Paititi
EXPEDITION 2005

 

"Heart of Hearts"

The fascination for Paititi activated the imagination of many within the memory of man.
The atmosphere of magic surrounding this place, led to several expeditions in the past centuries.
In August 2005 the painter Patries van Elsen participated in an international expedition to this legendary country, deep in the jungle of Peru.

The Eclesiástico del Cusco museum preserves an ancient painting, made by the Jesuits in the XVIIth century.
It shows a map with jungle, mountains, rivers, people and animals, surrounded by an inscription:

 

 

PAITITI

"Heart of all hearts".
"This is a map of the Indian land, named Paititi.
Bordered by all kingdoms, it has no borders of its own.
Here you may see the colour of the songs of invisible birds.
Ordinary people may find merely normal food here.
But the poet will find the door towards the purest and oldest love,
sealed here ages ago."

 

 

According to a legend the last Inca's left Cusco after the Spanish conquered the city.
They went deep into the jungle of "Madre de Dios", in Peru.

Paititi
Acrylic on canvas,
1.00 x 1.00m. 2005

They took their last sacred golden objects with them. One of these was the famous golden solar disk.
They built the city of Paititi, also called El Dorado (golden city).
Here they preserved their ancient knowledge.
It is believed that a group of Masters still lives here, as conservators of centuries-old wisdom.
The El Dorado of the Spanish and the natives' Paititi is one and the same place.
For the first it represents gold. For the Inca's Paititi is the place of love, knowledge and wisdom.

Paititi is veiled in mysteries. The temple is alleged to have a subterranean city underneath,
connecting a web of tunnels through the mountains of the South American Andes.
Paititi radiates its own special energy. As a shining center it enlightens the personal path and awakens the sleeping mind.
This particular radiation also produces electromagnetic disturbances on helicopters approaching the area.

Paititi is guarded by the Machiguenga Indians.
The 'Wall of Pusharo', an enormous rock, 35 metres in length full of petrogliphs, forms the entrance to Paititi.
Here, among many strange markings, the famous symbol "Heart of all hearts" is to be found.
According to the Machiguengas, this wall is a portal to another reality,
where the first guardians of this place, the "Pacao Pacuris", live.

Over time the petrogliphs were explored by numerous researchers.
In 1970 the anthropologist-priest Torrealba photographed and studied the mysterious markings.
Many researchers conclude that these petrogliphs probably were made 14.000 years ago, but not by the pre-Inca or the Machiguenga.
This leaves us with the question who did make them.

Sphinx Woman and Inca Masters
Acrylic on canvas,
1.00 x 1.00 m., 2005

 

In December 2004 Patries van Elsen started to dream about Paititi.
In May 2005 she was invited to join an international expedition to this special place, initiated by Sixto Paz Wells.
The fourteen participants came from all parts of the world and all had received a mysterious "call from the jungle".
Her travel experiences inspired Patries van Elsen to make a series of paintings.
This series will be shown at the exposition "Paititi" in 2007 in South America.

If South America is far away for you and yet you want to experience the beauty and magic of these paintings,
you may, of course, buy the paintings shown at this webpage.
In case you are interested,
please contact Patries van Elsen.

 

Paititi and Pusharo
Acryl on canvas,
1.00 x 1.00 m., 2006

 

 

 

 

Pusharo
Acryl on canvas
0.80 x 1.20 m.
2006

 

 

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All pictures are estate of Patries van Elsen, c/o Beeldrecht Amsterdam 2006