Denying the Truth

07Sep09

I wish I had more time during my upcoming trip to Peru. Since the Peruvian Nuevo Sol is about 1/3 the value of the U.S. dollar, money would not be a big issue, not in a country where you can get a 3-course meal for under $2. If I had more time, however, I would definitely explore the northern region of the country.

I would go to Pucallpa, Peru.

Pablo Amaringo is a former shaman and Peruvian artist who specializes in visionary art. Born in Puerto Libertad, in the Peruvian Amazon region, Pablo was ten years old when he first took ayahuasca–a visionary brew used in shamanism, made from the plants Banisteriopsis caapi (yagé) and Psychotria viridis (chacruna). A severe heart illness–and the magical treatment of this via ayahuasca–led Pablo toward the life of a shaman, and he eventually became a powerful curandero–learning the icaros, or healing songs that the ayahuascabrew taught him.

Shaman to painter: Pablo Amaringo

Shaman to painter: Pablo Amaringo

In 1977, Pablo abandoned his vocation as a shaman to become a painter and art instructor at his Usko-Ayar Amazonian school in Pucallpa, where there is no charge for the students to learn painting from Pablo. The school, as you can thus imagine, is dependent on donations.

Pablo, who has Lamistra, Cocama and Piro Indian ancestors, is fluent in English, Spanish and Quecha with knowledge of the Cocama, Amahuaca and Shipibo peoples. His art instruction stretches beyond technique, though, as reflected through his deep connection and love of nature:

We want to contribute to the conservation of the rainforest…the silent, beautiful factories, producers of oxygen, food, medicine, living things beyond numbers. We, the jungle people, see well and understand the bounty.

…

Here are Pablo’s works along with other “visionary art” artists that have thoroughly dazzled me:

The visionary denies the truth to himself, the liar only to others. – Friedrich Nietzche

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Filed under: Inspiration, Misc., Musings, News, Random, Society, art   |  3 Comments
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3 Responses to “Denying the Truth”  

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  1. 1 dissengallery on Monday, September 7, 2009 said:

    I can always count on coming here to be wowed by the images you collect. I have added you to my blogroll to share your fabulous eye for images with others, and make it easier for me to come back! Thanks Cathey.

  2. 2 tsbene on Monday, September 7, 2009 said:

    Wow…so many vibrant colors…

  3. 3 Cathey on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 said:

    Truly my pleasure, and thank you for the link. I’m so glad you enjoyed the images as much as I did!


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