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Edmundo Contreras
Born in Apurimac in 1965, Edmundo Contreras Aquise works in the <i>andahuaylino</i> (Andahuaylas) style. He uses painted glass and crackled finishes in a technique that is both traditional and modern. His motifs range from the pre-Hispanic, colonial, and ethnic to the beauty and culture of the Andean world and its wildlife. <br><br>
"I inherited my interest in art from my mother, a weaver," he says. "As an adolescent, I enjoyed painting and liked to create cartoons as a form of social protest (when terrorists threatened our land). In this way I represented those difficult moments when students and country people faced danger from two fronts. <br><br>
"I learned a great deal from my companions in a craft workshop taught by Amilcar Andia, a gentleman from Andahuaylas. One of my friends was Juan Quintin, a painter, and another was Reinaldo Rivera, who had graduated from the School of Fine Arts. From them I learned a great deal, and through practice, I discovered more techniques. <br><br>
"My art strives to be a testimony to history and tradition. With the danger of extinction of certain art forms, I represent them in hand-painted wood, glass and ceramic. These take the form of objects that are utilitarian and decorative, such as home furnishings, mirrors, vases and more. <br><br>
"I've exhibited my work at arts and crafts fairs, and in 1995 took first place in the Concurso Internacional para America Latina y el Caribe, winning the UNESCO Prize. One of my proudest moments was receiving the Vizcardo & Guzman Medal as a master artisan, awarded by the Peruvian Congress in 2002. <br><br>
"My dream is for my art to be known and appreciated outside my country."