Since time immemorial, we have been using our bodies as living canvasses to express personal beliefs.
Filipinos, for one, have a deep historical and cultural connection to tattoos. Pre-colonial Philippine tribes in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao adorned their bodies with tattoos to signify a rite of passage, status, beauty, or as marks of bravery in battle.
The first documentation of Filipino tattooing was in the late 1500s, when Spanish colonizers labeled the heavily tattooed natives of a Visayan tribe as Los Pintados (The Painted Ones), mistaking their tattoos for paint. The indigenous peoples residing in north Luzon — especially among the Bontoc, Kalinga, and Ifugao people — practiced tattoo rituals (pagbabatuk).
However, tattoos have become taboo over the years and became a symbol of unprofessionalism. Fortunately, this perception has changed in recent times. No longer just for sailors, convicts, gang members, or rock stars, tattoos have steadily become a cool thing again. The rich culture of tattooing in the Philippines has even gained popularity, with local and foreign travelers heading up the mountains of Buscalan, Kalinga to get inked by Apo Whang Od, the last mambabatok (Kalinga tattooist).
Tattoos are now seen as a form of art and self-expression and have gained a new tribe in bartenders and baristas — individuals who reveal their hearts when they roll up their sleeves and wear their passions on their skin as they concoct and serve potions for the thirsty masses.
Bartenders and baristas are artists and works of art themselves. The ink on their skin has become part of their uniforms yet still expresses individuality that makes them stand out. These tattoos provide bartenders and baristas with constant reminders of a particular drink, vision, aspiration, special event, or a career milestone.
Giffard, the makers of fine French syrups and liqueurs, shares the appreciation of this artistry and launched Spirit of Art: Exploring Bartending, Art, and Tattoo Culture, which provides a glance into the secret lives of drink makers and a dive into the interlaced worlds of tattoo and mixology: a blend of creations, stories, passions, and personalities.
Two years ago, Giffard also launched a Spirit of Art – Tattooed Bartenders in Asia, which covered the rich cocktail cultures of Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur. This year, Giffard takes the movement further to other parts of Asia.
Giffard, with the help of Savoroso Inc. (the exclusive distributors of Giffard in the Philippines), chose 15 bartenders and baristas to participate in the Manila series of Spirit of Art. From June 15 onwards, the Manila Series will feature a bartender or on Giffard Asia Pacific’s social media pages. Spirit of Art is all about storytelling, so each profile includes portraits, signature cocktails, and their stories.
Carmela Benipayo – C+P Cafe Pub
Cedric Cello – Ms. Gee
Enzo Luna – Run Rabbit Run
Francis Gabriel Fulgencio – Toyo Eatery
Giann Buenavista – The Curator Coffee & Cocktails
Ian Sedrick Libang – The Spirits Library
Jason Hussein Ali – The Peak at Grand Hyatt Manila
Josephus Bryan David Cudera – Revel at The Palace
Kayo Cosio – Honeycomb Manila
Kiara Opeda – Limbo
Larry Guevara – Destileria Limtuaco Museum
Sciemon Maquirang – The Curator Coffee & Cocktails
Sharleen Guevara – Destileria Limtuaco Museum
Steve Balgos – Buccaneers Rum & Cocktails
Vanessa Rabadon – Nokal
The portraits of the bartenders were documented by local talent, Sonny Thakur.
Giffard is currently working on a second edition of Spirit of Art following its successful launch in 2018. The series will include Bali, Jakarta, Manila and Ho Chi Minh City planned to be released later this year.
Follow the Spirit Of Art – Manila Tattooed Bartenders/Baristas daily from June 15th onwards on Giffard Asia Pacific’s Instagram and Facebook pages. And the hashtags #Giffard #GiffardAsiaPacific #SpiritOfArt #TattooedBartenders #TattooedBaristas
Follow Giffard Asia Pacific on www.instragram.com/giffardasiapacific and www.facebook.com/giffardasiapacific for more updates.
* * *
About Giffard
The Giffard company, an independent and family-owned business for over 130 years since 1885, produces liqueurs, crèmes de fruits, and syrups distributed in France and abroad. The liqueur-maker from Angers, France crafts its products with tradition and authenticity to preserve their natural quality, while making innovation and respect for the environment and its core values.
Giffard shares in this appreciation of artistry, making it a natural choice for discerning drink creators with a true love for the craft. The French, family-owned producer prides itself on quality and authenticity.
