Fernando Allen

Born in Asunción, Paraguay, where he currently resides. He started his photography career in 1985. The following year he founded Fotosíntesis, the first photo gallery in the country, which would later become a publishing house dedicated to the publication of photobooks, artists' books, museum catalogues and private collections of popular, indigenous and contemporary art. His photographic work is mainly in the field of culture and popular and indigenous art. He has made more than 50 individual and collective exhibitions in Paraguay and other countries, and published a significant number of books, from 1992 to the present. Produces audiovisual works on issues of popular and indigenous cultural world, and contemporary art. As a cultural manager he has organized workshops, seminars and talks on photography and contemporary art. Recently, he enabled the space of indigenous and popular art called “Confines del Paraguay”, a cultural management project that includes curatorships, exhibitions, selection and supervision of works for institutions, collections and foundations in France, USA, Spain, Central America, Italy, England and other countries. The Confines project is a joint venture with Fredi Casco, it has its headquarters in an old house in the center of Asunción, where the collection of indigenous and popular art is permanently exhibited, and temporary exhibitions are made, as well as residences of indigenous artists. Filmography: "Tiempos Paralelos", Fiestas y rituales indígenas en el Paraguay, Texo Selection 2015. “Calles de Polvo”, Indigenous communities in urban environments, Paraguayan Chaco. 2018. "Como pez en el monte", arte indígena en el Chaco paraguayo. Co-directed with Fredi Casco, for the Fondation Cartier, de Paris (France). 2019. "Dibujo para no olvidar". Co-directed with Fredi Casco, for the Fondation Cartier (Paris, France). 2021. "Niyat", the last Nivacle shaman. Co-Direktor with Fredi Casco. Asunción, 2020. "Kandavare", the Arete Guasu of Pedro P. Peña. Co-Direktor with Fredi Casco. Asunción, 2024.