Woven in Brass: Septième Rebelle Series
by Michael Cacnio

Hailing from Malabon, Philippines, Michael Cacnio is a celebrated sculptor and a proud graduate of the College of Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. Though he began his creative journey as a painter, it was in the malleable brilliance of brass that he discovered his true artistic voice. Over the decades, Cacnio has become known for transforming this traditionally industrial material into expressions of tenderness, nostalgia, and human spirit. A Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardee in 2006, he has exhibited in Brussels, New York, Philadelphia, Singapore, Japan, and across Asia and Europe.

This November 25, 2025, Charlie’s Art Gallery proudly presents Woven in Brass: Septième Rebelle Series — a new chapter in Cacnio’s artistic evolution.

In this collection, Michael Cacnio explores the intersections of metal and fabric, strength and softness, structure and flow. The works are inspired by the world of Septième Rebelle, a Manila-based fashion house known for its bold silhouettes, fearless craftsmanship, and contemporary reimagining of Filipino heritage. The brand — whose name translates to “Seventh Rebel” — celebrates individuality and rebellion through design, marrying modern tailoring with the spirit of local artistry.

Through Woven in Brass, Cacnio translates the fluid language of textiles into the permanence of metal. Draped brass mimics the folds of cloth, while delicate weaves and textures emerge from molten rigidity. The result is a dialogue between two creative worlds — fashion and sculpture — each reflecting the other’s rhythm, grace, and resistance.

If his earlier works captured the poetry of everyday life — the boy with a kite, the mother and child, the fisherman at sea — this new series turns inward, toward the artistry of form itself. Here, Cacnio celebrates not only memory but movement, not only life’s stories but its textures. The shimmer of brass becomes fabric; the sculptor’s hand becomes a designer’s thread.

In Woven in Brass, Michael Cacnio once again proves that the ordinary can be transcendent — that rebellion, beauty, and craftsmanship can indeed be woven together in gold and grace.