Aaron Virata Mempin and Mitzi De Castro-Parungao Transform Geometric Art Into Wearable Jewelry

The collaboration brings together geometric abstractionist Aaron Virata Mempin and jewelry designer Mitzi De Castro-Parungao to create a jewelry capsule. The project successfully merges the visual arts and fine jewelry markets by translating Mempin's two-dimensional geometric art into three-dimensional, wearable jewelry pieces.

The research and development process took several months because transforming the flat artwork into a physical earring required specialized care. Parungao had to work closely with a platero (blacksmith) to figure out a design mechanism that could securely house and adapt the geometric designs without damaging or exposing the original artwork.

Using silver dipped in yellow gold was a deliberate business decision made by Parungao to ensure that the collection's price points remained reachable for buyers while maintaining a luxurious aesthetic.

Jewelry appraisal guides indicate that small-batch jewelry produced directly by artists is valued higher than standard fine jewelry because the pieces are collected as tangible works of art. These capsules retain their capital or appreciate over time because they are considered an extension of the artist's official body of work.

The collaboration initially began as a fundraising initiative for the Rotary Club of Makati. To give back, a portion of the sales generated from the exhibition at Salcedo Auctions will go directly toward supporting the club's humanitarian projects.