Provenance: Private Collection, Manila

ABOUT THE WORK

Mauro Malang Santos’ art has always exhibited a very Filipino character. Since his early days as a cartoonist, through his breakthrough show and numerous accolades, Malang’s works had featured his penchant for illustrating the travails of life in the big city. Over time, these creations evolved stylistically as Malang grew more mature, developing his unique approach to abstraction — with much of his later works depicting Filipina women, from mothers to market vendors, going about their days. This work from 1997 is a fine example of Malang’s distinct style; a potent and unique modernist approach with strong Filipino context.