Accompanied by a certificate issued by West Gallery confirming the authenticity of this lot

ABOUT THE WORK

The Barung-Barong has been a quintessential part of Mauro Malang Santos’s oeuvre. The majority of Philippine artists depicting the shanty urban house as a view of poverty with its “rusty tin and singles used for sidings and roof,” as said by critic Alfredo Roces, Malang’s angst-free depiction stood out. This jovial depiction of the Barung-Barong is evident in his 1982 work. Aptly titled Barung Barong, Malang’s sensibility in colors revitalizes the otherwise crowded houses. Loading the canvas in vibrant reds and warm colors, Malang’s barung-barong symbolizes resiliency and joy. The work’s vividness also highlights his innate understanding of colors and hues. “There is no color he avoids, no hue or shade that he cannot orchestrate in his palette,” says Cid Reyes. Indeed, the buoyancy with which he imbues Barung Barong truly emphasizes Malang’s luxuriantly dramatic colors; the piece seems to glow lush and capricious even as he depicts what others perceive as derelict. Indubitably Filipino in essence, Barung-Barong chooses to focus on the triumphant resolution of the people’s oft-difficult lives, highlighting the pleasure inherent in the Filipino that is central to many of Malang’s works, Barung-Barong included. (Hannah Valiente)