Indigenous Artists: Expression of Worldviews and Ancestral Knowledge

On the occasion of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, celebrated on August 9th, we reflect on the richness of cultural diversity and the many ways in which indigenous peoples have contributed to humanity. In this context, art represents a fundamental medium for the expression of these diverse cultures and offers a unique opportunity to understand their worldviews and ways of interpreting the world that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Throughout their history, indigenous peoples have been no strangers to various forms of artistic expression, including the visual arts. Evidence of this can be seen in the magnificent murals that still adorn the great pre-Hispanic cities of Mesoamerica. Art has been a medium through which indigenous peoples have projected their worldview and life experiences as peoples with their own identity. In this sense, indigenous artists have mastered, even excelled in, modern visual art techniques, but have imbued them with their unique signature, reflecting in their art their worldview and way of being.

Aware of the importance of promoting and preserving this diversity, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), through its Art and Transformation program, is committed to promoting contemporary artists of indigenous descent and acquiring their works for its Art Collection. This initiative not only seeks to enrich the institution's cultural heritage but also ensures that the ethnic, cultural, and artistic diversity of Latin America and the Caribbean is represented in the Collection. The IDB understands that inclusion in the visual arts is not limited to representation but involves creating opportunities for these artists to thrive and be recognized on the international stage.

Manuel Chavajay, Los desaparecidos, 2017/2018.

Today, the IDB Art Collection includes works by renowned indigenous artists such as Manuel Chavajay and Antonio Pichillá, Maya Tz'utujil artists from Guatemala, Rosa Ximena Tisoy from the Inga people of Colombia, Rember Yahuarcani from the Uitoto people of Peru, Aldibey Talaga, an artist from the Nasa people in Colombia, and Olinda Silvano, a Shipibo-Konibo artist from Peru, with many more artists to be added in the near future. Our responsibility as collectors of contemporary art is to ensure the presence of these artists, as their work carries generations of knowledge and history, but also cosmologies and family and collective narratives. Their work stems from their personal experiences as individuals and as members of their peoples, and therefore, their indigenous identity is reflected in their art. We should consider ourselves very fortunate to have the opportunity that contemporary indigenous artists offer us to get to know their visions and practices up close through something as personal as their artistic practice.

In line with this commitment, in 2023, the IDB presented the "Emerging Voices" exhibition, a landmark event that highlighted equity and inclusion through art. This exhibition included recently acquired works by indigenous artists, providing a space for them to share their stories and cultural heritage. Among the showcased works were photographs by American/Ecuadorean artist Koyoltzintli in collaboration with a Tiguan artist from Ecuador, and works by Rember Yahuarcani that illustrate the rich culture of the Uitoto people of the Peruvian Amazon.

Rember Yahuarcani (Peru) - Under the Rain, 2021.

To complement this work and deepen the understanding of these artists and the invaluable cultural richness they represent, in 2023, in collaboration with IDB Academy, we hosted a . Yahuarcani, a prominent visual artist, writer, and activist from the Uitoto Áimen people, has focused his artistic practice on exploring the Uitoto cosmogony and Amazonian worlds, calling for respect for indigenous cultures.

Currently, the IDB is showcasing the exhibition "Amazonia: a BioCreativity Hub" which seeks to highlight the richness of the Amazon biosphere and the ancestral wisdom of its inhabitants. This exhibition includes the work of prominent indigenous artists such as Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe from Venezuela, Olinda Silvano from Peru, and Uýra from Brazil. During the opening of the exhibition, Olinda Silvano, an artist from the Shipibo-Konibo people, offered a performance that evoked traditional rituals accompanied by chants, reflecting a deep connection with nature and her ancestors. Her work, filled with symbols of the Amazonian flora, fauna, and rivers, captures the Shipibo-Konibo worldview in all its richness and complexity.

Olinda Silvano, artista del pueblo Shipibo-Konibo en la Amazonía peruana.

Another significant aspect of this exhibition is the participation of Uýra, a Brazilian trans indigenous artist who uses her body as a medium of artistic and political expression. In her performance "Ponto Final Ponto Seguido," held at Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., Uýra explores the struggles and triumphs of marginalized communities, advocating for the rights of the LGBTQI+ community and indigenous peoples of the Amazon, bringing to light stories and memories hidden under colonialism.

These initiatives demonstrate the commitment of the IDB in promoting indigenous art as a powerful tool for inclusion and for acknowledging the cultural diversity in Latin America and the Caribbean. On this International Day of Indigenous Peoples, the IDB reaffirms its responsibility to promote equal opportunities for indigenous artists, ensuring that their voices and perspectives are known worldwide.

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