Nereyda López

Nereyda Lopez is a self-taught sculptor of Tikuna and Kukama nomadic descent. Inspired by the stories of her great-grandfather, a Tikuna shaman, her works narrate the mythology of the Peruvian Amazon through constructions made with wood from branches and trunks, pigments, and natural fibers—materials sourced from the forest that also reclaim the techniques and knowledge of her ancestors.
The set of sculptures she presents at the 14th Mercosul Biennial embodies a living mythological narrative, connecting the present to a spiritual culture based on balance and dialogue among all beings. The preservation of ancestral narratives plays a crucial political and social role in shaping fairer futures. Drawing inspiration from masks and totems, her works are created using materials collected from the forest, expressing the inseparable link between mythical worlds and the physical territory. In her art, Nereyda Lopez seeks to challenge imposed Western hierarchies and reconnect with the Indigenous cultural matrix.

Mel Ferrari