The Art Scene of Loja Ecuador

ARTIST - Gabriela (Gaby) Jaramillo Soto (1997 - ) Studies plastic arts at Universidad Nacional de Loja (UNL). Recent exhibitions include "Mizizi" roots Samay Ayapash-soul and spirit (“MIZIZI” RAÍCES SAMAY AYAPASH- ALMA Y ESPÍRITU) and "Ancient Ancestral Art" (Arte Anígena Ancestral) in 2019. Artist quotes: "My art is indigenous-Ancestral and social cut. The proposal I'm finally developing is an ancestral tribute. All that hidden memory, which for some reason is lost, I rescue it. Every proposal becomes autobiographical. I've looked inside of me to find myself. That land is where I grew up and has its story."  "I just know that I give the best of me that I give everything I can and I have, I fight, I effort, someday everything will be worth it." Ñawikuna (Faces)     facebook.com/gaby.soto instagram.com/gabie    

"Gatita de miel" (Honey Cat) ARTIST - Sofía Vivanco   (1997 - ) Recent exhibitions include “Abstraction of sensibility” at the Pittura Gallery (2018), “Imaginarios patrimoniales en el Festival de Artes Vivas de Loja” (2017). "Sin tiempo" (Without time) facebook.com/sofia.vivanco instagram.com/saya00a

"Fragment of my skin" ARTIST - Andrea Estefanía Luna Correa   (1992 - ) Studied Visual Arts and Design at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL). Her thesis is titled "Fragments. Sensation and experience of a depressive body." Recent exhibitions include the collective art show for the launch of "Se Acabó La Tinta #5" at Howard Johnson's (2018), "Wakán Espiritu/Rara Tangara" 2018, “Expo Mascaras” at Museo del Ministerio de Cultura 2017, “Simbiosis” in La Casa de Manuel 2016. Mask sculpture facebook.com/andrea.luna

ARTIST - Anabel Robles Recent exhibitions include "VI Collective Exhibition Arte-Mujer" 2018 in the Sala Eduardo Kingman , and "Wabi-Sabi" in the Casona Cultural 2018. "Esencia" (Essence) facebook.com/anikaanabel.robles instagram.com/anabel_robles

"Mano Grande" (Big Hands), 1981 ARTIST - Eduardo Kingman Riofrío  (1913 - 1997) Born in Loja, Eduardo is known as "the painter of hands" and was regarded as one of the masters of twentieth century expressionism.   He studied at the School of Fine Arts in Quito, with stops in Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, and in the United States at the San Francisco Art Institute.  Eventually he received a chair at the same institute, was the director of Quito's Colonial Art Museum, and a owned private gallery also in Quito.  While living in Quito, he became the protege of other famous Lojanos like writers Bejamin Carrion and Pablo Palacio.  His lithographs, woodcuts, and paintings concentrated on the social realities of Ecuador's indigenous people.  The artisit's deeply humanistic style captured the range of emotions from anguish, anger, and impotence in the face of injustice, to the quieter feelings of tenderness and devotion.  As well as painting, Eduardo ...

ARTIST - Patricio Vega Arrobo  (1987 - ) Studied at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL). Coordinador and manager at Forjando El Arte, and manages the Book Patch in San Sebastion . Also administrator of the Cromosoma Lunatico  (Lunatic Chromosome) blog about the "art chromosome," a project of the Letra Fuego Art and Culture Collective. Patricio's first passion is poetry and wordsmithing (and especially helping others to get published) but he is also passionate about the visual arts. facebook.com/profile.patricio

"Por la boca muere el pez" (by the mouth dies the fish) ARTIST - Luis Ángel Conza Chuquimarca, aka Conza Luis KtanaAc Bachelor of Fine Arts from Universidad Nacional de Loja (UNL). Currently owner/manager of the workshop and gallery KSARTE. Lives in Cariamanga, Loja province. According to Dennys Villalta: “Many paintings show characters, animals and even fruits without their protective layer. Conza makes reference to the interior of things, to our equality as individuals, we do not all have the same color of skin, eyes or hair, but we all have an aorta or a sternocleidomastoid muscle. He tears our skin to show our interior without mysticism, only as humans, he removes our masks and arrogates us to the world, he launches us without our armor, without ideologies, without prejudice.” facebook.com/ktla.ac

"Yakumama" (Mother), acrylic on canvas ARTIST - Favio Caraguay From Loja province, now living in Quito. Studied Interior Design and Plastic Arts at Loja Unida. Studied Anthropology and Art at the University of Cuenca and achieved a Master of Visual Arts at the Cuenca University. Currently a profesor at Universidad San Francisco of Quito, and a shamanic artist at Caraguay . Artist's statement: "My artistic work has been characterized at all times by using the languages ​​of drawing, painting and photography. The development of the work arises from having direct contact with the transformations of radical cycles of nature in the dry forest of Mangahúrco and from the approach with the pre-Columbian work of the original peoples of the Paltas." “Homenaje al maestro Manuel Serrano” (Tribute to master Manuel Serrano) facebook.com/CARAGUAYfavio facebook.com/Caraguay instagram.com/caraguayfavio

“Espiral cósmica” (Cosmic spiral) ARTIST - Velp Velp (Victor Lima) Studied Art at Universidad Nacional de Loja (UNL). General Manager/Owner of CartoneCrafts  (artistic creations, crafts, design, handicrafts and more in cardboard). Recent exhibitions include "Transformando Ideas" (Transforming Ideas) in the Sala Angel Ruben Garrido  2018. Artist's statement: “The idea is not to live forever, the idea is to create something that does.” “Degeneracion Urbana” (Urban degeneration) Sketch for engraving.  facebook.com/victor.lima facebook.com/VelpVelp instagram.com/velp_velp velpvelp.tumblr.com

“Torero de Corazon” (Bull of Heart), in terracota ARTIST - Juanito Flores Studied at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL). Recent exhibitions include Expo Mascara III 2017; demonstration expo "Clay in the Hands" 2017. Artist's statement: "Art fascinates me and music entertains me." self-portrait, in oil, referencing Gerardo Sacristan facebook.com/profile.juanito

“Elementos básicos de la naturaleza” (Basic elements of nature), acrylic ARTIST - Kalho Depiedra, aka Jairo Piedra   (1987 - ) Studied Art and Design at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL). I guess this is a two-for-one situation. One artist, two names, and producing volumes of work as if there really are two different people. Kalho/Jairo uses the color palette to great effect. Well worth your time looking further into his/their imagery. Portrait (decorated with pre-Columbian, femininity and nature) Click here for the magazine article available online facebook.com/kalho.depiedra facebook.com/jairo.piedra

“Llena eres de gracia y el señor nunca este contigo”  (Full of grace and the Lord never is with you), acrylic on fabric ARTIST - Dave Saritama (Acid Dave) Studied Art and Design at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL). In addition to creating works of art, Dave also occasionally offers drawing classes at the  Madriguera Café - Art Shop . Recent exhibitions include "Emerging Artists" 2017, "Pasión Plástica de Dave Saritama" (Plastic Passion of Dave Saritama) at La Casa de Manuel 2017. "Paisajes" (Landscapes) facebook.com/acideiv instagram.com/aciddeiv aciddeiv.tumblr.com

"Desnudos!" (Nudes!) oil on canvas ARTIST - Briggette Quezada  (1995 - ) Studied at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL). Recent exhibition: "Imágenes Sonoras" (Sound Images) in the Casona Cultural , 2018. pastel facebook.com/briggette.quezada instagram.com/briggettequezad

ARTIST - Karen Elizabeth Ludeña Armijos  (1998 - ) Studied Visual Arts at Loja Unida. more information to come "Death Queen" facebook.com/elizabeth.k.armijos instagram.com/betha

"The sushi eater" ARTIST - Kelly Gualsaqui (kilogramo, or kg) Studied at the National University of Loja (UNL), and Instituto Superior Tecnológico “Daniel Alvarez Burneo” (ISTDAB). Prolific young Lojano artist who brings her female perspective to her images of young women and animals in interesting ways. Works in murals, graphic arts, illustration, body painting, and more. Be sure to check out the link to her Instagram page for examples of her work. Recent exhibitions include "Indómita - Festival De Arte Urbano" in Zamora (2018). facebook.com/kelly.gualsaqui instagram.com/kg_kilogramo

ARTIST - Javier Alexander Montaño Escobar Studied Art and Design at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL). Artist frequently signs his work as "Mugre XI - I" or just simply "XI - I." Besides his murals, painting and illustration work, Javier is also a musician. facebook.com/javier.montano behance.net/jamontescoac facebook.com/Mugre-XI-I