“Apo Whang-od” mosaic displayed in PH Int’l Furniture Show turned over to Kalinga PLGU

Tabuk City, Kalinga – The provincial government of Kalinga led by Governor James Edduba now holds the wooden mosaic of the world-renowned “Apo Whang-od” following the ceremonial turnover held Monday, May 08, at the Kalinga Sports Center.

Italian wood artist Maestro Luca Vezzaro crafted the “Ink Queen” as his token of appreciation for the country’s national artist for her long-time career as a tattoo artist, says Provincial Tourism Officer Lorraine Ngao-i.

Maestro Luca is the Vice President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and the Chief Executive Officer of Four Legged Tiles, Inc., producing handmade ceramic tiles with intricate designs inspired by Filipino culture and tradition.

His mosaic of Apo Whang-od measures 120 cm x 240 cm and is composed of 7,200 tiny, handmade, hand-carved, and hand-painted wooden mosaic tiles. Maestro Luca, along with his team who are Filipinos, used top-quality, kiln-dried, imported solid wood as a canvas.

The mosaic painting was exhibited during the Philippine International Furniture Show conducted in March at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

According to Ngao-i, the said masterpiece is being displayed at the Provincial Tourism Information Center.

Receiving the artwork, Edduba expressed gratitude to the artist for portraying the Dangal ng Haraya Awardee for Intangible Cultural Heritage.

After the turnover, Maestro Luca and the team went to Buscalan to meet the “Ink Queen” in person. Once there, Luca was inked with the traditional three-dot tattoo signature of the legendary “mambabatok.”

“Such was the honor for Maestro Luca in being able to create Art for this living legend that the pain and long journey had been all worth it,” stated the Four-Legged Tiles.

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