Pantigozo, Luis

There Is A Beginning And An End

Luis Pantigozo was born in 1958 in Arequipa, Peru. He studied at the Escuela de Belles Artes in Arequipa. His work has been exhibited in more than fifty solo and group exhibitions in the U.S., Italy and most of South America. He is the recipient of many awards and accolades.

The main focus of his work is the Andean peoples relation to the MAMAPACHA. There is a spiritual dimension to his depiction of the Andean man and his attempt to reconcile two seemingly opposing cultures (Western and Andean).

Artists Declaration:

My work is grounded in the reality around me. My subjects are real people, with names like Juan, Jose, Maria, and Josefa; with whom I have an extricable bond. These are the Andean people, and I endeavor to portray them to you. My paintings attempt to convey their feelings and to express the emotional intensity of their experience.

Each piece I create is charged with passion, which stems from my personal relationship with the subjects. They may my teachers and mentors, the ones that taught me most about life. I only know that I am a better person for having known them.

My main interest is the people of the Andes. These are the people that despite being invaded, conquered, and ultimately submitting to the conquistadores – never lost their identity. Herein lies the dichotomy between the Andean and Western man. The newly imposed legal and religious structures did not extinguish the Andean instincts and sensibilities, nor the connection to the MAMAPACHA. There is a deeply rooted, almost mystical connection to the land, which forms an integral part of the Andean soul. The Western culture mistakingly believes that it has quashed this connection through the coercive imposition of its so-called advanced systems. However, the MAMAPACHA, with its power and allure, can never be usurped.

A masterful watercolorist, Luiz Pantigozo captures his subjects with astounding realism. The viewer can feel the weight of the sacks that these workers are carrying as well as the intense heat of the sun. Although he conveys their difficult work in a very stark manner, there is always an uplifting element that comes across in Pantigozo’s work. His calculated use of intense lighting and small splashes of bright color give his work a spiritual quality and, in some cases, an unusual surreal aspect. If you appreciate watercolor as a medium and would like to see more of his work, please let us know. We have several in the gallery and they are even more striking in person.

“The overall philosophy is simple. There is life and death. There is a beginning and an end. My work reflects this profound simplicity. There are never more than one or two subjects to avoid unnecessary clutter and confusion. My paintings, whether on canvas or paper, are simple, direct and spiritual in nature. Do not try to read or interpret my paintings. You must feel them. Just listen to them and soon all the stories told to me will resound in you.” – Luis Pantigozo