Oz Montania

(Paraguay, 1985)

Iara, the ‘Mother of Waters’, is a character from Brazilian folklore, inspired by mythologies from the Tupi and Guarani indigenous people. According to legend, she was a mermaid who sang an irresistible melody to lure men underwater. Oz sees Iara as a deity that protects rivers and its creatures, so in his paintings she is always surrounded by piranhas to remind us to take care of nature.