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Lot Essay
Born in the outskirts of Davao City, Philippines, Ang Kiukok came from a family of Chinese migrants. His family owned a small sari-sari store – a neighbourhood sundry store found in The Philippines – but for Ang, enterprise was not his passion, spending afternoons in the store drawing at the counter. When his school invited Chinese artist Tan Kok King to teach Arts and Crafts, Ang's artistic talents caught the eye of the teacher. Ang even took up an unpaid apprenticeship with a commercial artist in the summer of 1947, painting billboards for moviehouses in Cotabo. Upon graduation from high school, he finally mustered the courage to tell his family that he wished to become an artist.
Crucifixion (Lot 533) is a masterpiece that depicts one of the religious motifs often painted by Ang in his distinctive Philippine Modernist style, which focuses heavily on the distribution of colours and forms. Heaving studied under Filipino modern master Vincente Manansala, Ang was heavily influenced by the Philippine Modernist developments that emerged of the 1950s and 60s. At that time, other Modernists such as Romeo Tabuena and Arturo Luz were also exploring new ways of representing the world as a way to set themselves apart as a movement from the romantic 'Amorsolo school', as well as from one another, reshaping and distilling forms found in nature. However, unlike the Modernists who focused heavily on the hierarchy of forms, Ang marries his Cubist structures with emotionally-charged subjects, to develop his own "Expressionist-Cubism" innovative approach that is deeply focused on his own emotional state, rather than mere representations of objects; style and substance come together to create a masterpiece.
For Ang, the Crucifixion motif is not an image of reverence or religious devotion. Rather, it takes on something more symbolic: Ang's personal desire to paint what he feels, rather than to just rehash themes within the canon of religious art. Ang employs the use of Cubist visual vernacular – which he no doubt encountered during his trip to Paris – with the motif of intersecting planar forms across the background of Crucifixion. However, he adds his own unique style by paring down his colour palette and creating dramatic juxtapositions through his dramatic use of colours, giving his works the effect of stained glass he no doubt saw in the Catholic churches in his homeland of Philippines; Here, the largely monochromatic palette is off-set by his restrained and precisely chosen use of red. Modernist overtures are found in his use of thorns as a decorative visual pattern, reducing the classical religious tones of crucifixion to a symbol. This is further emphasised by the obscured face of Christ, rejecting the emotions of pathos, freeing it from its religious connotations and opening it to a myriad of interpretations. Crucifixion is a superb example of Ang's masterful techniques and years of experimentation, and a testament to why his works are highly sought-after and difficult to come by.
Ang's contributions to the visual culture of The Philippines were recognised by the nation when he was awarded the title of National Artist by his home country in 2001, cementing him in the pantheon of modern Southeast Asian art.
Crucifixion (Lot 533) is a masterpiece that depicts one of the religious motifs often painted by Ang in his distinctive Philippine Modernist style, which focuses heavily on the distribution of colours and forms. Heaving studied under Filipino modern master Vincente Manansala, Ang was heavily influenced by the Philippine Modernist developments that emerged of the 1950s and 60s. At that time, other Modernists such as Romeo Tabuena and Arturo Luz were also exploring new ways of representing the world as a way to set themselves apart as a movement from the romantic 'Amorsolo school', as well as from one another, reshaping and distilling forms found in nature. However, unlike the Modernists who focused heavily on the hierarchy of forms, Ang marries his Cubist structures with emotionally-charged subjects, to develop his own "Expressionist-Cubism" innovative approach that is deeply focused on his own emotional state, rather than mere representations of objects; style and substance come together to create a masterpiece.
For Ang, the Crucifixion motif is not an image of reverence or religious devotion. Rather, it takes on something more symbolic: Ang's personal desire to paint what he feels, rather than to just rehash themes within the canon of religious art. Ang employs the use of Cubist visual vernacular – which he no doubt encountered during his trip to Paris – with the motif of intersecting planar forms across the background of Crucifixion. However, he adds his own unique style by paring down his colour palette and creating dramatic juxtapositions through his dramatic use of colours, giving his works the effect of stained glass he no doubt saw in the Catholic churches in his homeland of Philippines; Here, the largely monochromatic palette is off-set by his restrained and precisely chosen use of red. Modernist overtures are found in his use of thorns as a decorative visual pattern, reducing the classical religious tones of crucifixion to a symbol. This is further emphasised by the obscured face of Christ, rejecting the emotions of pathos, freeing it from its religious connotations and opening it to a myriad of interpretations. Crucifixion is a superb example of Ang's masterful techniques and years of experimentation, and a testament to why his works are highly sought-after and difficult to come by.
Ang's contributions to the visual culture of The Philippines were recognised by the nation when he was awarded the title of National Artist by his home country in 2001, cementing him in the pantheon of modern Southeast Asian art.