yei duran

My art

Most of my paintings are in oil and acrylic although sometimes I like to experiment with charcoal. My art is figurative art because it is derived from real objects such as objects or people, but I am more concerned with representing its essence and the feelings that something produces in me, than its actual appearance. Most of the time I like to use very bright and vivid colors and make strong brush strokes that show life, energy and movement. I like to work on large canvases and sometimes I use my fingers as a brush to put the color directly on the canvas. Through my art, I want to communicate something, that each painting tells us about someone, about a situation or about some reality.

Wayuu series 

 This is a series of paintings in honor of the Wayuu culture, which is part of the indigenous population of Colombia that lives in La Guajira. This series of paintings is the result of photographs and interviews made with the Wayuu. My love for Wayuu culture begins with my grandmother who is a 93-year-old Wayuu woman (Casta Jusayu), very attached to her customs and traditions, so wise and as magical as never wearing other clothing than your blankets or never sleeping in something other than your hammock. Wayuu culture is full of magic and colors, the ingenuity in its beautiful handicrafts have been the support for its survival. Unfortunately, its color is related to pain, the devaluation, corruption and abandonment by the government which has brought the consequences of poverty, malnutrition and death to this population. Through this series I not only want to show the art that they have in their hands, which is literally an art to live, full of vibrant colors and lots of light, I also want to leave a message of strength and identity and to be the voice of those Wayuu children, who have to work from childhood and suffer the consequences of abandonment. Our children are the window through which we can see the problems of our families. Since 2008 thousands of children have died from malnutrition or pathology associated with family problems, especially children under 5 years of age. Through my art, I want to sensitize not only Colombians but also the international community. To this reality, then we can take the first steps to change it. Each painting of the children has their name and a story to tell, and each painting shows us their art, such as that of the backpacks and has a small review that indicates the origin of this manual art.