Osvaldo Guayasamín

On our way to Loja in southern Ecuador, from Otavalo, we had six hours to kill in Quito. We took a cab up into the hills to see the Capilla del Hombre designed by Osvaldo Guayasamín, on the recommendation of Melissa who we met in our hostel in Otavalo. The chapel was closed but we did get to visit a collection of museums run by the Guayasamín Foundation on beautiful and peaceful grounds overlooking the city.

The first museum contained Guayasamín's collection of pre-Columbian art. We especially enjoyed the urns with crazy faces and the beautifully painted cereal bowls.










The second museum displayed works of Guayasamín himself, some quite realistic, some Picasso-like, and others nightmarish and hallucinatory. I really liked the series of portraits of women, especially the icy-cold and steel-rod straight ambassador from Uruguay.
























The final museum had a collection of colonial art but they didn't allow photos. It was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon before getting on an uncomfortable all night bus.