KAY-PACHA (2025)

Series Title: KAY-PACHA
Medium: Acrylic on Canson Paper
Dimensions: 9 (32 x 24 cm)
Year: 2025

In Andean cosmology, Kay Pacha refers to the “world of the here and now”—the tangible realm of human existence that lies between Hanan Pacha (the upper world of the gods and celestial beings) and Ukhu Pacha (the inner or subterranean world of ancestors and origins). It is the plane of balance, where earthly life unfolds and where the visible and invisible intersect. In this space, humans act as mediators, weaving relationships between the cosmic and the terrestrial through their daily lives, emotions, and rituals.

Nano Ruiz’s "Kay-Pacha" series explores this intermediary dimension through a study of chromatic relationships and spatial tension. Each composition presents two vertical planes—simple, yet vibrating with interdependence—set within a luminous field of color. These dual forms evoke coexistence and dialogue: the reciprocity between beings, the encounter between opposites, and the balance required to inhabit the present consciously. Ruiz’s palette, rooted in both memory and sensation, transforms color into a language of connection—a bridge between the emotional and the material.

The series can be read as a continuation of Ruiz’s exploration of Andean cosmology, following the introspective descent of "Ukhu-Pacha". While "Ukhu-Pacha" invites the viewer inward, "Kay-Pacha" opens outward—to presence, encounter, and coexistence. The interplay of hues becomes a metaphor for the dynamic equilibrium of life: each tone influences and is influenced by its neighbor, much like human relationships within the living world.