Featuring artworks by over 30 artists and collectives from across all nine countries of the Amazon: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela, Amazonia Açu continues at the Americas Society through April 18, 2025. Under the leadership of curatorial advisor Keyna Eleison and co-curated by a committee of representatives from all nine countries, the exhibition provides a richly insightful and visually seductive glimpse into this region, particularly its ecological and social concerns.
The entrancing image pictured above, “El Baile de los Puca-bufeos,” was painted with oil on canvas in 2009 by the late self-taught Peruvian artist Pablo Amaringo. What follows are several more images of artworks captured on my recent visit to the Americas Society on Manhattan’s Upper East Side:
Peruvian self-taught artist and indigenous activist Santiago Yahuarcani, “Amazonia II,” 2022, Natural dyes and acrylic on llanchama cortex — this particular image focuses on the rubber extraction industry‘s exploitation of the local population.
Brazilian mixed-media artist PV Dias, “Interior de uma Casa (Interior of a House)” from the series “Rasura (Erasure),” 2021, Digital painting on photograph printed on cotton paper
Guyanese artist Bernadette Indira Persaud, “Rainforest 6: ‘the edge of seasons’ (taken from the poetry of Lucille Clifton) from the series “Rainforest,” 2013, Acrylic on canvas
Ecuadorian multidisciplinary artist Angélica Alomoto, “Cuatro Caminos (Four Paths),” 2024, Acrylic and rubber sap on canvas, colored ceramic and water
Bolivian textile artist Claudia Opimí Vaca, “Bajo el Toborochi (Under the Toborochi),” 2025, Cotton fabric embroidered using an appliqué technique from the Tajibo community of the Bolivian Amazon, Close-up
Located at 680 Park Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the galleries at the Americas Society can be viewed Wednesday to Saturday, 11 am to 6 pm.
Photos of artworks: Lois Stavsky
