Gandy Guerrero

1958 – 2021, San Gabriel, Carchi

Gandy Aníbal Guerrero Bolaños was born in the city of San Gabriel, in the province of Carchi, in 1958. For 30 years, he has lived on Santa Cruz Island, in the Galápagos province, and has dedicated himself to the work of art and culture. At an early age he is inclined towards multiple artistic expressions. He is self-taught. His training is based on Cultural management, music, painting and audiovisual production. Motivated by his work as an art teacher at the National Galapagos College, he shares his knowledge with the students.

He started as a cultural manager when he founded the Taller de Cultura Popular Mingueros, in San Gabriel. Later he is a founding member and director of the Carchi Hurinsuyo Cultural Front, an organization that brought together more than 20 artistic groups in the province. He is also the founder of the Ecoarte Cultural Center, which seeks to build the cultural identity of Galapagos. As a musician he has recorded 6 CDs. with songs of his authorship. He proposes the sonjuanito, his own rhythm for which he uses the musical interpretation of Andean instruments fused with the rhythm and percussion of tropical instruments.

The theme is the unique nature, its natural heritage, the telluric landscape and the traditions of the pioneer grandparents of Galapagos. In painting he has made several murals with content and life of an imaginary character from the Islands: the Iguano Man; anthropomorphic character, which is the synthesis of the nature of Galapagos and the human being who lives in harmony. He is a researcher of the aesthetics present in the flora, fauna and landscape of the place, which has led him to paint costumes with rich symbolism for the island’s dance group.