Galería Pedro Cera — Manuel Chavajay: Ja qattee ruach’ulew nu tz’ijoni
Ja qattee ruach’ulew nu tz’ijoni, Manuel Chavajay’s most recent exhibition, opened to the public this past Thursday, June 6th in Galería Pedro Cera in Madrid.
“Nestled amidst towering volcanos, Lake Atitlan in Guatemala is home to numerous towns and villages that carry the cultural heritage of the Maya people. Along its shores, communities like the Tz’utujil have taken over the mission to continue their ancestral legacy, with Manuel Chavajay being one of these descendants. Reflecting on the sacredness of the place through its cosmogony, his work embodies a historic consciousness of indigenous identity, resonating with a resilient pursuit of independence and stability. Addressing spiritual, socio-economic, and environment concerns, his practice focus the urgent need to halt human disputes over the land, advocating for its respect and conservation. Manuel Chavajay’s first solo exhibition at Pedro Cera, “Ja qattee ruach’ulew nu tz’ijoni”, Tz’utujil for “Mother Earth Speaks”, embodies the wellspring for this exploration, approaching the Earth as an entity with a voice speaking through the traditions, customs, and struggles of the indigenous people who inhabit it.
Stemming from ancestral practices rooted in the landscape, Chavajay’s paintings, as the ones from the series “Hay días en que las montanãs y los volcanes se acercan y se alejan” (“There are days when the mountains and volcanoes get closer and farther away”), portray the shores of Lake Atitlan and its encompassing beauty. Using watercolors infused with burned oil from engines, and embroidered details, Chavajay addresses a consciousness concerning nature and the detrimental impact of human actions on it. Inspired by the phenomenon where mountains and volcanoes seem to recede after a storm, depending on the perception of light and its intensity, the works explore the passage of time as a dance of unique and unrepeatable moments, a mirrored scenery reflecting a connection to the elements and to the Tz’utujil’s legacy.” (Press release, Galería Pedro Cera.)
Ja qattee ruach’ulew nu tz’ijoni is open to the public until July 27 2024 in Galería Pedro Cera Madrid (Calle de Barceló, 13. 28004 Madrid, Spain).