Edgar Calel’s (b. 1987) work is deeply rooted in Kaqchikel Mayan worldviews that emerge from the communal life of his hometown, Chi Xot (San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala).
As a member of a family of Mayan-Kaqchikel artists and artisans, he employs various media to explore the complexities of the indigenous experience, reflecting the worldview, beliefs, and community practices of his culture.
Through his artworks, Calel seeks to transcend reductionist interpretations of indigenous culture, underscoring the importance of safeguarding the knowledge imparted by the land, family, and ancestors.
Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Proyectos Ultravioleta, Guatemala City
Edgar Calel: Pa ru tun che’ (From the Treetop), 2021 and RäxRoj K’ux (Green-Blue spirit), 2025, detail. Helsinki Biennial 8.6.–21.9.2025, HAM Helsinki Art Museum. Courtesy of Proyectos Ultravioleta. Photo: HAM / Helsinki Biennial / Sonja Hyytiäinen
RäxRoj K’ux (Green-Blue spirit), 2025
Pa ru tun che’ (From the Treetop), 2021
Artworks’ location: HAM Helsinki Art Museum
In HAM’s north gallery, Calel presents twenty new embroideries, meticulously crafted by himself and his family. Inspired by the natural world and Indigenous knowledge, these works delve into the beauty, depth, and spirituality inherent in the Kaqchikel community’s relationship with nature. Each piece fosters a visual dialogue between the artist’s cultural heritage and the environment, emphasizing the interconnectedness of life and the natural world. The act of embroidery invites viewers into the domestic sphere as a form of shelter, which symbolically extends to encompass the broader home of nature, or oikos.
These new works also engage with an earlier piece, Pa ru tun che’ (From the Treetop), which is created from locally sourced wooden branches intertwined with twenty hand-carved monkey masks – creatures that are considered ontologically akin to humans, much like all living beings. The B’atz’, or monkey, is revered in Mayan cosmology as a sacred animal associated with creativity, art, and particularly sculpture. Within this context, the themes of ceremonial offering and the ritualistic nature of creating contemplative spaces emerge as avenues for both individual and collective healing.