私からあなたへ
貪欲な欲望:
欲望の行動を象徴する
Contemporary art has established itself as a powerful tool for addressing and reflecting upon the diverse themes and problems of today's society. Within a context marked by severe social and environmental crises, artists find—through various perspectives and media—ways to discuss these aspects, question the state of things, and propose other possible worlds.
Since 2018, ICPNA has organized the ICPNA Contemporary Art Award, and for each edition, it has invited a local curator to select the finalists for the first stage of the competition, which culminates in an exhibition. Subsequently, from among the finalists, a jury composed of three art specialists chooses the winner. This is an interesting competition format that allows a curator to offer their perspective on contemporary art within the local context. Reviewing previous editions of the contest, however, it remains clear that even under different approaches, an openness to all types of expressions and an intention to combat a series of inequities through the selection of artists from diverse backgrounds has always been maintained.
In this seventh edition of the competition, the exhibition showcased the work of 36 finalist artists, selected from more than 250 applications. According to the guidelines, the first-stage applications consisted of a digital portfolio with an artist statement and a maximum of seven images of works created in the last five years; one of these works had to be previously unreleased to participate in the contest. For the selection of the finalists, both the conceptual strength and the technical proficiency in the materialization of the work were taken into account, as well as the desire for the collective body of work to reflect different realities, critical stances, and diverse ways of creating contemporary art in Peru.
Based on the selected works and considering the potential for dialogues and intersections between them, the exhibition was organized around common themes that reflected the concerns and reflections of the selected artists. These range from the exploration of various identities and memories—making visible the histories and experiences of marginalized groups—to demands regarding gender violence and the questioning of heteropatriarchal structures. Reflections on the environmental crisis, extractivism, and the possibility of establishing different relationships with the natural environment are also present. Finally, a group of works puts forward energetic critiques in response to the structural problems of Peruvian society and the current acute political crisis.
The artists selected for the exhibition come from regions such as Amazonas, Áncash, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cusco, Junín, La Libertad, Lima, Pasco, Piura, and Pucallpa; they have been trained in both public and private art schools, as well as in family workshops or through self-taught methods. Besides addressing specific themes, the artists in this selection also stand out for their work and experimentation with diverse materials and media. Paintings, embroideries, mixed media, installations, photographs, and videos in their most varied expressions are some of the formats present in the exhibition. It is, therefore, a strong representative sample of what is being produced in the field of contemporary art in Peru.
The texts accompanying the works in this publication were specifically requested from the artists to accompany their pieces in the exhibition. We were interested in having the artists themselves provide the foundation for their works so that the public, both in the exhibition and in the catalog, could find their perspectives and interpretations.
In a difficult task, the jury—composed of Víctor Mejía, Luz Letts, and María del Pilar Riofrío—ultimately designated the work Mapa Etnolingüístico del Perú (Ethnolinguistic Map of Peru) by Marco Herrera as the winner. Likewise, they determined honorable mentions for Nina Apay (Carrying the Fire) by Violeta Quispe and Nosotras (Us) by Wendy Castro. This publication displays the award-winning works alongside those of all the contest finalists. Together, they constitute a magnificent account of what defines contemporary art in our country and the possibilities it offers to discuss and challenge a complex present.
シンビオシスで展示された『De Mi para Ti』シリーズのインスタレーションビュー。
VANESSA KARIN Finalist
This work serves as a visual cartography of the tumultuous emotions arising from a relationship marked by emotional abuse and the stripping of sexual agency. In a composition devoid of male figures, I portray myself in various figurations, capturing the internal struggle to reclaim sovereignty over my own body and desire.
To deepen this narrative, I employ Heather Warren-Crow’s concept of "The Plastic Image." The distortion of the figures is not merely aesthetic; it reflects the extreme malleability of the animated body, which, free from biological taboos or Christian complexes, can be stretched and fragmented to represent trauma. This plasticity allows for the fusion of hentai (Japanese adult animation, used here as a visual archive of bodies that defy biological laws) with the visceral nature of gore (an aesthetic of extreme violence used to materialize psychological fracture). By combining these, I capture the complexity of domestic abuse where emotional attachment distorts the physical and psychological reality of the victim.
Furthermore, the piece engages with Anne Anlin Cheng’s theory of Ornamentalism. The "schoolgirl" figure—a symbol of innocent love subjected to manipulation—functions here as an ornamental surface. According to Cheng, the feminized body often becomes a synthetic object where identity merges with ornament. In this painting, this fusion represents a strategy of resistance: I become image and texture to survive the consuming and violent gaze.
In a context where over 50,000 reports of psychological violence against women were recorded in Peru in 2023 alone, this painting stands as an act of political indictment. It is a reminder that making these dynamics visible through material resistance and self-knowledge is essential to dismantling the power structures that seek to infantilize and possess the female body.
貪欲な欲望:
欲望の行動を象徴する
The 2024 ICPNA Contemporary Art Award marks an important landmark in our commitment to promoting artistic talent in Peru. This publication celebrates the creativity and effort of the artists who participated in this edition, who have enriched the cultural panorama with their works, encouraging reflection on crucial issues for our society.
Each work included in the exhibition attests to the dynamism and depth of contemporary Peruvian art. More than just an accolade, the award aims to consolidate itself a space for ideas, narratives and aesthetics to converge and build a wider, more diverse vision of art at present.
We want to highlight the arduous work of this edition’s jury – Luz Letts, María del Pilar Riofrío and Victor Mejía – whose experience proved essential in appreciating the works with rigor and sensibility. Their decisions reflect the diversity and quality of the works submitted, highlighting the winner as much as honorable mentions, who have displayed a deep commitment to their creative processes.
Moreover, I express my special gratitude to Gabriela Germaná, curator for the finalists exhibition of this edition, for her ability to structure an exhibition that highlights the diversity of contemporary art. Her curatorial approach, together with the valuable support of Karen Bernedo as curatorial assistant, allowed this edition to be a referent for the artistic milieu.
This way, ICPNA vindicates its upkeeps its bet on art and culture as fundamental tools with which to foster a more thoughtful and connected society. This award represents our dedication to creating spaces for artists to develop, dialog and share their vision with the audience.
We celebrate every artist who took part in this edition and we thank those who made this project possible. This book is a testimony of the impact and relevance of contemporary art in our country and we hope that it will inspire more creators to continue exploring, innovating and contributing to the cultural development of Peru.
貪欲な欲望:
欲望の行動を象徴する
Through the years, the ICPNA Contemporary Art Award has evolved to establish itself as a key platform for the recognition and promotion of the most dynamic voices in Peruvian art. This seventh edition reflects our continuous commitment to connecting artists from across the country to an audience eager for new perspectives, while reaffirming our mission to decentralize access and participation in the art circle.
The panorama of contemporary art in Peru is diverse, complex and always changing. In this edition, the finalist artists have demonstrated a sharp sensitivity to current issues, approaching subjects that transcend the personal to dialogue with global challenges. Each work exhibited represents a unique answer to the context we live in, making art into a medium through which to interpret, question and transform our reality.
As an institution, ICPNA is proud to lead efforts that not only celebrate individual talent, but foster an idea exchange and strengthen a committed art community. This award would not be possible without the collaboration of a passionate and devoted team. My deepest gratitude to Gabriela Germaná, the curator for this edition, whose direction produced a carefully articulated exhibition. Similarly, my acknowledgment to Karen Bernedo for her contribution as assistant curator and her tireless work on each detail of the process.
The jury for this exhibition — composed of Pilar Riofrío, Luz Letts, and Víctor Mejía — played an essential role in evaluating and selecting the finalist works. Their vision and criteria ensured that the award continues to be a referent of quality and relevance for Peruvian contemporary art.
This project is an expression of ICPNA’s commitment to cultural development in the country, reaffirming the fundamental role that art plays in building a more thoughtful, inclusive and connected society. It is through initiatives like this that we hope to continue promoting spaces that celebrate creativity, question the present and open possibilities for the future of Peruvian art.
We extend our sincerest thanks to all the artists, audience and people who were part of this project, for making this celebration of contemporary art possible.
貪欲な欲望:
欲望の行動を象徴する
The artists who participated in the 2024 ICPNA Contemporary Art Award utilized a wide variety of techniques and formats to address critical and reflective themes of great relevance and current importance: from debates on gender, resilience, and cultural identity, to the complex political situation and the exercise of our rights as citizens. In this context, and after a unanimous decision, the jury awarded the prize to Marco Herrera for his work Mapa etnolingüístico del Perú.
Herrera addresses a long-standing issue of great current relevance: how we construct national identity in a country as diverse and pluricultural as Peru. In his work, he examines forms of verbal communication—an essential component for defining the character of a nation. To achieve this, the artist turns to the ethnolinguistic map prepared by the Ministry of Culture of Peru in 2018, which identifies the areas where indigenous or native languages predominate. He also incorporates the normalized alphabets published by the Ministry of Education of Peru. Added to this is a visual and symbolic element: the use of the translucent templates of the geographical map of Peru, which were so prevalent in the school stages of many Peruvian men and women.
In Mapa etnolingüístico del Perú, Marco Herrera integrates a pertinent research process with an acute analysis and an original and effective staging, the result of which are the 49 pieces that make up the proposal. Each piece represents a territory where a specific language predominates, reflecting the expansion or threat of extinction of some of them, thus offering a critical look at this situation. The templates are manipulatable by the viewer, and through their superposition, the image of the map of Peru is partially integrated. The work invites us to recompose and integrate the fragments of our country in a playful and reflexive exercise, opening the possibility of rethinking and questioning our national identity, a task that Herrera's work points to with clarity.
Violeta Quispe received an honorable mention for her work Nina Apay (Carrying the Fire), composed of a personal altar in which ceramics become fragments of painted memories that pay tribute to her grandmother, Marcelina Quispe. This piece demonstrates the multiple possibilities and continuities of the pictorial art of Sarhua. Through micro-scenes that evoke the traditional narrative of the tablets of that community, Quispe innovates in her way of telling stories, combining an emotional and powerful charge with an intimate approach, accompanied even by her own voice and that of her mother. The artist appropriates an ancestral language that she transforms into a contemporary and unique one to rescue, reconstruct, and pay tribute to her family history.
Wendy Castro received an honorable mention for her work Nosotras (Us), in recognition of her ability to enter into a visual universe that has been little explored from contemporary art perspectives. The installation impacts through the quantity and meticulousness with which each of her dolls is made. In her proposal, Castro rescues pre-Columbian symbols and alien imaginaries, reflecting on the limits of a cultural heritage that, due to the temporal distance, can feel distant. The viewer is confronted by an army of women who refer to a past that invites reflection on its relevance in the present.
In this edition of the ICPNA Contemporary Art Award, the winning proposals invite us to reflect on identity, memory, and the ways in which art can dialogue with our history and our territories. The capacity each work has to establish links between different languages and sensibilities generates a space for dialogue that enriches our perspective on complex Peruvian society.