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Ang Kiukok (1931-2005)
Named National Artist in Visual Arts in 2001, Ang Kiukok was a dynamic artist known for his unconventional paintings that bordered on the disturbing and expressed nationalism and social consciousness. Having a style that is often called “figurative expressionism” for being representational, his works reflect violence and social terrors. Because they depict harsh truths in life, they remained unappreciated until the mid-1980’s when Ang finally established himself as a top-seller. Since then, he had become the best-selling Filipino artist in auctions aside from Fernando Amorsolo, another National Artist. His art can be found in major collections like the National Museum, Cultural Center of the Philippines, National Historical Museum of Taipei, National Museum in Singapore, Ateneo Art Gallery, and National Historical Commission.
On March 1, 1931, Ang Kiukok was born in Davao City to Chinese immigrants Vicente Ang and Chin Lim. During his early years, he trained in Chinese arts, with a particular focus in brush and ink. In 1952, he entered the University of Santo Tomas’ College of Architecture and Fine Arts, birthplace of the modernist art movement in the Philippines, and took up art studies until 1954. He was mentored by National Artist Vicente Manansala, and also had Victorio Edades, Carlos Francisco, Galo Ocampo and Italian sculptor Francesco Monti as his professors. He later taught art in a school for overseas Chinese.
Ang had his first solo show at the Contemporary Arts Gallery in 1954. This was followed by another at the Philippine Art Gallery 1 in 1956. His works were also displayed in Taipei in 1958 as a young overseas Chinese artist. Aside from this, he had several exhibits in other countries like Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, the Netherlands, Canada, and the United States, and won major prizes in the Shell and the Art Association of the Philippines contests.
Perhaps one of his greatest honors was when the Metropolitan Museum of Manila held a retrospective of his works in the year 2000. This is a rare distinction, as this had only been granted to Amorsolo and Manansala before him.
On May 9, 2005, Ang Kiukok succumbed to prostate cancer at the age of 74.
Ang’s major works include:
• 1962 – Pieta, which won him the bronze medal in the 1st International Art Exhibition in Saigon
• 1969 – Geometric Landscape
• 1972 – Last Supper
• 1974 – Cockfight
• 1976 – Crucifixion
• 1979 – Seated Figure, which was auctioned at Sotheby’s, Singapore
• 1987 – Mother and Child
Achievements:
• 1961 – Outstanding Overseas Chinese in Art Award
• 1976 – Outstanding Citizen, awarded by the City of Manila
• 1978 – UST Outstanding Alumnus Award
• 1978 – Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award, from the City of Manila
• 1980 – Mobil Art Award
• 2002 – Jose Rizal Award for Excellence, from The Manila Times and the Kaisa Foundation
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