New York-based artist Tara McPherson returns to Manila on February 8-9, 2012. This second visit is brought to you by Vinyl on Vinyl and Fully Booked.

Born in San Francisco in 1976 and raised in Los Angeles, McPherson received her BFA from the Art Center in Pasadena, California in August 2001. She graduated with honors in Illustration and a minor in Fine Art. She interned at Rough Draft Studios, and worked on Matt Groening’s Futurama during her college days.

McPherson exhibits her paintings and serigraphs in fine art galleries all over the world. Named the crown princess of poster art by ELLE Magazine, she has created numerous gig posters for acts like Beck, Greenday, Faith No More, Rilo Kiley, and the Melvins. She has also created toys for companies like Kidrobot, Dark Horse, and Toy2R; painting comics and covers for DC Vertigo; advertising and editorial illustrations for companies such as Wyden+Kennedy and Spin Magazine. McPherson also teaches at Parsons in New York.

Her work has appeared in the graphic novel Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall. She also did the cover of Bridget Jones’s Diary for the Penguin Tattoo series. Soon, Dark Horse took notice and her first book, Lonely Heart: the Art of Tara McPherson, was subsequently published. This was followed by Lost Constellations; The Art of Tara McPherson Vol II.

McPherson believes in creating art inspired by people and their odd ways. Her characters exude an idealized innocence with hard-earned wisdom glinting in their eyes. She draws inspiration from childhood issues from childhood and life experiences. Her images are thought-provoking and seductive. People and their relationships are a central theme in her work.

On her first visit to Manila in 2010, McPherson gave a talk at the International Multimedia Design Conference Graphika Manila. She also auctioned off several poster designs she did for bands, which local musicians performed covers of. This time, McPherson unveils her third book Bunny in the Moon for the very first time.

Fully Booked will prepare two dialog/books signings: one at the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, which will take place on February 8, 2012 (Wednesday) from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the SDA Cinema 12/F SDA Campus; the other will be at the University of the Philippines Diliman (U.P.) on February 9, 2012 (Thursday) from 1:00-3:30 p.m. at the U.P. College of Fine Arts Corridor Gallery.

The culminating event will take place during Vinyl on Vinyl’s second anniversary celebration, where McPherson will exhibit her original art and unveil a special Toy release, Lucius and Mountains, inspired by her legendary Melvins poster.

For more information, visit the Fully Booked website: www.fullybookedonline.com and the Vinyl on Vinyl blog – vinylonvinyl.blogspot.com.

UNO Magazine caught up with Tara McPherson 2 years ago, and here’s a 10 Question interview that we did with her.

TATTOO, the no. 1 most preferred broadband, unleashed its weapons for greatness in a daring resistance campaign against uniformity, mediocrity and limitations.

The goal is to break barriers and the battle cry is to resist. Thus, the Ayala Museum was transformed into a canvass as Tattoo brought to life the different forms of resistance. This multi-sensorial display featured four fascinating artworks that bore testament to the resistance movement with each artwork meticulously crafted by select individuals renowned in their field and known for their extraordinary vision.

Interpreting Resisting Uniformity through fashion is award winning fashion designer and milliner Mich Dulce with an installation that featured her latest creations. Resisting Mediocrity through multimedia arts is graphic design house Team Manila which presented their design that stood as a mixture of local pop culture. Resisting Limitations through form is the sculptural artwork of Leeroy New that carries his trademark of pushing the boundaries of imagination while Paul Zialcita displayed Resistance through sound as he performed his beats through mix of traditional and unconventional instruments creating a distinct rhythm. “This evening is very important for Tattoo as we bravely lead and share with you this revolution,” says Dong Ronquillo, Tattoo Head of Nomadic Broadband Business. “What is resistance exactly? It is not settling for anything less and always pushing the limits to achieve greatness. This is what Tattoo stands for and this year we continue on living without limits”.

Special performances that translated the Resistance movement through reel to real experiences were interpreted by model Jasmine Maierhofer, the Hot Legs dancers and live poetry reading by Niña Terol and Paul Zialcita. Tattoo’s new faces of greatness were also unveiled: the Filipino Flash Nonito Donaire, Master Model Georgina Wilson and Chicosci lead vocalist and Rock Rebel Miggy Chavez.  Guests were given a chance to get up close and personal with Georgina and Miggy as they shared the significance of this revolution and how they resist and break the norms to become great in their chosen field.

Globe President and Chief Executive Officer Ernest Cu and the trade partners of Globe graced the event hosted by Sarah Meier – Albano.  Tattoo’s brand ambassadors race car champion Marlon Stockinger, cyber superstar Saab Magalona and Ford Supermodel of the World 2010 Danica Magpantay and art diva Sarah Gaugler were also at the event to show their support to the new campaign. Other celebrities spotted during the Tattoo Resistance launch were Raymond Gutierrez, Divine Lee, Angeli Pangilinan, Pia Magalona, Frank Magalona, RJ Ledesma, Borgy Manotoc, Rovilson Fernandez, Rhett Eala and JR Isaac.

Tattoo continues to push the boundaries in connectivity, delivering unparalleled  service with 4G, better devices, wider reach and faster speeds at unbeatable value.

Resist against the mediocre offers of other brands with the Tattoo 4G Flash at P1245 which runs at a speed of up to 7.2 mbps with free 120 hours valid for 5 days plus free surfing on Facebook for 30 days.

Resisting Limitations, Tattoo subscribers may now enjoy ultimate non-stop surfing for 3 days with SUPERSURF for only P120, avoiding the hassle of daily registration.

Resisting uniformity, the New Tattoo Postpaid Personalized Plan at a baseplan of only P999 a month comes with unlimited surfing at a speed of up to 7.2 mbps.

It’s time to resist. Join the resistance and choose your weapon. Visit www.tattoo.globe.com.ph.

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By Denise Mallabo

Photos by Magic Liwanag

The last time pop star Katy Perry was here in Manila three years ago, she played alongside Journey’s Arnel Pineda and Neal Schon and the band MAE at a benefit concert for the survivors of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. She was warmly accepted by her adoring fans– mostly teens during that time– so it was no surprise she was here again just recently for a bigger and grander concert. Manila was the last stop of her California Dreams 2012 Tour. The show started at 8pm with Los Angeles-based DJ Skeet Skeet pumping up the crowd with an hour-long mix. About another hour later, the lights dimmed and a video narrative was played. A few minutes after that, Katy, sporting a dress adorned with swirl candy-looking contraptions, kicked things off with her song “Teenage Dream.” Her stage looked like candy land had just been transported there, and her dancers, wearing equally colorful costumes, were really good. She sang all of her hits, from “Waking up in Vegas” to “Hot n’ Cold,” “Peacock” to “I Kissed a Girl” when she pulled model Ivan Dorschner onstage and planted a kiss on his cheek, which he also gave her in return. The laser light show as she sang “E.T.” was really impressive. A favorite moment of mine was when she sang a toned-down version of “The One That Got Away.” Here her voice was so controlled I found it very moving. Katy ended the concert with “California Girls” and  blasted everyone with water and bubbles. The audience bounced beach balls around and everybody was showered with confetti. She definitely saved the best country for the last leg of her tour.

There are strange times in every child’s life, times when reality blurs with imagination. Most children forget this when they enter adulthood. Some, like Lila, chose to live with its scars.

Strange Times

All children have been told at one time or another by their mothers not to do certain things, go to certain places, or associate with certain people. But every child will have disobeyed at least one of these warnings, and the consequences will have shaped the people they will eventually become.

Strange Times is a loose chronicle of a girl named Lila who is continually disobeying her mother’s warnings. Choosing to err on the side of imagination and exploration, Lila takes risks and lives with the consequences, which can run from the dark to the delightful.

The exhibit is a collaboration between The Curious Studio’s Wiji Lacsamana and award-winning horror writer Yvette Tan, with Tan writing a sentence, Lacsamana painting what she envisioned, and Tan creating a story from the resulting painting and rendering it in calligraphy.

You are all invited to the exhibit of Wiji Lacsamana and Yvette Tan called Strange Times on February 11, 2012 at the Pablo X located at 2289 Pasong Tamo Extension, UPRC III Building, Makati City. Wiji Lacsamana is a tattoo artist and freelance graphic illustrator and Yvette Tan is a multi-awarded Manila based horror writer.

Late last year, American alternative rock band Death Cab for Cutie announced that they will have a concert in Singapore on March of this year. So here I though they would pass by the opportunity to play here in Manila, but the music gods (and Warner Music Philippines) listened to every Filipino DCFC fans’ prayer so on March 5, 2012 Death Cab for Cutie will have a one night only concert at the NBC tent!

Tickets are already available today at Ticketnet.

UNO Magazine’s contributors Sarah Meier – Albano and Vicky Herrera will be launching their book entitled Unscripted on December 15, 2011 at the Fully Booked High Street. Enjoy reading their interviews with Lourd de Veyra, Tessa Prieto – Valdes, Raimund Marasigan, Kate Torralba, Gang Badoy and more. The book will be available at all Fully Booked outlets really soon!

Life2short Production presents the Manila premiere of ‘A Week In Metro Manila: Up Dharma Down’ this Saturday, November 12 at Capone’s A-Venue. Music and screening starts at 9pm.

For ticket inquiries, visit http://updharmadown.tumblr.com for details.

UNO Magazine: Human Nature Photography Fashion Show Event Highlights from Emeric Fernandez on Vimeo.

UNO Magazine brings you the second installment of a series of events held at the Genting Club dubbed “Human Nature Photography Fashion Show, “ on Friday, October 7. The event showcases the photographs of GT Toledo, president of IlustradosPH, a group of young photographers, stylists, make-up artists and the like, as a tribute to mother nature, focusing on the basic elements of nature: Earth, Wind, Fire, Water. These photographs will then be brought to life by make up artists of Make Up Forever using the human body as their canvas. The show promises to be an extravaganza of Filipino ingenuity through art.

This is also a fundraising event supported by the Manila Shrine Club for the benefit of burned and crippled children. The Manila Shrine Club supports children up to 18 years old with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft palate.