First Indigenous Representative of Peru at the Venice Biennale, Sara Flores Opens the Doors of Her Studio in the Heart of the Amazon

Sara Flores, a 76-year-old artist from the Shipibo-Konibo Indigenous community in the Peruvian Amazon, has been selected as the first Indigenous artist to represent Peru at the Venice Biennale. In her open-air studio deep in the rainforest, she creates large-scale geometric compositions in the kené ("true drawing") tradition, using natural dyes from local plants. She is also co-founder of the Bakish Mai Multiversity, an educational institution dedicated to Indigenous knowledge and artist residencies, alongside Matteo Norzi, one of the two curators of the Peruvian pavilion. The article offers an intimate portrait of her life, her matriarchal family, and her creative process.

This selection matters because it marks a historic shift in Peru's representation at a major international art event, centering Indigenous voices and knowledge systems that have long been marginalized. Flores's work and her Multiversity challenge Western art hierarchies by proposing a "multiversity" that bridges past and present, while her political activism—including creating a flag for Indigenous nations—underscores the role of art in addressing colonial violence and land rights. The story highlights how the Venice Biennale is increasingly becoming a platform for decolonial and Indigenous perspectives.