Artist from the Andes Wins Artes Mundi Prize and Plans Cultural Centre

Antonio Paucar, an artist and beekeeper from a remote corner of the Andes, has won one of the UK’s most prestigious contemporary art awards, the Artes Mundi Prize, valued at £40,000. He plans to use the prize to build a cultural centre in the Peruvian mountains to support local art and culture.

An artistic photoshoot in a dark gallery featuring a man with long hair sitting cross-legged next to a black-and-white spiral rug, while a photography crew with professional lighting and cameras documents the scene. — A glimpse into the production process as photographers capture an artist and his textile work within a curated gallery space.

Art Reflecting Environment and Culture

Paucar presented works ranging from a spiral made of alpaca wool to a video of him writing a poem in his own blood about the environmental crisis in his region while sitting high in the mountains. His art emphasizes the link between Andean culture and nature, introducing concepts such as “Ayni,” a Quechua term that represents circular life and interconnectedness.

A man with long dark hair sits cross-legged on a museum floor behind a large, circular floor installation made of spiraled black and white thick-knit wool. In the background, a similar circular motif is displayed on a white gallery wall. — Artist Milton Becerra sits alongside his textile artwork, which explores the relationship between space, circularity, and traditional weaving materials within a modern gallery setting.

From Aza Village to Global Exhibitions

Paucar comes from Aza, near Huancayo, in the Junín region, where his family creates traditional figures and masks. Before studying art in Berlin, he worked as a beekeeper in the Peruvian highlands. He continues to merge his rural life with art, including raising chickens and growing vegetables.

A foreground view of a wooden pedestal holding a handwritten note in an acrylic case. The note reads "Apuruna Wamanikunap Shunqunkuna yawarta Waqayan." In the blurred background, a minimalist gallery space features a black and white spiral floor rug, a circular wall installation, and a television monitor. — An installation view featuring handwritten Quichua poetry alongside textile and digital works, creating a multisensory dialogue between language and visual art.

Global Impact and Opportunities for Architects

Through the Artes Mundi Prize, Paucar’s work is displayed in five galleries across Wales, including National Museum Cardiff and Mostyn, expected to reach nearly 150,000 visitors. For architects, Paucar’s project offers a model for integrating local arts and culture into sustainable design, considering natural environments and community life. This approach can inspire the creation of sustainable cultural centres in remote regions, combining art, environment, and local society.

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✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

Antonio Paucar’s Artes Mundi Prize-winning work exemplifies Contemporary Cultural Architecture, where artistic practice intersects with environmental and social context. Rooted in Andean culture and local livelihoods, Paucar’s project—ranging from alpaca wool spirals to performative video art—demonstrates Material Expression and deep engagement with Contextual Relevance, emphasizing circular life and interconnectedness. The proposed cultural centre in the Peruvian highlands offers architects a blueprint for designing resilient, community-focused spaces that integrate art, local traditions, and sustainable building practices within remote natural settings. However, realizing such projects requires careful consideration of logistics, infrastructure, and climate, ensuring that the centre not only embodies cultural identity but also functions effectively as a long-term hub for social, educational, and environmental engagement, reflecting true Architectural Ambition.