In addition to being a self-taught painter and sculptor, Santiago Yahuarcani is an Aimeni Indigenous leader of the Uitoto Nation, living in the northern Amazon. His artistic work documents Indigenous knowledge and Amazonian ontologies and denounces the genocide suffered by his people—particularly the violence perpetrated by colonizers in the early 20th century during the rubber boom in the region.
Llanchama, the bark of an Amazonian tree traditionally used to make clothing and utilitarian objects, is the surface on which Yahuarcani paints. His scenes depict a myriad of animals, sacred plants, and forest entities. Rich in symbolism, his work embodies oral stories passed down by his ancestors, serving as both a historical memory of his community and a denunciation of environmental exploitation.
Leo Felipe
Santiago Yahuarcani (Comama/Uitoto/Peru, 1960) is a visual artist and leader of the Uitoto people. His work revolves around Amazonian ontologies and the policies of genocide against the Amazonian people. His works, usually in painting, display great compositional freedom and, in different ways, respond to his context. His works are made on the surface of a tree's bark ("llanchama") from the fig family. He participated in the 60th Venice Biennale. His work is in the Lima Museum of Art and MoMA collections, and his work has been presented in institutions throughout Latin America, the United States, Europe, and Asia. He lives in Pebas, Peru.
