This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File confirming the authenticity of this lot

ABOUT THE WORK

Safe, soothingly-pretty subjects are not Ang Kiukok’s cup of tea. He knows life isn't a bed of roses...at least, not roses without thorns. His works are intense: Ang Kiukok uses distortion for strong impact. With Kiukok, the penchant to idealize and beautify has become a thing of the past. There are, however, images that are more tranquil, restoring the world of familiar occupations and habits, but nonetheless always with a strange and simmering temper. Among these are the fishermen casting their nets in the sea and carrying their prize catch on their shoulders — imagery that harks back to his childhood in Davao by the sea. Ang Kiukok also created taut compositions of familiar rural occupations such as the farmers in “Harvest” (2004). He first attained prominence in the Philippine arts scene in the 1960s with a distinct style that fused influences from cubism, surrealism and expressionism, others merely called it scary. What could not be doubted was the violence in his imagery, a factor that slighted the commercial viability of his works until the 1980s. Sharply dissonant colors mark “Harvest”, which was done just a year before the artist’s death.