Annabel’s and The Caring Family Foundation (TCFF) recently unveiled ‘Winds of Yawanawa’, a prestigious artwork by the Yawanawa community, indigenous to the Brazilian Amazon, and trailblazing new media artist Refik Anadol.
The presentation of the artwork coincides with the annual Annabel’s for the Amazon campaign in support of The Caring Family Foundation’s reforestation projects in the Amazon rainforest. From Richard and Patricia Caring’s private collection, the artwork will be on display at the Club from the 13th to the 25th of September.
A Unique Collaboration with Impact
This groundbreaking co-creation between the Yawanawá community and Refik Anadol was curated and commissioned by Impact One as part of the Possible Futures programme, which explores new equitable ways of collaboration with indigenous communities. Annabel’s and The Caring Family Foundation are extending their significant engagement in the state of Acre, Brazil, through their support of this programme. The Yawanawa community is a neighbour of the Nukini community, which benefits from the ongoing work of TCFF.
The ‘Winds of Yawanawa’ artwork series has raised over 3 million USD to date, making it not only a historic collaboration but also one of the highest value and most successful NFT sales of the year. The proceeds from this series directly support the Yawanawá, enabling long-term initiatives to safeguard their lands and cultural heritage. This collaboration sets an unprecedented standard in the successful co-creation of equitable revenue streams for indigenous communities.
Refik Anadol describes this collaboration as his “most meaningful and purposeful project of the year.” The artwork utilizes real-time weather data from the Yawanawá sacred village of Aldeia Sagrada. In a mesmerizing play of traditional shapes and colours, the series dynamically evolves, representing the Yawanawá identity and their connection to the Amazonian territory. This piece serves as a visual reminder of the fundamental ecosystem for humanity that the Annabel’s for the Amazon campaign and The Caring Family Foundation strive to protect.
Expanding Social Impact
This year’s Annabel’s for the Amazon campaign will enable TCFF to invest even further in social projects within the state of Acre, empowering women and generating income for local and indigenous communities. TCFF’s commitment to positive change includes expanding its efforts to two more indigenous communities and traditional families, including 193 remarkable women (34 of whom are single mothers), alongside their partners in Brazil, SOS Amazônia.
At the core of TCFF’s vision is a world where women and children thrive. They are extending their tree planting initiatives beyond environmental preservation to generate sustainable food and income, improving the futures of thousands in the Amazon. By focusing on supply chains that encourage the use of community products, TCFF has increased family income generation by 100% in the first year and expects 30% to 50% growth in the following three years.
A Commitment to Reforestation
As part of TCFF’s ongoing work in Brazil, the Foundation has successfully planted an impressive 1.75 million trees and seedlings, with a goal of achieving 2 million by March 2024. This commitment positions TCFF as the leading UK donor to reforestation in Brazil.
Richard Caring, Co-chair of Annabel’s and Founder of The Caring Family Foundation, expressed his commitment to the Amazon, stating, “My wife Patricia and I are heavily involved in the Amazon through the foundation. We’re on track to have planted 2 million trees by March 2024, and we get great support from our Members and our friends whenever we mention the Amazon because it really is the heart and lungs of the earth.”
Patricia Caring, Co-chair of Annabel’s and Founder of The Caring Family Foundation, added: “Winds of Yawanawa is a captivating piece of art that connects us to feel the heartbeat and soul of the Amazon. The Nukini community, whom The Caring Family Foundation supports, is a direct neighbour of the Yawanawa community with strong parallels in the meaning of both ours and Refik’s work.”
A Model for Collaboration
Chief Nixiwaka Yawanawá emphasized the importance of this partnership: “This partnership that we are building with Refik and Impact One is intended to bolster our communities, strengthen our people, our culture, and our spirituality, and empower us to defend and protect our forest. It also shows us that we are not alone and that we have allies around the world. This project can serve as a model for collaboration and relationship-building between Indigenous peoples and large companies and influential artists.”
Mikolaj Sekutowicz, CEO of Impact One, concluded: “At the peak of the digital age, this work reconnects to our natural heritage, sourcing its form and language from the Amazon rainforest, while raising funds for the Yawanawá and their stewardship of the rainforest, to give back. We are thrilled about Richard and Patricia’s support of ‘Winds of Yawanawa’ and the Possible Futures initiative, furthering the outstanding work The Caring Family Foundation is doing in the Amazon and the Brazilian State of Acre. The display of ‘Winds of Yawanawa’ at Annabel’s very much embodies the level of international engagement and collaboration that is needed for a nature-positive future.”
In a world where art, culture, and environmental stewardship converge, ‘Winds of Yawanawa’ stands as a symbol of unity and positive change. This remarkable collaboration between the Yawanawá community, Refik Anadol, and the unwavering support of Annabel’s and The Caring Family Foundation paves the way for a brighter future. As the artwork graces Annabel’s, it invites us all to connect with the Amazon’s heartbeat and soul, inspiring a global community to protect this vital ecosystem and empower indigenous voices.
