Ogwa

Ogwa belonged to the Ishir Indigenous nation in northern Paraguay, near the tri-border region with Brazil and Bolivia. His drawings depict mythologies and rituals using figurative art strategies, differing from the traditional geometric patterns used by his people in body painting practices. In this sense, his work presents alternative visual expressions that contribute to preserving Ishir memory and raising awareness among non-Indigenous audiences.
In the late 1990s, when many Ishir people were forced off their lands by extractive industries, artistic production became Ogwa’s primary source of income for his family. Initially created in black and white to illustrate accounts shared with anthropologists and researchers, his body of work gradually evolved—incorporating color and expanding its themes—as Ogwa was able to dedicate himself fully to his artistic practice and the circulation of his work.

Juliana Proenço