The collector’s interest in the fascinating world of Philippine art began when he was a student at the Ateneo de Manila University, where he first took an art appreciation course under renowned critic and curator, Professor Emmaunuel ‘Eric’ Torres. In the midst of the twice-weekly lectures and debates, he learned about the works of the masters— from the idyllic landscapes of National Artist Fernando Amorsolo to the groundbreaking canvases of the modernists such as National Artists J. Elizalde Navarro, H.R Ocampo, and of course, Ang Kiukok. Back in 1991, the burgeoning collector was a self-described “angsty young man,” who was particularly drawn to the works of the latter. He shares that the artist’s intense brush strokes and typically somber color palette deeply resonated with him. In fact, he even reached out to Ang himself, letting him know that he was studying Philippine art and was interested in sharing a conversation with the artist.

To his surprise, Ang agreed and invited him to his former home and studio in the Scout area of Quezon City. The rest, as they say, is art collecting history— the visit turned into a decades-long friendship filled with good conversations about philosophy, art, and life. Many meals and drinks were shared in the master’s humble home, where his studio was but a quaint extension of the abode, just large enough for the artist to spend his days working on his paintings.

Months after that fateful first conversation, the same collector would commission a painting from his idol-turned friend— “I gave no specifications whatsoever, I didn’t tell him anything!” he recalls. The moment remains vivid in his memory— of seeing the freshly painted canvas, still wet and just completed, leaning on its side in Ang’s living room.