For years, furniture designer Milo Naval has been known for creating pieces with natural materials, restrained forms, and timeless craftsmanship. His pieces have been exhibited around the world. This July, he revealed a different side of his creative practice.

With "Yakisugi," his first solo exhibition, on view until August 22 at Aphro in Makati City, Naval presents mixed-media works inspired by the Japanese technique of preserving wood through charring and the elemental forces of nature. For the first time, he steps away from functional design to present work driven purely by personal expression. "I want to show more of myself. I don't want to stop with furniture. This is more self-expression than my usual work."

The opportunity came unexpectedly. During a meeting arranged by longtime friend Luis Espiritu, Milo met Aphro founder Tina Fernandez, who invited him to mount a show at the gallery's creative space at The Alley at Karrivin. Curator Christina "Ling" Quisumbing Ramilo also joined the project. Just a month and a half later, the exhibition was complete. "When things should come together, they come together," Milo recalls.

Working with wood for decades naturally led him to yakisugi, a centuries-old Japanese technique that preserves timber by carefully charring its surface instead of relying on chemical treatments. "Since I'm in the business where I do a lot with wood, I'm always in search of how to preserve it," he says.

He was drawn not only to the technique's sustainability but also to its visual qualities. "One good thing is that you preserve wood without using chemicals. It's natural.”

Long used in his furniture as statement pieces, charred wood now becomes the exhibition's defining visual language. He also hopes to encourage younger audiences to appreciate this process. "One of my intentions is to introduce younger people to this traditional method."

Earth, water, air, and fire lead the exhibition, interpreted through charred wood, wicker, galvanized steel, and glass. While these forces are often viewed as destructive, Milo hopes viewers will see them differently. "Sometimes people fear that. I want people not to fear these things, but to see the beauty in what they fear."

Charred wood represents fire's ability to destroy and preserve, while glass and galvanized steel capture rain, changing weather, and the passing of seasons. Geometric forms provide contrast to these raw materials, encouraging viewers to look at nature's forces from a different perspective.

Although Milo has spent decades designing furniture for clients around the world, art offered him a different kind of freedom. "With design, you think of your clients and who you're creating for," he explains. "Here, I just want to show myself. I just want to express myself."

That perspective isn't entirely new. "I'm basically a naturalist. I like using natural materials." Even when exhibiting abroad, he remained committed to expressing his roots. "When I was doing shows abroad, I wanted to present where I come from. The materials became part of my identity."

For Tina, his work felt suited to Aphro. "What initially drew me to his works is their quiet power. They invite you to slow down and look. He transforms common everyday materials through fire, resulting in something contemplative and emotionally resonant."

Yakisugi may reveal a different side of Milo Naval, but it remains grounded in the same appreciation for natural materials and craftsmanship that has shaped his career.