Ang Kiukok
Remembering him through his art
Artists leave an indelible mark to the society. They are the kind of people who just don’t fade away.
The recently held art exhibit at the SM City in Davao City features the work of national artist for visual arts Ang Kiukok, a true-blue Dabawenyo who died on May 9, 2005.
Ten years after his death and even with his remains already resting at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ cemetery), Ang Kiukok’s works stood the test of time. Locals and tourists alike will be amazed at how the artist expressed himself through his visual acumen.
The solo art exhibition was organized by the Finale Art File and SM City Davao to bring a homecoming of sorts to the artist who had left the city when he was just a teenager
to study Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, according to an e-mail sent by SM City to Sun.Star Davao.
Ang Kiukok’s art adorned the Annex Event Center and will be available for the public to see until October 3 after it was launched last September 28.
The exhibition is part of the mall’s campaign dubbed as “My City, My SM, My Art” as a way of celebrating Philippine visual arts by featuring the works of masters, modernists, and millennials around SM Supermalls.
Twenty works on paper by Ang Kiukok which were created during the 1970s and 1980s have been gathered for the exhibit after being kept from public eyes for decades now. This is the first time it is shown to the public.
Other artworks that are featured also include the masterpieces of young artists Kent Medenilla of Toril, Davao City, Judelyn Mae Villarta who had spent her younger years in Bukidnon, Jester Oani of Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte, Boylin Poral Jr., Soon Unlang, Charles Ligan, Jr., Joffry P. Casan, and Alynnah Bacalso Macla.
Indeed, such great works by Ang Kiukok are worthy of praise. His legacy is here to stay.