Wiliam Cudeño Olortin is a Peruvian artist born on December 21, 1985, in Tingo María, Huánuco, who has made Lima his home since 2003. His work centers on intimate and evocative depictions of Peru’s urban microcosms, paying particular homage to vintage wooden cars known as Los Mixtos and to everyday Limeño journeys. Through his brush, he transforms memory into a vivid visual diary, using travel as a recurring motif to capture the rhythm of daily life in Lima.
His artistic journey began with diverse studio experiences and independent study at the Escuela Autónoma de Bellas Artes in Lima, where he cultivated a practice grounded in observation, memory, and a deep respect for traditional craft. Cudeño Olortin has participated in numerous group exhibitions across Peru and abroad, building a robust international presence. In 2024, he presented an individual show titled Por los Caminos de Perú at Casa Fugaz in Monumental Callao, a testament to his ability to translate Peruvian landscapes and urban scenes into a compelling personal narrative.
Cudeño Olortin has also taken on roles beyond exhibition spaces, coordinating the JAS Jornada Acuarelística Simultáneo Internacional in Callao, Lima, for 2024 and 2025, demonstrating his commitment to fostering collaborative, cross-border artistic exchange. His recognition extends to the global stage, having been selected for the World Watercolor Olympics in India, among other prestigious invitations. His work has been showcased in significant cultural venues, including the Museo de la Nación under Peru’s Ministry of Culture, and in educational settings such as the College of Engineering in Miraflores, Lima.
Among his notable experiences is selection for the Tinta exhibition, a Peru-China collaboration at the Chinese Embassy in Lima, as well as participation in the Ríos de Color watercolor festival in Mexico City and live watercolor demonstrations in CDMX. He has been honored by the IWS network with invitations to Festival de las Acuarelas in Ecuador (2023) and Arte21online in Córdoba, Spain (2024–2025). He has also earned recognition in the United States with a fourth-place finish and honorable mention in an international poster contest focused on global development.
Cudeño Olortin’s work is also marked by a strong local and regional footprint. He has exhibited watercolors at the Embassy of Peru in London, strengthening cultural ties across oceans, and has participated in Lima’s Rastrillo sales exhibition in 2025. Additionally, he has contributed to a binational watercolor exhibition between Peru and Ecuador, highlighting his ongoing commitment to cross-cultural exchange and the universal language of color and form.
In his practice, Los Mixtos—historic wooden cars—function as a poignant emblem of memory, linking his memories of his paternal grandfather, Emilio Cudeño Chávez, with broader themes of Peruvian history and everyday life. Through his vibrant, narrative-driven paintings, Wiliam Cudeño Olortin invites viewers to travel through time and space within Peru, experiencing the tenderness of reminiscence and the energy of contemporary urban scenes.
Photo credits: The photographs come from the artist’s archive.
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