Notes related to Lima

This was my first visit to Lima (and I hope it’s the first of many), and I came to take part in Pinta Lima 2025—an incredibly enriching experience. From the opening to the close, the fair was full of life: buzzing rooms, lively conversations, and unexpected encounters. There was an unmistakable energy in the air, the kind that comes from a city that takes seriously its place on the Latin American contemporary art map.

After four days of intense activity, during which key figures from the international and regional contemporary art scenes came together, the twelfth edition of Pinta Lima concluded at Casa Prado, reaffirming itself as one of the main events for contemporary art in Peru. This edition, directed by Irene Gelfman, celebrated cultural legacy and projected the future of Latin American art at a time when the Peruvian ecosystem —with the international rise of its artists, the strengthening of its gallery circuit, and the growth of local collecting— is advancing strongly toward consolidation.

The enduring legacy of Teresa Burga (Iquitos, 1935 – Lima, 2021) is celebrated at the Latin American art fair Pinta Lima, where she was selected as the tribute artist for the Special Project, curated by Miguel A. López. The exhibition brings together, for the first time, various moments of her production between 1966 and 2020, showcasing the intelligence, boldness, and versatility of an artist who was not always recognized or understood in her time.

Three proposals that explore the relationships between art, environment and society from unique perspectives. Although the artists come from different practices, communities and perspectives, their works dialogue with each other, offering an enriching and diverse experience.

The Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI) presents Transformaciones visuales, an exhibition dedicated to the work of Peruvian artist Bruno Zeppilli. The show offers a provocative reading of how certain images persist in Peru’s collective memory.

In its 2025 edition, the Latin American contemporary art fair presents, through RADAR and Video Project, a selection of works that engage with key issues of the present—both within the artistic field and beyond it: from questions surrounding the re-signification of ancestral knowledge to reflections on the idiosyncrasies of human nature.

Alejandra Monteverde is the founder of Crisis Galería, an art space located in Lima, Peru. The institution will be part of the RADAR section at the 2025 edition of Pinta Lima, a platform for artists to engage with some of the most pressing discussions in contemporary Latin American art. Crisis Galería will present “stories of resistance, transformation, and belonging.”

MAC Lima has inaugurated Contemporáneo 1. Materia :: Alchemy :: Device :: Flow, an exhibition poised to become a landmark for contemporary art in Peru. The show, the first in a series of biennial exhibitions based on the museum's collection, brings together the work of over 100 local contemporary artists.

Peruvian artist Yerko Zlatar, alongside Mariana Otero, director of Puna gallery (Peru), explores the contemporaneity of traditional crafts in the NEXT Section of the fair. The collaborative duo showcases unique pieces rooted in traditional practices such as weaving, ceramics, and basketry, understood as living languages that enable the creation of new works of art.

Pinta Lima returns for its 12th edition from April 24 to 27, 2025, bringing with it three Bogotá-based galleries offering versatile and thought-provoking proposals. Together, they create a dialogue that spans a wide thematic universe characteristic of contemporary art: exploring the passage of time and materiality, questioning art history and identity, and exposing the visual culture of mass media.

As part of the artistic and technological innovation of the #12 edition of Pinta Lima, the winning proposal for the artistic intervention of the Audi Q6 e-tron, a 100% electric vehicle of the Audi company, was announced. The work entitled “Aurora Mar” by artist Gabriela María Ganoza Tacchino was selected for its powerful environmental message and its innovative use of sustainable materials.

The Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI), in collaboration with the Shipibo Conibo Center in New York and with the support of proyectoamil in Lima and White Cube gallery in London, presented the exhibition Sara Flores. Non Nete, the first solo show of the renowned Shipibo-Konibo artist in a Peruvian museum.

At the Lima Art Museum – MALI, the exhibition Yerko Zlatar. Ancestral Technology is currently on view. This show invites reflection on the contrast between the deep, harmonious connection that ancient Andean civilizations had with the cosmos and their environment, and the way we now live, governed by a technology driven by consumerism and individualism.

Peruvian contemporary art is experiencing a vibrant moment. Over the past decade, its art ecosystem has begun to consolidate, with a growing local collector base, a more professional gallery scene, and an increasing number of artists gaining international visibility. However, it remains an early stage, with a small and fragile market that requires stronger structures to support its development. Unlike other countries in the region, Peru lacks strong institutional support for contemporary art.

The exhibition, which opened on November 28, 2024, presents for the first time a family collection of great significance to Peruvian history, consisting of portraits, religious paintings, and various objects. These pieces allow for an exploration of different aspects of life in the viceregal court of Lima during the 18th century. 

Fundación Proa presents Los incas. Más allá de un imperio (The Incas: Beyond an Empire) in Buenos Aires, showcasing a unique selection of ceramics, textiles, stone objects, metals, and paintings that offer a fresh perspective on one of the most fascinating civilizations of pre-Hispanic America. This exhibition invites visitors to debunk myths and rediscover over four centuries of Andean culture.

April 2025 marks the arrival of Pinta Lima in its 12th edition. It will be held April 24-27 at Casa Prado, Miraflores, Lima Peru. Applications for galleries will be open until January 18, 2025.