In a rare meeting of materials, generations, and artistic legacies, REBIRTH brings together stone artist and entrepreneur David Kaufman and legendary glass sculptor Ramon Orlina — widely regarded as the father of Philippine glass sculpture — in a pioneering collaboration that seeks to merge two seemingly opposing worlds: stone and glass.

The story was captured through the lens of Open For Business, NET25’s business and lifestyle program, in an exclusive interview that explored not only the artistry behind the exhibit, but also the courage, discipline, and transformation required to create something rarely seen in Philippine art.

At the heart of REBIRTH is contrast. Stone carries weight, permanence, and the memory of the earth, while glass carries light, reflection, transparency, and movement. Together, they are difficult materials — almost resistant to each other. Kaufman described the challenge plainly: he is “finding ways to marry stone and glass because it doesn’t want to mix. It’s like oil and water.” Yet it is precisely this resistance that gives the collaboration its force.

A first-of-its-kind collaboration

For Orlina, who has spent decades building his name around glass, the collaboration opens a new artistic possibility. Asked whether he had encountered anything similar in his years of work and international exposure, Orlina answered: “No, I don’t see anything… with marble and glass. This will be the first time.”

The project is not only symbolic — it is technical, physical, and demanding. As revealed in the interview, stone and glass require more than inspiration. They require teams, machinery, cutters, grinders, drills, adhesives, polishers, logistics, and deep knowledge of material behavior. Kaufman noted that both glass and stone artistry rely on skilled workers and complex systems. “To do stone, you cannot do it on your own also,” he said.

A young artist meets a master

What makes REBIRTH remarkable is not only the combination of materials, but also the meeting of two artists at different points in their creative journeys. Kaufman acknowledged the weight of being chosen by Orlina, whose previous collaborators include some of the biggest names in Philippine art. “I don’t know why I am here,” Kaufman recalled telling the public during the vernissage. “It’s like a miracle.”

Still, Kaufman saw in Orlina a rare openness — a master artist willing to look beyond titles and reputation. “The thing is, he saw my passion,” Kaufman said. “That just shows how the great Ramon Orlina is not looking at titles.”

Orlina, for his part, affirmed Kaufman’s discipline and skill. Asked what made the collaboration worth attaching his name to, Orlina said: “He’s good in what he’s doing… He knows what to do. He knows what sculpt of marble. I know what glass.” That recognition, coming from a master, became more than praise — it became a passing of trust.

The meaning of rebirth

For Kaufman, the title REBIRTH carries several meanings. It begins with material transformation. During the pandemic, when traditional art materials became difficult to access, he started creating art from whatever was available — wood, stone, cement, steel, and other overlooked materials. “That’s where I began to view art as something that can be created from anything,” he said.

The title also reflects Kaufman’s own transition from businessman to artist. He described the materials used in the project as “unused, unloved, disregarded material” from the factory that were eventually given new life. He added that while his former career focused on the commercial side of stone, art allowed him to be “reborn as an artist.”

The rebirth extends to the collaboration itself: two different materials, two different generations, and two different disciplines creating something entirely new. “And so like Mr. Orlina is becoming reborn also,” Kaufman said. “I’m changing because of him… and Orlina is also evolving because of me.”

A master who still chooses risk

One of the most moving aspects of the story is Orlina’s willingness to continue experimenting. Already firmly established in Philippine art history, Orlina could have remained comfortably within the style that made him famous. Instead, he chose to take risks once more and explore unfamiliar territory.

Kaufman described this as the mark of a true artist. “People want his glass. They treat it like an investment. But he’s now changing to something that he doesn’t know if it’s going to be a success. That’s a risk,” he said.

Asked about the theme of REBIRTH, Orlina offered a simple but powerful reflection: “There’s always… something to do. So, this is something I think I can do something better than.” It is a statement that reveals the heart of the exhibit: mastery is not the end of experimentation. Sometimes, true mastery is the courage to begin again.

An act of culture

For Kaufman, the collaboration is not primarily a commercial undertaking — it is a cultural offering. “This is really an act of culture. It’s for art, and it’s for the Philippines. It has nothing to do with money,” he said.

He also recognized the historical weight of working alongside Orlina, saying the project is “not just a personal work” but something that “will be historical.” Through REBIRTH, viewers encounter more than sculpture. The exhibit becomes a meditation on transformation: discarded material finding form, stone learning to carry light, a younger artist finding a stronger voice, and a master artist expanding his legacy.

Some exhibitions are made to be seen. REBIRTH feels made to be remembered. Because in the end, this is not only about stone and glass — it is about what happens when weight learns to shine, when what was unused, unfinished, or overlooked is given another chance to become something beautiful.

REBIRTH may be viewed until May 8, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, at the 4th Floor, MC Home Depot, Uptown Palazzo, Bonifacio Global City. Watch the full interview with David Kaufman and Ramon Orlina soon on Open For Business on NET25.