Jun 4, 2009

on the road - found art

I can't lie around and be lazy. I am a Thing-Finder, and when you're a Thing-Finder you don't have a minute to spare. The whole world is full of things, and somebody has to look for them.
- Pippi, from the book Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, published in 1945



What inspires one to take a discarded object, decide to grant it a second lease on life and create a masterpiece out of it? Born with two left hands, I certainly will never know. I only know that turning the ordinary into the extraordinary is an amazing feat. Often times we have the chance to admire these found object sculptures in galleries and exhibits. And sometimes we chance upon them in the unexpected places.


When my fairy godmother invited us to fly down south, spend time at her home and wander around a relatively unexplored seaside town, it took us all of five seconds to say yes. A day after sucking in the fresh air and savoring our favorite treats from Bacolod, we were all set to begin our adventure. The ride to Sipalay, located on the Southwestern coast of Negros, seemed nothing out of the ordinary.


As we stepped into the clear waters and onto the shores of Sugar Beach, our eyes were instantly drawn to a burst of color in between the trees. This place was far from ordinary.


Taka Tuka Lodge, owned and operated by two extremely creative Swiss brothers, was nothing we had ever seen before. Drawn by their desire to create and inspired by the travel adventures of Pippi Longstocking, Marc and Kalle who now call the Philippines home, left us very little time to be idle. Every nook and cranny was an assault on our senses.


This is the path leading to the eight rooms. Not one room was alike

The Mak-Tatos' favorite picks: the Pirate Ship and Dinosaur Cave rooms

Tato was in disbelief. "I'm too busy here!" He wanted to see and touch everything. I think he practically did.
There was a stapler, a gameboy console and a computer keyboard for a light switch. We had a daffy duck squeaky toy as our service bell and a vacuum cleaner for a faucet.

Rinsing our hands and feet was never this fun


"It's a beautiful, crazy house." Mak concluded. I couldn't have summed it up better. Crazy beautiful indeed.

4 comments:

Nona said...

very cool! and all the way in sipalay... who would have thought?

Cely said...

Another taste of heaven on earth. And what an amazingly beautiful Lodge! (and I don't say that because it's a swiss creation, haha.)
Hope you'll post more pictures on your own corner soon. Your photos make me want to go there right now!!

Nana said...

I think you would have loved it and felt very much at home, Cely!

JavyO said...

Aliw! Something like VOCAS but much more colorful :)