Landmark Collaboration Reveals “Winds of Yawanawá” Artwork Series by Refik Anadol and the Yawanawá Community

Last Updated on: 22nd November 2023, 08:21 am

New media artist Refik Anadol and the indigenous Yawanawá community from the Brazilian Amazon are preparing to unveil their extraordinary co-created artwork series, “Winds of Yawanawá,” on Thursday, 13 July 2023. This remarkable collection consists of a captivating data sculpture and a limited Genesis NFT collection featuring 1000 unique Data Paintings that incorporate weather data from the tribe’s village in the Amazon rainforest, including wind speed, gusts, direction, and temperature. These elements are masterfully intertwined with the artistic expressions of young Yawanawá talents, Nawashahu and Mukashahu, resulting in a mesmerising fusion of traditional shapes and vibrant colors. Refik Anadol himself announced that “Winds of Yawanawá” is his most profound and purposeful project of the year, bringing us closer to embracing symbiotic ways of living on our planet. The eagerly anticipated collection sale for “Winds of Yawanawá” will take place from 14 to 16 July 2023. The Yawanawá community boasts a rich heritage and a long-standing tradition of artistic expression, blending patterns, visions, and dreams that convey the strength and beauty of their people. This artwork series is deeply influenced by their cultural legacy, symbolising their symbiotic relationship with the cherished rainforest they inhabit. The NFT sale will commence with the official unveiling at 19:00 local time in Greece (16:00 UTC) on 14 July 2023. Each NFT consists of a unique video and sound adaptation derived from the series’ central artwork and includes a museum-quality physical print (44×22 inches) signed by Chief Nixiwaka Yawanawá and Refik Anadol. The sale will continue until Sunday, 16 July 2023. “Winds of Yawanawá” was born out of the collaboration between Impact One and the Yawanawá community, aiming to sow the seeds for a more integrative approach to sustainability in the future. The initiative, known as Possible Futures, emerged as part of Genesis, an indigenous outreach program commissioned by Mikolaj Sekutowicz and curated by Jeanne de Kroon as a vital component of Therme Art’s Wellbeing Culture Forum. In September 2022, Therme Art and Impact One responded to Chief Nixiwaka Yawanawá’s invitation to meet in the Yawanawá Sacred Village of Aldeia Sagrada, and since then, the initiative has blossomed into a platform for listening to and amplifying indigenous voices in the co-development of a shared perspective on the true value of impact, embracing Possible Futures. The platform was officially launched at the New York Times climate hub during COP27, featuring a program co-curated with Nina Gualinga of the Kichwa People of Sarayaku. The talk series explored the concept of co-creating symbiotic futures for our planet, featuring discussions with Sonja Guajajara, the present Minister of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, and representatives from Yawanawá, Xakriabá, Witoto, Terena, Kichwa, Ushigua, and Ponca People. The Yawanawá community is represented in this project by Chiefs Biraci Nixiwaka Brasil, Putanny Yawanawá, and Isku Kua Biraci Brasil Junior, leaders of the Aldeia Sagrada and Nova Esperança villages. The proceeds from the artwork sales will directly support the Instituto Nixiwaka, the entity representing the Yawanawá communities, in their long-term initiatives to protect Yawanawá territories and cultural heritage. Among other projects, the generated funds will be utilised for constructing sustainable infrastructure in the Aleida Sagrada village and developing an educational program for Nova Esperança. For further information, please visit: http://possiblefutures.one/ OFFICIAL UNVEILING: To inaugurate the “Winds of Yawanawá” series, Possible Futures has partnered with Scorpios Mykonos to present the artwork as part of their newly launched art platform, Encounters. The official unveiling of this exceptional collection will take place on 13 July 2023, followed by the opening of the sale of the NFT data paintings on 14 July 2023, running until 16 July 2023. Refik Anadol and Yawanawá Chiefs Nixiwaka and Isku Kua will be present at Scorpios Mykonos from 13 to 14 July 2023 as part of Scorpios’ Encounters program. The event will feature prayers and musical performances led by Nixiwaka and Isku Kua, accompanied by their family Ninunihu and Ykashahu. The celebrations will include a panel discussion curated by Impact One, delving into the concept and creation process behind this collaborative artwork and the utilisation of Web3 as an additional driver for global stewardship of natural ecosystems.