Christ, dogs, seated figures, cats, plants, windows, clowns, roosters, horses, and mother and child, these are some images that you come across in Ang Kiukok’s works. There is aggression, alienation, pain, and fear. He is known for deconstructing despair, yet also showing the devotion of the Philippine Spirit. 

 

Ang Kiukok is known as one of the Masters of Contemporary Philippine Art. Vita Sarenas said “He is an expressionist. When you look at a mother and child, it’s the feel. It’s the feeling you get. It’s not just the skill, but it’s the expression they bring out.” 

 

Vita recalled that Kiukok was sincere, dignified, straightforward, honest, and principled. He would not deal with just anybody. He does not express himself well through words, but he was able to express the human condition with shapes and shades. 

 

Ang Kiukok was born and raised in Davao City. He was born to a Filipino-Chinese family. He later on worked in Cotabato as an unpaid apprentice. There he was making billboards for movie theaters. In Davao, he learned to do realistic charcoal portraits from a commercial artist who came from Manila. 

 

He studied Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas. There he met Manansala, who was his teacher in watercolor and composition. Manansala later on became his mentor. In 1955, Kiukok assisted him in painting a mural at the National Press Club of the Philippines Building. 

 

In his third year of college, he had to postpone his studies because of financial difficulties. Despite that he had his first one-man show at the Contemporary Arts Gallery. Manansala encouraged him to have the show.

 

That was just the beginning for Ang Kiukok. His career as an artist spanned for decades. Throughout his career as an artist he exhibited in notable galleries like Philippine Art Gallery, Luz Gallery, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and Finale Art File. He had his first show with Finale in 1984, entitled “Four Masters, Four Worlds”. It was Finale Art File’s pioneer show and it formally opened the gallery. 

 

Ang Kiukok went through different phases throughout the years and it created his different styles. In 1958, he began his lyrical cubism stage. After his trip to America in 1965, he took a break from painting. When he began painting again, he painted robots and androids. His expressionism cubism stage began in 1968. During the Martial Law period, his works were known for depicting anguish and strong human emotions

 

In 1961, he was commissioned to do a mural at the Davao Insular Hotel in Davao City. In 1979, the National Manpower and Youth Council also commissioned him to do the mural entitled Men at Work. He had his first retrospective exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila in 2000.

 

Ang Kiukok had also won several awards for his paintings. In 1955, his work Calesa won 3rd prize in the Modern Art category in the 5th Shell National Students Art Competition. In 1959, his work Blind Musicians received a special award at the Art Association of the Philippines’ 12th Annual Art Exhibition, while his work Still Life attained an honorary mention at the AAP Semi-Annual Art Exhibition. In 1961, an international organization awarded him with an Outstanding Overseas Chinese Award. On November 15, 1962, his work Pieta won a bronze medal at the 1st International Art Exhibition in Saigon. In 1963, he won two awards at the Art Association of the Philippines’ Annual Exhibition. The first award was for Fish which won 2nd prize in the watercolor category. The second work was Still Life in Red which won 3rd prize in the oil painting division. In 1976, he won the Araw ng Maynila Award in Painting. In 1980, he received the Silver Medal at the Mobil Art Awards. 

 

In 1996, Seated Figure was his first work that was auctioned at Sotheby’s in Singapore. Afterwards his works would be included in the auctions of Sotheby’s and Christie’s. 

 

In 2001, he was awarded the National Artist Award by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Kiukok was an inspiration to many young artists and people throughout Asia. 

 

Ang Kiukok died on May 9, 2005. 

 

When Ang Kiukok was alive, there came a time when there were only two places to get his works; at his home or at the Finale Art File. These days most of Ang Kiukok’s works can be bought through auctions or consignments. Ang Kiukok has thousands of works. For anyone who wishes to authenticate or to know if their work is an authentic Ang Kiukok, they can bring it to Finale Art File, located at Warehouse 17, La Fuerza Compound, 2241 Chino Roces Ave, Makati City. The authentication process goes through Andrew Ang, the son of Ang Kiukok and  Evita Sarenas, who Ang Kiukok has entrusted to authenticate his works.

 

For more inquiries on authentication contact Finale Art File, either through the phone, 88132310, or email, finaleartfileinc@gmail.com. 

 

Sources:

 

Alfredo Roces. Kiukok: Deconstructing Despair. 2000. 

 

Ang Kiukok: 2001 National Artist for Visual Arts. Ateneo Art Gallery, https://ateneoartgallery.com/artist/ang-kiukok. Accessed March 21, 2025. 

 

Buying and Selling Art by : Ang Kiukok. Geringer Art, Ltd, https://www.geringerart.com/artists/ang-kiukok/. Accessed March 21, 2025. 

 

Order of National Artists: Ang Kiukok. GOVPH, https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/ang-kiukok/. Accessed March 21, 2025. 

 

Sarenas, Evita. Personal Interview. (Date)