“Enter through old temple doors and walls of sienna bricks from the ruins of Negros Sugar Mills. Let us anchor you to the Bay of Tambobo where the journey of aesthetic adventure begins. Experience the textures of our heritage as we sail towards the contemporary world.”
Welcome to the world of Atelier Aguila
Since 2005, Atelier Aguila sources materials from sunken logs and boats, driftwood, agricultural artifacts, and architectural salvages. These materials speak to us with inherent patina and character.
It has inspired the artist, Karl Aguila, to create original, one-of-a-kind, sculptural pieces of furniture. Our studio produces inspired pieces that offer distinction from the mass-produced -- organic instead of synthetic, from the aesthetics to the elemental.
In 2013, Atelier Aguila opened a gallery in Manila at LRI Design Plaza, Makati.
KARL AGUILA
Karl Aguila is a sculptor and furniture maker based in Negros Oriental, Philippines, who specializes in wood. His work has gained notable attention from the local and international press, including Monocle and Elle Decoration Magazine, especially since he established his main gallery and studio in 2007 overlooking the Tambobo Bay .
Karl lived in California where he studied Fine Arts at the San Francisco Art Institute and exhibited his earlier body of work in several local galleries. He also travelled around Europe and Southeast Asia immersing in its old culture. In 2004, he founded Atelier Aguila, where he explored woodworking using reclaimed timber, creating a series of functional sculptures and furniture pieces. His portfolio in furniture design from 2005 up to present has significant following from local and international collectors. As a sculptor, he is known for his strong and socially-significant sculptural installations, i.e. The Bridge Project which he exhibited at the National Museum of the Philippines in 2009. His latest exhibitions are museum based projects that are large scale and conceptually driven. As an artist, he treads parallel disciplines of functional and installation works characterize by an aesthetic that is elemental, exploiting materials that are remnants of time and use, and manipulating the raw to seam into refinement all at once.
He maintains a residence in Tambobo Bay, Negros with his wife Ophanie, and their sons, Rafaelo and Fernando. He dreams of influencing other artists to join him in making Tambobo Bay an artist village.
