Ang Kiukok Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1931 - d. 2005

Born in 1931 in the Philippines, artist and painter Ang Kiukok enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas in the Art Studies program. There he was taught and mentored by the esteemed Filipino Cubist painter and illustrator, Vicente Manansala. In the 1960s, Kiukok rose to fame in his home country. In 1962, Kiukok's painting Pieta won bronze in the 1st International Art Exhibition in Saigon. Some classified his controversial style as figurative expressionism. Artist Ang Kiukok's valuable artwork often displays enraged, screaming figures in chains. His abstracts also depict rabid dogs and the crucified Christ. However, other Ang Kiukok abstract paintings show the gentler side of the artist's work when the subject is a mother lovingly and protectively embracing her young child. Ang Kiukok’s Fishermen sold for $1.2 million in 2017. Find valuable abstract paintings online to proclaim your interest in Cubism, Surrealism, and Expressionism.

Read Full Artist Biography

0 Lots

Sort By:

Dec. 02, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) - Still Life
Est: ₱700,000 - ₱910,000
Still Life signed and dated 1974 (lower right) oil on wood 15” x 12” (38 cm x 30 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File confirming the authenticity of this lot WRITE UPAng Kiukok’s body of work is known for its sheer visceral quality. Exaggerated and simplified with strong color palettes, his works are consistently striking and powerful. Though known particularly for his multiple depictions of Christ crucified, Kiukok employs his cubist-like figures to portray quintessential Filipino topics like a woman with her child, rabid dogs, battling cocks, and other vicious subjects. In Juan T. Gatbonton’s words, “In a Kiukok painting, figures are much more than decorative, they are abstract vessels of nightmare emotion – pain, suffering, panic, terror.” In his 1974 Still Life, Kiukok deviates from his violent subject matters to depict the titular still life painting. However, while the usual focal points are missing, Kiukok’s signature line, form, and colors are present. His still life works become an avenue for him to expertly display his mastery of harmonious imagery. Kiukok’s works have been widely exhibited locally and internationally and in 2001, he was conferred National Artist for Visual Arts by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. (Hannah Valiente)
Leon Gallery
Dec. 02, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) - Crucifixion
Est: ₱1,800,000 - ₱2,340,000
Crucifixion signed and dated 1991 (lower right) oil on canvas 36” x 12” (91 cm x 30 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE: Finale Art File, Makati City WRITE UPReligious iconography has figured prominently in Ang Kiukok’s oeuvre. However, Ang’s depiction of famous religious scenes, especially those of Christ’s passion and death, explicitly puts at the forefront the profane rather than the sacred. In this work aptly titled Crucifixion, Kiukok depicts the Santo Cristo Moribundo or the “Dead Christ.” The Arma Christi, or the instruments of passion—the cross, the nails, and the crown of thorns, figure prominently and, at first glance, represent afflictions and tribulations, the instruments of oppression and torture. But in actuality, Kiukok presents his compelling commentary on humanity’s inhumanity to their own fellow. In his own words, published in Alfredo Roces’ monograph titled Kiukok: Deconstructing Despair, Kiukok once said: “The Crucifixion symbolizes suffering. What I express is suffering. But things in the world are still the same. Nothing has changed. Christ suffered, and the people still behave in the same way. Today, as I have painted His image, He is reduced to bones, but people remain the same. Christ suffered for us, but for what?” Kiukok jabs at our religious hypocrisy. Particularly here in the Philippines, where Catholicism is the predominant religion, it seems we cannot ‘walk the talk.’ We may regularly hear Mass, say our prayers, or receive sacraments. But it is in our failure to realize the true essence of our Christianity and neglect of the importance of our shared humanity that Kiukok criticizes. Esperanza Bunag-Gatbonton writes in her book Kiukok that the figure of Christ, “whether as archetypal victim or redeemer, is the most powerful and best-developed.” Kiukok’s ability to translate and contextualize the sacred into the profane brings out the compelling quality of his interpretation of Christ’s passion. Here, Christ is stripped of his divine attributes. The hallowed and idealized artistic depictions of Christ as the Redeemer of humanity are retracted. He is as much a human as every one of us, emphasized more by Kiukok’s deliberate intention not to show Christ’s tormented face to imbibe to the viewer the virtue of finding empathy in our shared humanity in the image of the Divine. Christ’s body is fragmented into geometric planes, exuding a sense of heightened emotional impact and implying the condition of the human spirit being broken from our own iniquity and hypocrisy, our overt indifference to the suffering of our own kind even at the hands of oppressors. A decade after this work, Ang Kiukok was bestowed the venerable title of National Artist for the Visual Arts. (Adrian Maranan)
Leon Gallery
Dec. 02, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) - Head of Screaming Christ
Est: ₱1,000,000 - ₱1,300,000
Head of Screaming Christ signed and dated 2000 (lower right) oil on canvas 12” x 12” (30 cm x 30 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File confirming the authenticity of this lot WRITE UPThe Screaming Christ by Ang Kiukok represents an existential cry, an assertion of defiance, a release from suffering. The violence he has witnessed and experienced in life has been a profound motivation in his work. Ang Kiukok’s violence is not something gratuitous, but it is both an inspiration for his art and a source of strength. It is, to quote the exhibit note on his homecoming exhibition in Davao City in 1981, “a visual allegory for the age—or of any age for that matter—as long as abuse of power, disequilibrium, and injustice continue to exist in the world Ang Kiukok’s works are enduring records of suffering and resistance, of despair and hope.” Works such as this are some of the most collected of the artist, a deeply existential man who saw that the role of humanity was to achieve absolute freedom.
Leon Gallery
Dec. 02, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) - Clown
Est: ₱800,000 - ₱1,040,000
Clown signed and dated 1999 (lower left) oil on canvas 12” x 12” (30 cm x 30 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File confirming the authenticity of this lot WRITE UPIn the later works of Ang Kiukok, such as this clown, one becomes aware of the artist’s greater emphasis on design, with a corresponding reduction in effect, and of the body’s inexhaustible potential as symmetrical form moving around an axis. This is in sharp contrast with how the artist delineated the human figure in the earlier decades of his career. In the 1970s and 1980s period of Ang’s art, the brush became a scalpel with a sharp cutting edge that dissects quivering muscle and tender tissue. In his art, Ang wants to convey what is to be a suffering human being. In them, the artist denies the viewer easy comfort. In the 1990s, Ang’s male figures have become more ‘fleshly’ in the artist’s new concern for muscular structure.
Leon Gallery
Dec. 02, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) - Scream
Est: ₱500,000 - ₱650,000
Scream signed and dated 1981 (lower right) gouache on paper 12” x 9” (30 cm x 23 cm) Accompanied by a certificate signed by Mr. Andrew Ang confirming the authenticity of this lot WRITE UPNational Artist Ang Kiukok’s screaming figures in abstract geometric style reveal that he does not perceive life as a bed of roses or devoid of misery. The human figure is deconstructed through masterfully rendered lines and colors, with its bones showing out, trapped in a depriving space as if in a tortured, disintegrating state. In this specific Screaming Figure, outrage and agony are felt by the viewer with the pronounced widely opened mouth, teeth, and let-out tongue to the point that one can almost hear its pleas for internal suffering to end. Here, it is evident that man is believed as not exempted from a life full of despair, but, at the same time, of hope, with its clenched hands as if in prayer for relief. This work is a glimpse of the impact of American abstract art and the alienation and dehumanization Ang Kiukok encountered in his travel to New York with the late Vicente Manansala around 1965.
Leon Gallery
Dec. 02, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) - Crucifixion
Est: ₱1,000,000 - ₱1,300,000
Crucifixion signed and dated 1998 (lower left) oil on canvas 39” x 5” (99 cm x 13 cm) Accompanied by a certificate signed by Mr. Andrew Ang confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE: León Gallery, The Magnificent September Auction 2015, September 12, 2015, Lot 126 WRITE UPAng Kiukok has never been afraid to delve into grisly and violent subject matters. Just like his above quote suggests, his works are angry and striking with bright colors that tell of the conflict within the canvas. Kiukok traced the start of his artistic career in the politically turbulent times of the 1960s. His works turned even more intense, Brutal and visually agonizing, Kiukok’s favored subject matters included rabid dogs, battling cocks, and in the same vein as the lot in hand, multiple interpretations of the crucified Christ. This 1998 depiction of Christ on the cross does not shy away from the gory details that comes with crucifixion. His body is reduced to limbs in pure agony – the arms and legs are pierced with nails and stretched to the extreme with a gaping hole left in the writhing mess of a torso. Combined with the sharp lines, contrasting colors, and dark shadows, this depiction of Christ crucified leaves the serene image of the savior in the past, opting to put the torture of the cross at the forefront. (Hannah Valiente)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 22, 2023
Jaime C. Laya
Est: ₱3,000 - ₱3,900
Ang Kiukok handsigned
Leon Gallery
Oct. 21, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931-2005)
Est: ₱120,000 - ₱156,000
Fisherman signed and dated 1981 (lower right) pen and ink on paper 8 1/2” x 12” (22 cm x 30 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File confirming the authenticity of this lot
Leon Gallery
Oct. 21, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931-2005)
Est: ₱300,000 - ₱390,000
Table signed and dated 1978 (lower right) watercolor on paper 8 1/4” x 11” (21 cm x 28 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File confirming the authenticity of this lot
Leon Gallery
Oct. 21, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931-
Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000
Untitled signed (lower right) print 151/226 21 1/2” x 13 1/2” (55 cm x 34 cm)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 06, 2023
Ang Kiukok 洪救國 | Dog 狗
Est: - $200,000
Ang Kiukok 1931 - 2005 Dog oil on canvas signed Kiukok and dated 2002 (upper left) Executed in 2002 31.5 by 31 cm. 12 ⅜ by 12 ⅕ in. ------------------------------------ 洪救國 1931 - 2005年狗油畫畫布款識 Kiukok 2002（左上）二〇〇二年作 31.5 x 31 cm. 12 ⅜ x 12 ⅕ in.
Sotheby's
Oct. 06, 2023
Ang Kiukok 洪救國 | Mother and child 母與子
Est: - $200,000
Ang Kiukok 1931 - 2005 Mother and child oil on canvas signed Kiukok and dated 2003 (lower left) Executed in 2003 38.1 by 19.2 cm 15 by 7 ½ in. ------------------------------------ 洪救國 1931 - 2005年母與子油畫畫布款識 Kuikok 2003（左下）二〇〇三年作 38.1 x 19.2 cm 15 x 7 ½ in.
Sotheby's
Sep. 09, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) - Crucifixion
Est: ₱500,000 - ₱650,000
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) Crucifixion signed and dated 1981 (lower right) watercolor on paper 19" x 14" (48 cm x 36 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File confirming the authenticity of this lot Astudent of the watercolor maestro Vicente Manansala, Ang Kiukok dabbled in watercolors of postwar subjects such as the barungbarong and jeepneys, as well as growing urban spaces in the early period of his artistic practice from the 1950s-1960s. Even during such early beginnings, Kiukok had already shown a penchant for a style of geometric figuration that would come together more wholly throughout his career. Manansala, who possessed a mastery of the cubist style, had made a profound impact on Kiukok as his teacher, after all. Despite this, Kiukok would not simply live under the name of his maestro. In contrast to the idyllic folk subjects of Manansala’s transparent cubism, Kiukok would dwell on the sacred and profane in a style of geometric figuration that evoked a grating sense of space. The crucifix is among Kiukok’s most favored subjects alongside other religious images such as the Pieta, the suffering Christ, the Last Supper, votive candles, and churches. Often, he strips his subjects down into bonelike figurations that are both sharp and stark. And yet, what the artist paints is far from irreverent. Instead, they simply illustrate a disturbing picture of emaciation that captures viscerally the feeling of excruciating despair. Riddled with religious angst, Kiukok’s crucifixes in particular seem to foreground Christ as human—the God made flesh—whose passion is borne from such worldly suffering. It is a suffering that emaciates— yet supposedly emancipates the believer at the same time. But in the excruciating moment of great pain and suffering, how is one to still believe in the saving act of passion and sacrifice? Kiukok’s recurrent fixation on the sacred seems to supply an answer: that there is only suffering because belief remains. (Pie Tiausas)
Leon Gallery
Sep. 09, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) - a.) Family b. ) Mother and Child
Est: ₱220,000 - ₱286,000
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) a.) Family b. ) Mother and Child a.) signed and dated 1994 (upper left) b.) signed and dated 1997 (upper left) pen and ink on paper 8 1/2" x 11 1/2" (22 cm x 29 cm) each Each piece is accompanied by a certificate signed by Mr. Andrew Ang confirming the authenticity of this lot These two works in pen and ink by Ang Kiukok show a tender and warmhearted facet of the revered national artist and leading figure of Filipino figurative expressionism; they manifest the artist's hopeful search for genuine love within humanity amid a harrowing and agonizing world. In Alfredo Roces' book Kiukok: Deconstructing Despair, Ang reveals that his "Mother and Child series expresses human love. A part of me is not angry. The Lovers theme also shows human affection." The first piece shows a tight-knit family, an allusion to Ang's homage to traditional Filipino family values; mother and father in a warm embrace with their children clinging onto them as a sign of dependence and trust. The second depicts a mother and her infant in a tableau of maternal intimacy and nurturing. Showcasing a glimpse into humanity's inherent devotion to benevolence and social cohesion, Ang encapsulates his confidence and faith in humanity's moral choices. (Adrian Maranan)
Leon Gallery
Jul. 29, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005)
Est: ₱15,000 - ₱19,500
Crucifix handsigned and dated 1980 (lower right) etching PUB/C 19 1/4” x 6” (49 cm x 15 cm)
Leon Gallery
Jun. 17, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005)
Est: ₱500,000 - ₱650,000
Fish signed and dated 1987 (upper left) each oil on panel 4 7/8" x 5 7/8" (12 cm x 15 cm) each PROVENANCE Finale Art File, Makati City The lots at hand contain no secrets or riddles, nothing questionable to the observer, simply a fish served on the table. Other than the plate and tablecloth, there is nothing else perceived on the canvas. Perhaps, the artist wanted to focus on the subject as the lone leitmotif, given the intentional geometric mannerisms in the composition. However, the pieces are so organized and assembled in detail that all references to those objects are soon overlooked. Ang Kiukok’s works that are titled Fish were notable for probing into the internal skeletal structure beneath the scales and flesh. The fish on the plate does not look edible or appetizing, as it is portrayed with sharp teeth and spiky bones, sometimes even reduced to bare bones and fins. Other subjects of Kiukok also underwent a similar approach; for one, his fighting cocks were armored gladiators with bladed spurs and metallic claws. His imagery, however, does not intend to insult. To him, bodies are more interesting when bare of flesh, exposing the underlying structural form. For the same reason, the skeletons of a fish are more dramatic than the same fish alive, still with its soft skin of flesh. “I want to be able to see underneath the skin,” Kiukok said. (P.I.R.)
Leon Gallery
Jun. 17, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005)
Est: ₱1,000,000 - ₱1,300,000
Barong-Barong signed and dated 1971 (lower right) watercolor on paper 18" x 37" (46 cm x 94 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE Private Collection, Toronto Ang Kiukok's depiction of the barung-barong drastically progressed: from the identifiable patchworks of corroded salvaged materials that make up its walls, floors, posts, and roofs, characteristic of Ang's barung-barong from the early 50s up to the mid-60s to the enigmatic forms revealed in the mid-60s onwards. Ang's visit to New York's Museum of Modern Art in 1965 marked a critical turning point in his style. There, he saw Picasso's cubist-surrealist magnum opus—Guernica—on display then at the MoMa. Guernica and Picasso would have an enduring influence in Ang, even revealing to Cid Reyes in 1983 that Picasso was among the Western artists whose works he admired the most. Ang also remarks in the Roces book: "Up to 1965, painting came easy to me. It was pure technique. In those days, it was all right. Easy... In America and Europe, I saw the paintings in museums and said, "This is painting." When I came back to the Philippines, I could not paint for a while; then, I could hardly wait to get started. Before my trip abroad, I didn't know what direction to take my painting." In the work at hand, we see Ang coming to terms with his own artistry. A convergence of various styles is discerned: Cubism's block-like forms, surrealism's uncanny atmosphere, and expressionism's unnatural colors and distorted and flattened yet evocative forms. The image of the barung-barong follows an intuitive approach rather than a logical one, with its chaotic configuration of shapes evoking the dire situation in the slums. Another important aspect of this work is the barung- barong's appearance, like a combination of machines, suggestive of dehumanization amid a "progressing" society. In the Roces book, Ang shares: "Not only was I influenced by the paintings I saw in the US, but I was even more affected by the people there...The people are like robots, without humanity." The disorderly ambiance of this work, with the barung- barong's shambolic consolidation of salvaged materials, speaks not of the romanticized resilience and ingenuity of the people in the slums but rather their lack of resources to afford a humanized living due to social inequalities. Thus, the work encapsulates a turning point in Ang's career, in which he had already shifted toward the angsty, anguish-filled paintings he has come to be known for. (A.M.)
Leon Gallery
Jun. 17, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005)
Est: ₱2,400,000 - ₱3,120,000
Seated Figure signed and dated 1978 (upper left) oil on canvas 24" x 16" (61 cm x 41 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Hong Kong Ang Kiukok, a renowned Filipino artist, is known for his profound contributions to Philippine contemporary art. Throughout his career, Kiukok's artworks demonstrated a unique blend of expressionism and cubism, incorporating bold colors, angular forms, and a distinctive visual language. Amidst his repertoire of subject-matters, it is arguably the Seated Figure that combines his distinct style with the artist's unique sense of Existential awareness. "Seated Figure", created by Kiukok in 1978, portrays an individual in a seated position, rendered with the artist's characteristic use of sharp, angular lines and vivid colors. The figure's elongated body, distorted features, and contorted limbs evoke a sense of tension and unease, drawing the viewer into a realm of emotional intensity. The composition's strong vertical and horizontal lines create a dynamic balance, capturing the viewer's attention and accentuating the power and presence of the seated figure. Through the cubist influence apparent in "Seated Figure," Kiukok explores the fragmentation and reconstruction of form. The figure's body is deconstructed into geometric shapes and planes, presenting multiple perspectives simultaneously. This technique allows the viewer to experience the subject from various angles, encouraging a deeper engagement with the painting. The emotional depth conveyed in "Seated Figure" is a recurring theme in Kiukok's body of work. His paintings often delve into the darker aspects of the human experience, tackling themes of alienation, struggle, and social injustice. In "Seated Figure," the distorted features and body language of the subject evoke a sense of anguish and introspection, inviting viewers to contemplate the complexities of human emotions and the burdens we carry within. Moreover, "Seated Figure" can be interpreted as a reflection of the social and political climate during the time of its creation. The 60s and 70s in the Philippines was marked by social unrest and political turmoil. Kiukok, like many artists of his generation, used his work as a medium for social commentary. The unsettling nature of the seated figure in the painting can be seen as a representation of the collective unease and struggles faced by the Filipino people during that period. (J.D.)
Leon Gallery
May. 29, 2023
ANG KIUKOK (1931-2005) Crucifixion oil on canvas laid on board 60.2 x 39.7
Est: $300,000 - $500,000
ANG KIUKOK (1931-2005) Crucifixion oil on canvas laid on board 60.2 x 39.7 cm. (23 3/4 x 15 5/8 in.)
Christie's
May. 06, 2023
ANG KIUKOK, (Filipino, 1931-2005), Tondo, 1961, oil on board, 21 1/2 x 31 1/2 in., frame: 22 1/8 x 31 7/8 in.
Est: $25,000 - $35,000
ANG KIUKOK (Filipino, 1931-2005) Tondo 1961, oil on board signed and dated Kiukok 61 upper left
Grogan & Company
Apr. 23, 2023
A CENTEX Limited Editon Plate
Est: ₱6,000 - ₱7,800
Ang Kiukok, Mother and Child 1674/2000 12” x 12” (30 cm x 30 cm)
Leon Gallery
Apr. 22, 2023
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) Crucifixion
Est: ₱1,000,000 - ₱1,300,000
Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) Crucifixion signed and dated 19 (lower right) watercolor on paper 36” x 18” (91 cm x 46 cm) This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued byFinale Art File and signed by the artist confirmingthe authenticity of this lot PROVENANCEPrivate Collection, USALeón Gallery, The Spectacular Mid-Year Auction 2019,June 22, 2019, Makati City, Lot 29 EXHIBITEDMuseum of Philippine Art (MOPA), Recent Works by AngKiukok, Manila, July 28 - September 30, 1983 LITERATUREBenesa, Leonidas V. “Ang’s expressionist, un-Taoist works atMOPA.” Philippines Daily Express. August 4, 1983 Ang Kiukok’s depiction of the suffering Christ is emblematic of his enduring figurative expressionist trademark that captures the multifaceted aspects of human anguish and despair. In this particular subject, Christ is not imbued with absolute divinity nor depicted in accordance with the Church’s doctrines. Emphasis is not given to the Christ that the ordinary Christian has come to know, the Christ who died to redeem humanity of its sins. For Kiukok, Christ was a human being—a mortal just like the rest of us—who had been unfortunate to bear the brunt of intense earthly suffering due to humanity’s innate wickedness and impunity. In the book Kiukok by Esperanza Bunag-Gatbonton, Kiukok shares: “The Crucifixion symbolizes suffering. What I express is suffering. But things in the world are still the same. Nothing has changed. Christ suffered, and the people still behave in the same way. Today, as I have painted his image, he is reduced to bones, but people remain the same. Christ suffered for us, but for what? “The poor are not happy. That’s the hard truth. I only bring it out. Other painters seek to beautify. I am truthful. What I see, I show. When I was young, I was extremely idealistic. I thought people were high-minded. It turns out that for a small matter, they will betray you. When I became older, I observed it in others. It is as if what Christ endured and died for was for nothing. I paint these images to awaken people. People will not change. No chance. The devoutly religious just use the Church to be able to confess their sins and be forgiven only to revert to the same behavior. “Slowly, as I grew up, I learned. Christ was crucified for nothing. People have no morals. Why are people this way? They are getting worse and worse. My painting is to wake people up.” (A.M.)
Leon Gallery
Apr. 22, 2023
LOT WITHDRAWN
Est: ₱15,000 - ₱19,500
LOT WITHDRAWN
Leon Gallery
Apr. 22, 2023
A Lot of Two Prints
Est: ₱15,000 - ₱19,500
A Lot of Two Prints a. Manuel Rodriguez Sabong signed (lower right) print 21” x 26” (53 cm x 66 cm) b. Ang Kiukok (1931 - 2005) Untitled (Fishermen) signed and dated 1982 (lower right) print 9” x 12” (23 cm x 30 cm)
Leon Gallery