My first impression was “this is depressing. I don’t want to stay here for too long”. Since it was raining outside and I paid $10 entrance fee, I figured I might as well wait for the guided tour and see what happens. Little by little, I could hear the images come alive…
Oswaldo Guayasamin is the most famous painter and sculptor from Ecuador; the Ecuadorian Picasso! After his death in 1999 (almost 80 years old), all his artwork and collections were dedicated to his country. Now they’re on display at his museum, La Capilla del Hombre, in Quito, previously his home.
Oswaldo grew up poor and started drawing when he was 6 years old. When he was 11, his best friend was shot dead in a demonstration. Ever since then, he started pouring the pain, grief, devastation as well as the hope, aspirations and passions of the human soul on canvas. As an artist, he felt and magnified the horrors of war, inequality, colonialism, slavery, ethnic cleansing and other injustices caused by humans against each other.
Seeing his powerful images, I couldn’t help but think of the ongoing genocide of Palestinians. The paintings are abstract representations of the real life suffering I see every day online. Displayed in front of me, bigger than life, I saw my own grief, rage, desperation and pain. No wonder I felt uncomfortable when I walked in. It was overwhelming. Then, I relaxed into my heart and let it all in. Feeling is healing.
Oswaldo managed to put on canvas exactly how I was feeling. It was like looking in a mirror, of a different kind. A mirror that bypasses the outer shell of flesh, bones, all the pretences and penetrates directly to the naked soul. Showing the emotions; pain, heartbreak, yearning. A mirror of the heart. I felt the weird looking figures saying: “You’re not alone. We feel your pain. We can get through this together”. I looked into the eyes, traced the outlines of the strong hands, I let the feelings wash over me. Through and beyond the pain, I saw our collective hope, aspirations and cry for universal peace and harmony.
Even though those abstract figures were painted decades ago, like any great art, Oswaldo’s work transcends time and space.
Despite the cruelty of the human drama, all the violence, pain and suffering, art always brings us back to our heart. In our heart, we remember our collective love, resilience and aspirations for humanity holding each other as one.
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Unconditional Love 