich bisque with bell peppers and togarashi is a flavorful burst. Chef Chele unleashes the unrestrained richness of the fresh ingredients, containing it in a bowl. 


Like all good things, you reach the bottom of the bowl in no time at all. But all the courses from starters to mains all add up to a satisfying and quite filling feast. 


Chef Chele ends the festive feast with his spin on traditional delicacies, the Signature Bibingka Cheesecake wrapped in banana leaf...


...and the Ube Torrija, a soft brioche with coconut and rum. Chef Chele has long been known for his constant quest for innovation and new flavors, and that perfectly paints the picture for the launch of First Edition by Cartellino at Gallery by Chele. Both the restaurant and new e-commerce art site are pioneering trailblazers in their own respective fields. In the new normal, it's all about constantly engaging in a new yet relevant manner with creative dishes or a novel way of making art available and accessible for everyone. That day, I experienced both at Gallery by Chele and eagerly await the formal introduction of First Edition by Cartellino when it goes live online on November 16... 

For more on Cartellino and First Edition, visit their website at http://cartellino.com/. You can also follow their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/cartellino.art/ and IG at https://www.instagram.com/cartellino.art/ for more information and updates.

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