Claudia Andujar has long been a window into worlds on the brink of disappearance. Her latest exhibition, “Claudia Andujar and the Yanomami Struggle,” (La causa Yanomami en la mirada de Claudia Andujar), now at the Miguel Urrutia Art Museum (MAMU) in Bogotá is a testament to this dedication. Comprising nearly 250 pieces – including haunting photographs, evocative drawings, and an immersive audiovisual installation – the exhibition plunges viewers into the fraught existence of the Yanomami people, an indigenous community from the heart of the Amazon.
The exhibition, curated by Thyago Nogueira, is not just a display of art; it is a historical document, enriched by the insights of the Yanomami shaman and leader, Davi Kopenawa. His voice, woven throughout the exhibit, offers an unfiltered perspective on the decades-long battle against encroaching modernity, illegal mining, and environmental devastation.
Andujar’s work is the beating heart of the exhibition. Her photographs, many of which were captured in the 1970s, reveal her evolution from a curious photojournalist to a environmental activist. Utilizing innovative techniques such as infrared film and layered filters, Andujar captures not just the faces of the Yanomami but their spirit, their connection to the forest, and their resilience in the face of existential threats.
The exhibition also spotlights the Yanomami’s own voices. Contemporary works by Yanomami artists—including the first Yanomami filmmaker, Morzaniel Iramari, and the illustrators Ehuana Yaira and Aida Harika—offer a rare glimpse into an indigenous worldview that is both timeless and urgently contemporary. These pieces, many created specifically for this show, contrast the traditional with the modern, depicting a culture in a delicate dance with preservation and adaptation.
The exhibition space at MAMU is divided into two compelling sections. The first part introduces us to the mystical and often invisible dimensions of Yanomami life, as interpreted by both indigenous and non-indigenous artists. The second section is a sobering reminder of the Yanomami’s ongoing fight for survival. Here, the cold facts of history—decades of exploitation, disease, and environmental degradation—are brought to life through Andujar’s stark photographs and the visceral testimonies of the Yanomami people.
The story of the Yanomami’s plight is not just one of passive suffering but of active resistance. The exhibition chronicles their struggle from the 1970s, when Brazil’s military dictatorship began exploiting the Amazon, to the present day, where illegal activities continue to threaten their existence. The Yanomami’s success in securing the demarcation of their territory in 1992, after years of activism led by Andujar and the Commission for the Creation of the Yanomami Park (CCPY), is portrayed as a rare victory in a landscape often defined by loss.
Yet, despite this hard-won protection, the Yanomami’s land is still under siege. Illegal mining, deforestation, and the spread of diseases brought by outsiders remain persistent threats. Andujar’s photographs, juxtaposed with drawings by Yanomami artists, powerfully illustrate the cost of these invasions – both to the land and to the people who call it home.
Claudia Andujar, born in Switzerland in 1931, is no stranger to the concept of survival. Her own life was shaped by the trauma of the Holocaust, a legacy that drives her deep empathy for marginalized communities. After escaping Europe with her mother, Andujar eventually settled in São Paulo, Brazil, where she began her career as a photographer and artist. Her encounter with the Yanomami in 1971, while on assignment for Realidade magazine, was transformative, leading her to dedicate the rest of her career to their cause.
Andujar’s work is not merely photographic documentation; it is an act of defiance against the erasure of an entire people. Her images serve as both a tribute and a call to action, urging the world to recognize the Yanomami’s humanity and their right to exist on their own terms.
The exhibition, originally presented by the Moreira Salles Institute in São Paulo in 2018, has traveled the globe, making stops at prestigious venues like the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art in Paris and The Barbican Centre in London. Its arrival in Colombia back in May, through a collaboration with MAMU and the cultural section of the Central Bank, marks another chapter in its ongoing journey that, like the Yanomami’s struggle, is far from over.
As the exhibition enters its final month, “Claudia Andujar and the Yanomami Struggle” is not just an artistic experience; but a visual narrative in empathy, a lesson in resilience, and stark reminder of the ongoing fight for indigenous rights. In an era of climate crisis and rampant deforestation, the exhibition’s message is clear: the survival of the Yanomami is intertwined with the survival of the Amazon, and by extension, the planet itself.
The exhibition runs until September 30
Museo de Arte Miguel Urrutia/ Calle 11 No.4-21
Free Admission.
