See below for more information and updates on exhibitions of Tigua art in the US.

The artists of Tigua are renowned for their colorful paintings depicting village life high in the mountains of rural Ecuador. Living much as they have lived for centuries, families herd sheep and llamas and cultivate a variety of potatoes and grains in small communities perched on the windswept slopes of the Andes mountains. Their language is Quichua, the language of the Inca. Though they have acquired many modern ways, their customs, and indeed their paintings, still reflect this ancient heritage.

The paintings, mostly done on sheep hide, depict the customs, festivals, myths and dreams of indigenous people. The art form originated with the painting of small drums used in traditional festivals and ceremonies. In the early 1970's, one of the local artists, a community leader named Julio Toaquiza, began to paint on hide stretched over a flat frame. Since then, he has inspired a whole generation of artists. Many of the frames are also painted with intricate colors and designs.

Paintings by Tigua artists were exhibited at the Organization of American States in Washington, DC (November 1994) and at the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley (January-May, l995).

For more information about the Tigua artists or a copy of the full color catalog:

Contact Jean Colvin at:
tiguaart@aol.com
Or FAX Arts of Tigua, (415) 922-3776.
See also: www.tigua.org

The material, text and images, contained herein are copyright protected by The Artists of Tigua, the UC Regents, and various other parties. If you would like to use any of the material on this or any other page related to this site, please send email to Jean Colvin at tiguaart@aol.com and we will reply as soon as we can.