By José Palacios y Román—

Adversity can test a person’s life and shape their path toward transcendence. Some individuals become true champions through that struggle. The state of Oaxaca ranks third in extreme poverty in Mexico. One of its regions is the Costa Chica, home to some two hundred thousand African descendants whose historical presence dates back to the 16th century and beyond.

Yuyé Hernández (Santa Obdulia Hernández Nicolás) is an Afro-Mexican woman born in 1980 in El Tamal, in the municipality of Santiago Pinotepa Nacional. At the time, it was a marginalized and largely forgotten community.

Despite humble beginnings, Yuyé developed a strong character and a deep commitment to her community. Today she is recognized in many roles: as an artist, a defender of her cultural roots, an advocate against abuses of power, a public speaker and lecturer, a national voice on gender equality, and more recently, a councilwoman responsible for culture and finance.

In the mid-1980s, a Catholic priest from Trinidad and Tobago, Father Glyn Jemmot, began promoting visibility and recognition for the Afro-Oaxacan community. Years later, in 1992, the Cimarrón Cultural Center was established.

It was there that Yuyé began her artistic journey, learning to draw and paint using her feet. Yuyé was born without arms. Through her involvement with the center and her relationship with Father Jemmot, she developed a strong sense of leadership and pride in her community and her Afro-Mexican identity.

Beyond her social and political work, Yuyé is a graduate in visual arts from the Benito Juárez Autonomous University of Oaxaca. Her principal mentor was the renowned Japanese master Shinzaburo Takeda, one of the most influential figures in Oaxacan contemporary art.

Following her creative impulses, Yuyé has participated in more than fifty exhibitions, where she has earned admiration not only for the creativity and quality of her work but also for the determination behind it. Without upper limbs, she paints with her feet, transforming what many might see as a limitation into a powerful artistic tool.

Her artistic production is rich in color, expressive brushstrokes, and recurring themes that explore the relationship between women and nature. Looking back at her work over the past decade, one can see increasing maturity, confidence, and interpretive strength in the subjects she chooses to portray.

Her paintings convey harmony, candor, and touches of naïveté, creating a romantic connection with the viewer.

Finally, it is impossible not to recall the example of one of Oaxaca’s most enduring figures: Benito Juárez. A Zapotec indigenous man born in poverty, orphaned at a young age, and raised without speaking Spanish, Juárez rose to become President of Mexico and successfully resisted the most powerful armies of his time.
His story reminds us that resilience is a form of strength.
Yuyé Hernández embodies that same resilience—standing tall even when life knocks you down.

Copalli Art Gallery, committed to promoting new talent from the Oaxacan coast, proudly welcomes Yuyé Hernández as part of its collection of emerging artists.

The gallery is located in Tangolunda and is open daily from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. All are welcome.