Awasi – a trio of Relais & Chateaux luxury lodges – was founded on a deep commitment to environmental conservation, celebrating cultural heritage and bolstering local communities.

Any guest crossing the Awasi threshold is encouraged to become fully engaged with and mindful of the fragile ecosystems in which they find themselves, be it the Atlantic Rainforest of Northern Argentina, the windswept grasslands of Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia, or the high, dry landscapes of the Atacama desert.

Laying on the border between Argentina and Brazil, Awasi Iguazu and its only 14 Villas offer a unique experience to the Iguazu Falls.

Since 2021, through its now well established Artist Immersion Program, Awasi Iguazú has collaborated closely with a number of different artists, hosting them for residencies typically lasting five days.

Through complete immersion in the natural local environment, the artists are free to let their creative juices flow as freely as the Iguazú Falls, going on to produce a series of wide-ranging, thought-provoking works.

An impression of Iguazu Falls by artist Rainer Gross

The resultant pieces include elaborate writings and projects and multi-medium artworks (with creations as diverse as photography, woven baskets, dance, scents, sounds and sculpture), which, while all being deeply varied, share one thing in common: a solid grounding in the local environment.

Luxury hotel specialists and global travel club Mr and Mrs Smith recently published a feature entitled Revival Stories: Art With A Story To Tell at Awasi Iguazú. The article highlights how art and sustainability are inextricably linked, explaining how the Awasi program is used to promote and protect the natural world.

Harnessed in the right way, artistic expression can blend seamlessly with environmental and cultural conservation.

A piece of artwork by Ingrid Weyland showing the lapacho tree

Celebrating local ecosystems

Drawing inspiration from the raw beauty of their local surroundings, artists in residence capture the rich biodiversity of one of the world’s most diverse and ecologically significant ecosystems, helping to raise awareness of crucial conservation efforts.

Art created through the program often provides a platform for environmental storytelling, inspiring visitors and collectors to engage with and support sustainability initiatives. Awasi is fully carbon neutral and continually works hard to protect the local environment.   

Supporting indigenous communities

At the heart of the Artist Immersion Program is a drive to make use of locally sourced, eco-friendly materials which minimize any environmental impact and support traditional craftsmanship. 

The Guaraní tribespeople have inhabited the Atlantic Rainforest for millennia, surviving encounters with Spanish and Portuguese explorers, Jesuit missionaries, and the pressures of modernisation.

Through close ties with local artisans and cultural groups, the program helps to support heritage art forms and provides local communities with economic benefits.

Artist Carolina Salom discusses the use of natural materials in art with a member of the local Guarani community

Fostering a deep connection to nature

By immersing artists in this remote, untouched environment, the program enables individuals to develop a profound appreciation for nature, reinforcing the importance of preserving these landscapes.

Many of the artworks produced through the program reflect the fragile beauty of the unique landscapes in which the Awasi lodges are situated, making use of materials gathered locally; a constant reminder of the natural surroundings from which they are born.

Many of the artists are inspired by local artisans and traditional handicrafts

Artists often leave legacies in the form of their art works at the hotels, providing visitors with an insight into their artistic journey and showing how art and sustainability can be so deeply linked through creative expression, innovation and awareness.

Mr & Mrs Smith Journalist Kate Weir writes of a ‘slow, soul-stirring contemplation…(which) is heavily encouraged at Awasi.’ She concludes her article by summing up the Awasi mission perfectly, saying: ‘There’s no need to plant a tree; just go lightly, listen for your own creative call of the wild and heed the nature-nurturing lessons threaded into the works artists have left on display at the hotel, so you can carry them forward after check-out.’