“Para Ecuador, Con Amor” preserves and celebrates the cultural heritage of the South American diaspora, particularly the Ecuadorian community, by creating a space where our stories, traditions, and struggles are honored and shared. Through “sensory storytelling”—using images, projections, music, and hair sculptures—the exhibition captures the lived experiences of migration, displacement, and resilience.
Para los que ya no están aquí.
Many of our traditions and histories are passed down orally or through everyday rituals, but when we migrate, these can be lost. This exhibition acts as a “bridge between generations”, ensuring that younger Latinx individuals in London and beyond stay connected to their roots.
By incorporating Spanish-language descriptions and making the space welcoming to Latinx visitors, I aim to create a cultural archive where our narratives are seen, understood, and remembered.
Te invito a tomarte una foto frente al espejo, aceptando tu propia belleza.
My first pieces for the exhibition.
Additionally, the use of “recycled materials” in my work reflects an essential part of South American heritage—our ability to repurpose and breathe new life into objects. This practice, deeply embedded in our culture, is often overlooked in Western art spaces. Through this project, I hope to highlight the sustainability and creativity that define our communities while challenging conventional views on art and heritage.
Las sillas son como social media y como nos comunicamos en El Barrio de mi abuela.
By giving voice to underrepresented histories and creating a space where people can see themselves reflected, "Para Ecuador, Con Amor"ensures that the heritage of the Ecuadorian and broader South American diaspora is not only preserved but also celebrated.
Karla Quiñonez Leòn a contemporary artist born in Guayaquil, Ecuador currently based in London.
Guayaquil is a very colourful city on the coast of Ecuador, Which is very clear her source of inspiration for this exhibition.
She will like to showcased the world the diverse Ecuador has to offer when it comes the themes of culture and art.
This exhibition, “Para Ecuador ,Con Amor” is about culture, South america, family and tradition and folkore stories.
It’s also about growing up in a varied household while living in Ecuador, the experience of growing up in Latin America to a Native Ecuadorian mother and Afro-Ecuadorian father, and most importantly the struggles of having a hair that was not accepted by society.
Which eventually led to her falling in love with hair
The public will be transported and feel the warmth of Ecuador encapsulated through a mixed media of images, projector, music by a South American Dj and hair sculptures.
Her debut exhibition, “Para Ecuador, Con Amor” is about the artist’s love for her country, the feeling ofbeing South American and how it has shaped her to the artist she is today.
