Collection: Mauro Malang
alang was born to Dan Santos and Juliana Malang. He married Mary San Pedro, and they had four children, two of whom became notable painters, Steve Santos and Soler Santos.
At the tender age of ten, Malang began his artistic journey under the tutelage of Teodoro Buenaventura, a private tutor. He attended Antonio Regidor Elementary School in 1934 and continued his education at Arellano High School in 1941. In 1946, Malang briefly pursued studies at the College of Fine Arts of the University of the Philippines for one semester. However, he made the decision to leave formal education at the age of 19 to work for the art department of the Manila Chronicle. During this time, he apprenticed under the cartoonist Liborio "Gat" Gatbonton. In 1972, Malang enriched his skills by participating in art classes at the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles, California, thanks to a three-month scholarship.
In 1957, Malang's talent and contribution to Philippine art led to his inclusion in the Twelve Artists in the Philippines-Who's Who, a distinction bestowed upon him by Lyd Arguilla, the founder of the Philippine Art Gallery. Subsequently, in 1958, he was honored with the Award for Editorial Design by the Art Directors Guild of the Philippines. Malang also achieved success in competitions organized by the Society of Philippine Illustrators and Cartoonists, receiving recognition and awards for his exceptional work. In 1964, he was named the Artist of the Year by the Society of Philippine Illustrators and Cartoonists. Moreover, Malang earned accolades in various annual art competitions held by the Art Association of the Philippines for pieces like "Street Fight" (Second Prize, 1951), "Traffic" (Third Prize, 1953), "The Yellow Sky" (Honorable Mention, 1959), "Quarter Moon" (Second Prize), and "Gate to Intramuros" (Honorable Mention, 1963). His talent and contributions were further acknowledged when he was selected as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines in 1963. In 1981, the City of Manila bestowed upon him the prestigious Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan ("Guide of Arts and Culture") award.
