Exhibition showcases Indigenous urban life through contemporary Amazonian art
A new exhibition at the Peruvian Embassy in London is showcasing the work of acclaimed Indigenous Amazonian artist Harry Pinedo
29 September 2026
The exhibition, Urban Lives, Forest Worlds, has been curated by Dr Giuliana Borea of Newcastle University and builds on a growing cultural partnership between the University, the Embassy and the Amazonart Project. It highlights the experiences, resilience and cultural heritage of Indigenous communities living in urban environments.
The exhibition follows the successful presentation of Listening to the Voices of the Rivers at Newcastle University, which was attended by Ambassador Ignacio Higueras and Irina Encarnación, Head of Culture and Press Affairs at the Peruvian Embassy. During their visit, they met artist Harry Pinedo and discussions began about bringing his work to a wider international audience.
Belonging to the Shipibo people of Peru's central Amazon and living in the urban community of Cantagallo in Lima, Harry Pinedo uses vibrant paintings to explore themes of migration, identity, belonging and everyday life for Indigenous peoples in the city.
The exhibition focuses on a subject that is often overlooked in public discussions about Indigenous communities: the reality that many Indigenous people live in urban settings while maintaining strong cultural, territorial and spiritual connections to their ancestral homelands.
Curator Dr Giuliana Borea said: “This exhibition focuses on something I consider crucial: Indigenous urban lives. Harry explores this theme with depth and clarity, showing how Amazonian identities, knowledge and ways of being continue to flourish in the city. Through a colourful scenes of community life, Pinedo's work explores the daily life - markets, schools, family gatherings and cultural practices in Cantagallo, while also addressing significant challenges including housing and communal rights, the community's recovery following a devastating fire, the impact of Covid-19, and access to public services. Pinedo’s work reminds us that Indigenous peoples are active participants on forest environments, and on urban life.”
A distinctive feature of Pinedo's paintings is the way they bring together urban and forest worlds. Rivers, animals, mountains and Amazonian symbolism appear throughout his work, reflecting enduring connections between city-based Indigenous communities and the Amazon rainforest.
Ambassador Ignacio Higueras said: “Collaborations such as this are particularly valuable. They allow us to build bridges between Peru and the United Kingdom not only through culture and art, but also through academic institutions and research. We are very pleased to have partners such as Newcastle University and the Amazonart Project, whose work creates opportunities for dialogue and for bringing contemporary Indigenous perspectives from Peru to wider audiences in the UK.”
Alongside his artistic practice, Harry Pinedo is a community leader, schoolteacher and advocate for intercultural education in Cantagallo. These experiences shape the political and social dimensions of his work, offering audiences insight into both the opportunities and challenges faced by Indigenous communities in contemporary Peru.
The exhibition also demonstrates the value of international cultural collaboration. Supported through a Quality-Related (QR) Policy Support Fund from Newcastle University, the project strengthens relationships with key partners including the Peruvian Embassy and contributes to wider conversations around cultural diplomacy, representation and Indigenous visibility.
By bringing Pinedo's work to London, Urban Lives, Forest Worlds invites audiences to reconsider common perceptions of Indigenous life and recognise the diverse experiences of Indigenous peoples living also? across urban landscapes.