?IN MY PAINTING, I FEEL FREE. I CAN EXpress what I want to say.?

Such were the words of National Artist and Filipino icon Ang Kiukok. And what better way to share his freedom of expression than to wear his artwork.

Freeway for Ang Kiukok National Artist Collectors Series is a fabulous new consortium between Freeway and the National Artist. Now you can display your love for Ang Kiukok?s paintings by wearing them on shirts and dresses.

Fashion and art are not strange bedfellows after all. The creative collaboration of fashion and art is reminiscent of the tieup between Louis Vuitton and artists Richard Prince and Takashi Murakami for their iconic handbags.

What?s groundbreaking about Freeway?s new line is it celebrates our own art heritage. And Ang Kiukok is considered one of the brightest spots in our history?s palette.

Talented young student

At an early age, Ang Kiukok already exhibited his talent in drawing while studying at a Chinese school in Davao. He caught the eye of painter Tan Kok King. He eventually went to Cotabato to work as an apprentice for two weeks, making billboards for movie theaters.

In 1952, he moved to Manila to study Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas. He studied under the giants of Philippine art, including Victorio Edades, Diosado Lorenzo and Jose Garcia Llamas. But it was one professor who discovered Ang Kiukok?s great potential and took him under his wing?his watercolor and composition professor Vicente Manansala. Manansala made Kiukok?s watercolor an example to his students.

A famous story among art circles is that when Manansala retired, he left many of Ang Kiukok?s works in his locker. Upon his return, he found his locker empty.

Because of financial reasons, Kiukok had to drop out of college. But through Manansala?s support, he finally put up his first one-man show in 1954 at the Contemporary Arts Gallery, which featured 29 watercolors and two oil paintings.

Ang Kiukok is most known for his cubism style, which began in 1958. Year after year his work caught people?s attention, even earning recognition abroad. In 2001, he was named National Artist.

Featured in Freeway?s Ang Kiukok National Artist Collectors Series are fit women?s tee showcasing his famous ?Fisherman with Catch? (1965); bright yellow A-line dress detailed with sketches of ?Clown Heads? (1992); and men?s tee featuring the iconic ?Angry Figure? (1982).

It?s about time this teamup happened. Art, fashion and nationalism?it?s another brilliant way of looking stylish and wearing one?s pride on your sleeve. Here?s hoping that there will be more artists? series in the future.