Peruvian paintings at the Met

For the first time ever, Peruvian paintings are on exhibit at the Catwalk of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila. Entitled Circunstancias de la Vida: An Exhibition of Peruvian Paintings, this show features contemporary works of 39 Peruvian artists. The paintings are on a world tour. Before Manila, it was in Indonesia and will be presented in China and all of Europe as well.

Featured artists include Wilder S. Ramos Ochoa (Lima), Alberto Herrera Arana (Amazonas), Jose Antonio Peralta Lozada (Piura), Eugenio Cohail Chambe (Tacna), Ana Palacios Trujillo (Lima), Rocio Victoria Paredes (Arequipa), David Balbin (Lima), Patricia Olbegoso (Lima), Jose Antonio Gomez (Lima) and Agustin Rojas (Lima). This exhibition offers a glimpse of the artists’ dream expressions, their indigenous symbolism, plus the resulting circumstances of life.

Circunstancias de la Vida is being presented in cooperation with the Embassy of Peru and Instituto Cervantes. This show will run until June 16, Saturday, and is on view from Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The artworks all depict reality as viewed individually by each artist. Some paintings reflect the history of Peru, showing the Paytiti or what is considered to be "The Lost City of the Incas," while some delve into a more global scenario wherein the upheaval during the worldwide dispute of 1945 is shown. As for other paintings, their themes vary from the tragic reality of death to the supernatural state of transcendence; from nature to culture; from the indigenous to the contemporary; and from reality to imagination.

The paintings, likewise, exemplify the different focus that the artist accentuates. Some paintings emphasize the architecture of a particular structure, others the landscape, while others put more attention to nature – very much evident in the illlustration of animals, stones, mountains and rivers.

Furthermore, the paintings have their unique styles. Some use lifeless shades while others make use of vibrant colors. The materials used in creating these paintings also differ, some make use of paint, others assorted textiles, and a few make use of soil, sawdust and stucco. Depending on the theme, background and the personality of the artist, the paintings have their distinct motifs that can be both mesmerizing and imaginative.

The paintings being displayed are either in abstract form or classified under expressionistic in style. All in all, there are diverse paintings available in the exhibit that can satisfy any art enthusiast’s appetite for Peruvian culture.