Tai-Chi
signed and dated 1984
carved green glass
height: 10 1/2" (27 cm) width: 6" (15 cm) length: 5 1/2" (14 cm)



Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot


When Ramon Orlina first started his sculpting career in the 1970s (the first of its kind, as no one before him had done the cold method of cutting glass he would later be known for), his works were static and prismatic, their forms angular and sharp on the edges. However, as the years matured and the 1980s rolled in, he incorporated fluid curves and arcs into his works, mimicking the graceful curves of the human body. This is evident in this 1984 piece. The frosted glass creates a different (though no less impressive) illusion than Orlina’s usual clear glass and with the edges, it is not hard to see the slope of the shoulder and the tilt of the head from an angle. The three-dimensionality of his sculptures is among Orlina’s many assets – every angle is accounted for and every perspective yields a completely different result, making his works as experiential as visual arts can get. (Hannah Valiente)