Original Signed Pataxo-Style Painting, "Warrior II"

Working in a bold palette of red-orange, yellow and black, artist Tohõ Pataxo in Brazil recreates the Pataxo style of body painting in this original acrylic on canvas painting. The indigenous Pataxo peoples are struggling to retain both their traditional lands and their cultural heritage. The artist says, "Body painting is a cultural asset of great value to the Pataxó, and represents part of our history, everyday feelings and the sacred. For a long time, the paintings were little used and almost lost. The community is making an effort to recover this tradition."