When Landscape Becomes Part of the Work
What happens when an artist is given time to experience a place before deciding what to make of it?
The Awasi Artist Immersion invites artists from different disciplines to spend five nights surrounded by the ecosystems, culture and communities of an Awasi destination. Each artist responds through their own practice, creating work shaped by what they encounter along the way.
The first projects from the 2026 edition took place at Awasi Atacama and Awasi Iguazú, with more artists and destinations still to come.
At Awasi Atacama, Argentine painter Carlos Gómez Centurión worked directly in the desert. At higher elevations, the cold was so intense that his watercolors froze, leaving the conditions of the Andes quite literally embedded in the work. Steam, pigment and temperature became part of the creative process, turning the desert from subject into participant.
Brazilian artist Santídio Pereira arrived looking to the sky. Known for his vibrant woodcuts, his recent work has explored stars and celestial forms. During his stay, however, journeys through the Andes with his private guide drew his attention to the mountains themselves. Colors, forms and changing light filled his sketchbook, creating studies that will become the starting point for future paintings.
At Awasi Iguazú, Brazilian multidisciplinary artist Ana González Berganton explored the contrasts of the Atlantic Rainforest, from the force of the falls to the stillness of the forest. After learning about traditional Guaraní basket weaving, she created a silk installation in the lodge gardens designed to move and change with the wind, rain and surrounding environment.
Back in Atacama, Brazilian photographer Fabiano Al Makul explored the desert through light, color and scale. His journey took him to Cerro Toco, over 5,600 meters above sea level, while Licancabur Volcano remained a recurring presence. The experience inspired a new photographic series capturing the vastness and shifting character of the desert.
These first four projects offer very different encounters with place. Together, they provide another way to experience the ecosystems Awasi works to preserve: through close observation, creative interpretation and time spent immersed in the landscape.
More artists and projects from the 2026 Awasi Artist Immersion will be revealed soon…