During our stay in Lima we have met with a fair amount of artists (though no female artists - arg!), whose work I think poignant, beautiful, and necessary. It's difficult to know to what extent artists in Peru create art as a form political awareness and critique, but according to our guest artists, it seems to be a fairly consistent within the art world in Peru. I shall attempt to comment, critique, and praise the following artists...
Jorge Miyagui, left: "Llapa", right: "Alerta"
One of our professors met Jorge Miyagui at an art show some years past and has to a large extent been our main contact in Lima. He was so kind to not only connect our group to these artists, but to join us on each venture to meet the artists. Jorge says he doesn't think about his work while he's making it, but makes connections after the matter. I'm not sure to what extent I believe that - perhaps he may not be conscious of the way in which he uses images and such, but I think it's a process of his synthesis of visual and material culture of Peru, Japan (his ancestory and a considerable component in Peruvian history), and the US (thanks to globalization and other factors). For instance, PokeMan makes an appearance in a lot of his earlier work. My favorite piece of his I saw was "Llapa" (above, left), which speaks strongly to the social conditions of Peruvians. The image of the condor tied to the bull on the far left depicts an indigenous tradition (I'm still a little confused about it); the far left represents the story of the saint, Santiago Killer of Indians (same saint: Santiago Killer of Moors) in the modern context of Peru's dirty wars, trampling on a war victim, presumably indigenous; lastly the middle figure represents the aspect of transition Peru is attempting to make. One must question to what are they transitioning and to whose betterment? Is not Peru still a classist, even racist society, which neocapitalism (as we know it) continues to perpetuate?
Mauricio Delgado, left: "El Ekeko Atlas", right: "Mamá Macha"
Mauricio Delgado was the first artist with whom we met, immediately after visiting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) exhibition at the Museo de la Nación. The first group of work he presented took the images from the TRC's exhibition (which were a compilation of images from newspapers and magazines of Peru) and painted them on floral upholstry (seen in "Mamá Macha" that shows mothers holding photos of their missing children from the dirty wars). I thought this was a beautiful - figurative and literal - way to allude to social strata in Peru. Images of mothers from Ayacucho juxtaposed on fabric used by Limean middle class creates a sweet but tragic composition and recollection of Peru's recent and present history.
I also adored Mauricio's "El Ekeko" series, including "El Ekeko Atlas." Ekeko's are Andean figurines that symbolize luck and fortune - but only if given to someone (meaning you will not receive luck and fortune if you keep it for yourself - throw back to gift societies perhaps?). His description of "El Ekeko Atlas" was a bit comedic, though mostly tragic; translation: "he's the Atlas Ekeko because the weight of dreams in Peru are so heavy," a comment that puts privilege into perspective.
Both Mauricio and Jorge belong to La Brigada Muralista, a group of artists who paint murals throughout Lima.
Javi Vargas Sotomayor, clockwise from top left: "Farrah-Amaru", "Dina-Amaru", "Frida Amaru", and "Marilyn-Amaru" from La Falsificación de las Túpac
The art of Javi Vargas Sotomayor is especially subversive when considering the political and religious enivorns of Peru. Javi critiques gender constructs in La Falsificación de las Túpac by superimposing campy makeup and female faces on mostly male figures important to Peru's history. History lesson: Túpac Amaru was the last Inca ruler and was beheaded by the Spanish in 1572 for helping to murder priests in Vilcabamba - a crime he likely did not commit. He remains an important cultural figure to indigenous people in Peru.* Back on the topic of gender, pre-Hispanic culture in Peru did not construct gender identification so rigidly as we presently understand it - gender was more fluid. I thought his show was amazing and I applaud him for making such a statement in a socially and politically conservative country such as Peru, though I wonder to what extent he perpetuates the modern/post-Hispanic constructs of gender with the hypersexual representation of men and women in the show. Something for him to think about...
Alfredo Marquez, left: "Mao", right: "Babel of Paradise"
The previous three artists are from the same generation, perhaps just a few years older than I am (which naturally makes me feel underaccomplished, as per usual). Alfredo Marquez, on the other hand, is perhaps a decade or so their senior, and has experienced the atrocities of Peru's dirty wars first hand. In 1994 the Peruvian military (under the government of Fujimori) stormed his house and found an image of Mao, comparable to the image above, leading Alfredo to be charged and sentenced for 20 years in prison for allegedly supporting the group Shining Path (a Maoist group in Peru, see prior post). He was released in 1998 when his case was finally made - that the image of Mao was subversive not only in that he dared to make an image of Mao, but that he dared to paint Mao's lips red, "as if he were a prostitute" - Alfredo likely would have been threatened or killed by the Shining Path, had the group remained strong, for such an act of defacement. Though he served 4 years in a maximum security prison, and given only 30 minutes a day to spend outside of his cramped cell, his spirit was and remains remarkably unbroken. I consider myself very fortunate to have met him.
"Babel of Paradise" explores aspects of capitalism and communism and their effects on Peruvian and global society. A neat and tidy description of the layers: Tatlin's Tower (commemorated the Third Communist International in Russia) rises out of the traditional mythical image of the Tower of Babel, which rises out of the ruins of New York's Twin Towers, surrounded by the ruins of Lima's own buildings bombed by the Shining Path (just a few blocks from my hotel in the neighborhood of Miraflores in fact). The woman in the image should be familiar to anyone who reads the news - she (Specialist Lynndie England) is convicted of abuse of prisoners in Abu Ghraib. Alfredo had an interesting take on her, commenting that she, just like many Americans, joined the military in order to go to college and make a better life for herself. As represented in the painting, she, as with us all, depend on unstable, decrepit hegemonic foundations that help shape our perceptions and actions, including our most malevolent ones. I don't think he was trying to forgive her, more that he was making a statement about there being larger forces than those of a few individuals.
My my, this is rather long. I'll end it now in hopes to continue later. Adios for now...
Jorge Miyagui, left: "Llapa", right: "Alerta"One of our professors met Jorge Miyagui at an art show some years past and has to a large extent been our main contact in Lima. He was so kind to not only connect our group to these artists, but to join us on each venture to meet the artists. Jorge says he doesn't think about his work while he's making it, but makes connections after the matter. I'm not sure to what extent I believe that - perhaps he may not be conscious of the way in which he uses images and such, but I think it's a process of his synthesis of visual and material culture of Peru, Japan (his ancestory and a considerable component in Peruvian history), and the US (thanks to globalization and other factors). For instance, PokeMan makes an appearance in a lot of his earlier work. My favorite piece of his I saw was "Llapa" (above, left), which speaks strongly to the social conditions of Peruvians. The image of the condor tied to the bull on the far left depicts an indigenous tradition (I'm still a little confused about it); the far left represents the story of the saint, Santiago Killer of Indians (same saint: Santiago Killer of Moors) in the modern context of Peru's dirty wars, trampling on a war victim, presumably indigenous; lastly the middle figure represents the aspect of transition Peru is attempting to make. One must question to what are they transitioning and to whose betterment? Is not Peru still a classist, even racist society, which neocapitalism (as we know it) continues to perpetuate?
Mauricio Delgado, left: "El Ekeko Atlas", right: "Mamá Macha"Mauricio Delgado was the first artist with whom we met, immediately after visiting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) exhibition at the Museo de la Nación. The first group of work he presented took the images from the TRC's exhibition (which were a compilation of images from newspapers and magazines of Peru) and painted them on floral upholstry (seen in "Mamá Macha" that shows mothers holding photos of their missing children from the dirty wars). I thought this was a beautiful - figurative and literal - way to allude to social strata in Peru. Images of mothers from Ayacucho juxtaposed on fabric used by Limean middle class creates a sweet but tragic composition and recollection of Peru's recent and present history.
I also adored Mauricio's "El Ekeko" series, including "El Ekeko Atlas." Ekeko's are Andean figurines that symbolize luck and fortune - but only if given to someone (meaning you will not receive luck and fortune if you keep it for yourself - throw back to gift societies perhaps?). His description of "El Ekeko Atlas" was a bit comedic, though mostly tragic; translation: "he's the Atlas Ekeko because the weight of dreams in Peru are so heavy," a comment that puts privilege into perspective.
Both Mauricio and Jorge belong to La Brigada Muralista, a group of artists who paint murals throughout Lima.
Javi Vargas Sotomayor, clockwise from top left: "Farrah-Amaru", "Dina-Amaru", "Frida Amaru", and "Marilyn-Amaru" from La Falsificación de las TúpacThe art of Javi Vargas Sotomayor is especially subversive when considering the political and religious enivorns of Peru. Javi critiques gender constructs in La Falsificación de las Túpac by superimposing campy makeup and female faces on mostly male figures important to Peru's history. History lesson: Túpac Amaru was the last Inca ruler and was beheaded by the Spanish in 1572 for helping to murder priests in Vilcabamba - a crime he likely did not commit. He remains an important cultural figure to indigenous people in Peru.* Back on the topic of gender, pre-Hispanic culture in Peru did not construct gender identification so rigidly as we presently understand it - gender was more fluid. I thought his show was amazing and I applaud him for making such a statement in a socially and politically conservative country such as Peru, though I wonder to what extent he perpetuates the modern/post-Hispanic constructs of gender with the hypersexual representation of men and women in the show. Something for him to think about...
Alfredo Marquez, left: "Mao", right: "Babel of Paradise"The previous three artists are from the same generation, perhaps just a few years older than I am (which naturally makes me feel underaccomplished, as per usual). Alfredo Marquez, on the other hand, is perhaps a decade or so their senior, and has experienced the atrocities of Peru's dirty wars first hand. In 1994 the Peruvian military (under the government of Fujimori) stormed his house and found an image of Mao, comparable to the image above, leading Alfredo to be charged and sentenced for 20 years in prison for allegedly supporting the group Shining Path (a Maoist group in Peru, see prior post). He was released in 1998 when his case was finally made - that the image of Mao was subversive not only in that he dared to make an image of Mao, but that he dared to paint Mao's lips red, "as if he were a prostitute" - Alfredo likely would have been threatened or killed by the Shining Path, had the group remained strong, for such an act of defacement. Though he served 4 years in a maximum security prison, and given only 30 minutes a day to spend outside of his cramped cell, his spirit was and remains remarkably unbroken. I consider myself very fortunate to have met him.
"Babel of Paradise" explores aspects of capitalism and communism and their effects on Peruvian and global society. A neat and tidy description of the layers: Tatlin's Tower (commemorated the Third Communist International in Russia) rises out of the traditional mythical image of the Tower of Babel, which rises out of the ruins of New York's Twin Towers, surrounded by the ruins of Lima's own buildings bombed by the Shining Path (just a few blocks from my hotel in the neighborhood of Miraflores in fact). The woman in the image should be familiar to anyone who reads the news - she (Specialist Lynndie England) is convicted of abuse of prisoners in Abu Ghraib. Alfredo had an interesting take on her, commenting that she, just like many Americans, joined the military in order to go to college and make a better life for herself. As represented in the painting, she, as with us all, depend on unstable, decrepit hegemonic foundations that help shape our perceptions and actions, including our most malevolent ones. I don't think he was trying to forgive her, more that he was making a statement about there being larger forces than those of a few individuals.
My my, this is rather long. I'll end it now in hopes to continue later. Adios for now...
*additional information that actually reflects the show: Túpac Amaru II created a rebellion against the Spanish in 1780. He suffered an even worse death than his namesake - he had to witness the death of his loved ones, suffered a failed attempt at quartering, had his tongue cut out, and was then beheaded.
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