An intimate portrait of Shipibo-Konibo artist Pecon Quena and her first visit to Cusco.

From the Amazon to the Andes

One week in October 2021, we had the pleasure of hosting a dear friend and Shipibo-Konibo artist Pecon Quena (Lastenia Canayo) at our headquarters in San Blas, Cusco. It was her first time to travel to Cusco; coming from the jungles of Pucallpa, making her first few days here a slow transition into a landscape quite different from her home.

Photo: Melanie Dizon (©2021 Xapiri Ground)
Photo: Davis Torres (©2021 Xapiri Ground)

Xapiri Ground has been in close relations with Pecon Quena for over five years, through the selling of her art and supporting her family. Recently, we completed a 3-month long exhibition featuring her "Dueño" paintings followed by a workshop where the participants were able to paint their own individual dueño and contribute to an even larger canvas mural containing multiple dueños.

Photo: Davis Torres (©2021 Xapiri Ground)
Photo: Davis Torres (©2021 Xapiri Ground)

These type of events allow us to create a cross-cultural exchange through the arts with our community and the communities that we support throughout the Peruvian Amazon.

Photo: Davis Torres (©2021 Xapiri Ground)
Photo: Davis Torres (©2021 Xapiri Ground)
Photo: Davis Torres (©2021 Xapiri Ground)

Pecon Quena also gifted us with some little guardians for our common area in the café.

Photo: Melanie Dizon (©2021 Xapiri Ground)
Photo: Davis Torres (©2021 Xapiri Ground)
Photo: Davis Torres (©2021 Xapiri Ground)