Layqa Nuna Yawar

Layqa Nuna Yawar (b. 1984, Cuenca, Ecuador) is a multidisciplinary artist based in the unceded lands of the Lenni-Lenape, current-day Newark, New Jersey whose practice explores migration, decolonization, and the reclamation of public space. His name itself — a self-constructed reclamation of his Kichwa-Kañari heritage — reflects his mission: to peel back layers of colonial history and reveal the subaltern histories underneath. Best known for large-scale public commissions, his work includes a landmark 350-foot mural at Newark Liberty International Airport's Terminal A and projects for MoMA PS1, the Public Art Fund, and the United Nations World Food Program. His practice bridges the institution and the street, cementing his role as a leading voice in the global decolonization movement.