Popular Culture and Traditions in Yamil Guzman’s Paintings

Popular Culture inspires Yamil Guzman’s florid paintings, and they are chimerical homages to Mexican culture and tradition. This January, the Perdomo Gallery team exhibits our collection of prismatic paintings by the Oaxacan artist.

Yamil Guzman uses his stylized iconography to depict the flamboyant celebrations of southern Mexico, particularly the Zapotec culture of Oaxaca. Moreover, his colorful compositions and unique iconography illustrate ancient Zapotec life. Yamil Guzman’s vibrant paintings consecrate indigenous culture and inspire curiosity in the spectator. In addition, they are a window to the occult world of Zapotec culture, full of magic and history.

"My artwork is influenced by culture's historical and mystical origin. I express these mysterious origins in a contemporary style. Consequently, in my paintings I use oil, acrylic and raw pigment to evoke the primitive in contemporary life." - Yamil Guzman.

The mystical world represented in Yamil Guzman’s prismatic paintings is full of cryptic iconography for the initiated. In addition, his intricate color palette and unusual symbolism give his paintings an orphic quality. Oaxaca culture is the protagonist in Yamil Guzman’s enigmatic paintings.