Sara Flores on Representing Peru at the 61st Venice Biennale

Why It Matters

The debut of an Indigenous artist at Peru’s pavilion signals a shift toward inclusive national narratives and amplifies urgent environmental concerns on a global stage.

Key Takeaways

• First Indigenous artist to represent Peru at Venice Biennale
• Exhibition features immersive kené paintings, sculptures, video “From Other Worlds”
• Works act as portals linking ancestral knowledge to contemporary futures
• Highlights ecological resistance against mining, logging, palm oil expansion
• Aligns with Biennale theme of repair, slower gear, natural habitat

Pulse Analysis

The Venice Biennale remains the premier platform for nations to project cultural identity, and Peru’s decision to send Shipibo‑Konibo artist Sara Flores reflects a broader re‑evaluation of who can embody that identity. Flores’s kené practice—a visual language derived from forest motifs, medicinal plants and women’s songs—transforms traditional design into monumental, immersive works that invite viewers into a meditative state. By situating Indigenous cosmology within the Arsenale, the pavilion challenges the historic Eurocentric narrative of the Biennale and positions Peru at the forefront of post‑colonial artistic discourse.

Beyond aesthetics, Flores’s work is a form of ecological resistance. The Ucayali region, home to the Shipibo people, faces relentless mining, logging and monoculture expansion that threaten both biodiversity and cultural continuity. Her large‑scale paintings, rendered with natural dyes, act as visual medicine, embodying the Biennale’s "In Minor Keys" emphasis on repair and slower, more attentive engagement with the planet. The video component, "Non Nete (A Flag For The Shipibo Nation)," further underscores the link between art and territorial sovereignty, turning the pavilion into a platform for environmental advocacy.

The implications for Peru’s cultural policy are significant. By elevating an Indigenous voice, the government signals a move toward pluricultural representation, potentially reshaping funding priorities and museum acquisitions worldwide. For the global art market, Flores’s presence may accelerate demand for Indigenous contemporary art, encouraging collectors to recognize its critical role in dialogues about climate justice and decolonization. Ultimately, her participation illustrates how national pavilions can serve as catalysts for broader societal change, inviting audiences to reconsider the intersections of art, identity, and planetary stewardship.