TRIESTE, Italy – illycaffè, a global coffee company known for its sustainable quality and for the privileged bond it has built with the world of contemporary art, presents the new illy Art Collection dedicated to Biennale Arte 2024, which bears the same name of the event: ‘Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere‘.
A partnership of over twenty years with the International Art Exhibition, reaffirmed for its 60th edition, is further enhanced by an illy Art Collection signed by four emerging Latin American artists chosen by the curator of Biennale Arte 2024 Adriano Pedrosa from among those who showcase at the exhibition.
Guatemalan artist Paula Nicho, Peruvian artist Rember Yahuarcani López, Colombian artist Aycoobo, and the Brazilian collective Mahaku have each contributed to this collection, using the iconic illy cups as their canvas to express creativity deeply rooted in the traditions and cultures of their homelands.
“The new illy Art Collection, taking up the theme of the Biennale Arte 2024, is dedicated to those who are foreign or far away and promotes, through the language of contemporary art, the different forms of dialogue and inclusion, ranging from respect for the roots and culture of all peoples to the importance of living in balance with nature, values that illycaffè supports throughout the supply chain, always placing people and the environment at the center of all its activities,” says Cristina Scocchia, CEO of illycaffè.
Paula Nicho is arguably the most significant living Guatemalan Mayan artist. She began her career as a weaver and now creates intricate designs and patterns on clothing, which artfully depict nature in a unique and special manner. She regards these garments as “my second skin,” a title also given to the artwork reproduced on the cup. They symbolize a part of her personal history marked by discrimination for wearing traditional attire. Through her portrayal of various life scenes, particularly showcasing the strength of women wearing the distinctive costumes of Guatemala’s diverse regions, the artist underscores the vital role of clothing in reclaiming indigenous self-determination.
Rember Yahuarcani López is a visual artist, writer, and activist hailing from the Áimenɨ Clan of the Uitoto Nation in the northern Amazon of Peru. Each painting serves as a living testament to the voices of ancestors and gods, embodied in animals and nature, reflecting an era when there existed no division between humanity and the natural world. In his artwork featured on the “Invisible Beings” cup, the artist depicts creatures born millennia ago in the Amazonian territories. Throughout the ages, indigenous deities have imparted invaluable wisdom to their inhabitants, guiding them in new ways to interact harmoniously with their environment. These teachings, passed down through myths and stories, continue to convey essential knowledge regarding medicine, construction, agriculture, and environmental stewardship.
Aycoobo (Wilson Rodríguez), a Colombian artist who inherited his artistic skills from his father, is a painter and plant expert. In many of his pieces, he explores the intricate relationship between humanity and the natural world. For Aycoobo, art serves as a means to reconnect with his ancestral heritage while navigating his existence as an individual in the modern era. The cup featuring his artwork titled “The Shaman’s Dream” illustrates the shaman’s profound connection with nature, as he spiritually communes with plants and animals, regarded as celestial guardians of the land. From these entities, the shaman learns ancient wisdom that underscores the interconnectedness of all beings, each contributing their unique healing powers to benefit humanity.
MAHKU, the Brazilian Movement of Artists of the Huni Kuin ethnic group, utilizes art to give visual form to the narratives conveyed in the Huni Meka songs, which are revered as spiritual messages imparted to the Huni Kuin community by the spirits. Their artistic creations portray myths recounting the origins of the world and the intricate relationships between humans, animals, plants, and spirits. One such piece featured on the cup recounts the myth of “kapewë pukeni” (the alligator bridge): In ancient times, as some men sought to traverse from the Asian continent to the American continent via the Bering Strait, an alligator offered to ferry them across in exchange for sustenance. However, as the journey progressed and food sources dwindled, the men resorted to hunting a small alligator, betraying the trust of the larger one. Consequently, the benevolent alligator submerged into the depths of the sea, marking the genesis of the division between different peoples and lands.
The illy Art Collection will be accessible through the illy e-shop, in stores (illy Caffè and illy Shop), major retail distribution channels, and various indirect e-commerce channels.
