The Ateneo Art Gallery has opened Mauro Malang Santos: Drawings—an elusive and in-depth showcase of around a hundred works on paper by the late National Artist nominee and Philippine art legend, Mauro “Malang” Santos.
Spanning six decades of artistry, the exhibit features finalized sketches, unfinished studies, and works in pencil, charcoal, ink, watercolor, gouache, and oil, many of which have never been shown publicly. Curated by Malang’s son, artist and West Gallery owner Soler Santos, the collection denotes a deeper look into the creative process of one of the country’s most recognizable visual storytellers.
Best known for his vibrant depictions of Filipino urban life, which featured vendors, families, and the everyday bustle of the city, Malang’s work bridged the joyous and the contemplative. The exhibit also includes drawings created during his later years, when he was battling Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. With many female subjects in his work, he often included a figure of a mother, an angel, and figures that depict visual comfort. Rendered in oil crayon on ordinary bond paper, these pieces demonstrate his drive in creative work despite physical decline, revealing an artist’s intimate discourse with their own memory and identity.
Some of the works come directly from the home of Soler and his wife Mona, including “Woman”, a colorful painting gifted by Malang as a wedding present. According to Ateneo Art Gallery director Victoria “Boots” Herrera, the show presents a rare opportunity to see “the thinking process of Malang, how he saw, remembered, and transformed everyday life into art.”
The exhibition runs until February 28, 2026, and is housed at the Wilson L Sy Prints and Drawings, Ateneo Art Gallery, Loyola Heights, Quezon City.