Ángel Pahuamba: Resisting Through Art

Located at Dr. Coss #12, the Plaza San Miguel art gallery boasts a vast collection of fine and folk crafts, as well as a selection of Persian, Turkish, and Peruvian rugs. “We also have a collection of modern art, mainly featuring works by Nicolás de Jesús, from the state of Guerrero, and Julio Quintanilla, who is from Yucatán. Both are seasoned masters, and their artistic languages are very different from each other,” explains Ireri Campoy García, an Art History graduate and the gallery’s manager.

Plaza San Miguel offers a wide variety of crafts from different regions of the country.

But the venue isn’t limited to items for sale. “We wanted to bring more movement to the space by opening one of the rooms to temporary exhibitions. Since September 2024, we’ve already inaugurated four shows,” adds Ireri.

The first exhibition featured works by Julio Quintanilla and Óscar Daniel Chávez, followed by a show in October showcasing the work of Nicolás de Jesús. In February of this year, an exhibition by Didier Dorval was held, and this past April the latest one, Aguantamos Vara by Ángel Pahuamba, was inaugurated.

Ángel Pahuamba blends contemporary art styles with expressions from the traditional culture of Cherán.

“Ángel is a Purépecha artist born in Cherán, Michoacán, with a significant career. He began pursuing art seriously from a young age. It’s clear that he has developed a strong personal style, which has earned him recognition at the local, national, and even international levels. He has exhibited in Chile, the United States, and some European countries,” says Ireri.

The Pátzcuaro-born art historian, who also has experience in artwork management, cultural programming, and outreach, adds that he is “an artist who has remained closely connected to his roots and culture, and committed to defending his people and community. Aguantamos Vara delivers a sharp critique of capitalism and all the atrocities it entails, both in terms of labor exploitation and environmental degradation.”

The show, composed of paintings and installations, portrays the active resistance sustained by various sectors of society—especially Indigenous communities—against the whirlwind of capitalism and neoliberalism.

Aguantamos Vara critiques capitalism and its devastating effects on communities and the natural environment.

Citlalli Mendoza Sánchez, PhD in Psychology and author of the wall text accompanying the exhibition, explains: “‘Aguantar vara’ comes from bullfighting; it refers to bulls that remain standing after being stabbed with a lance. In this exhibition, it symbolizes the endurance not only of individuals but of social groups who confront capitalism through their practices. The faces of endurance coexist with women climbing stairs step by step, or walking through war zones while covered in burkas. In this landscape, a child plays at war; at his feet, soldiers clash.”

Citlalli adds: “Resistance also takes other forms—one of them is craftsmanship. This legacy, which Ángel Pahuamba inherited from his parents, is present in the installations through mushroom-shaped baleros, corn husk dolls, a pyramid of oloteras, and a devil mask. These elements encapsulate a worldview expressed through forms and materials tied to nature, whose ever-changing reality also knows how to resist. Capitalism and its insatiable nature are represented by blond-fringed pigs greedily feasting.”

You can visit Aguantamos Vara and the other rooms at Plaza San Miguel from Wednesday to Monday, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, at Dr. Coss #12 in Pátzcuaro’s historic center. Admission is free. Let us know what you think!