One of the most important Ecuadorian artists and muralists, he is known for his representations of the suffering of indigenous peoples and social injustice. His first exhibition in Quito in 1942 was harshly criticized, but attracted the attention of Nelson Rockefeller, who acquired six of his paintings, thus allowing Guayasamín to travel to the United States. His works have toured the world, being shown in France, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Italy, Spain and the United States, while in Italy his self-portrait was exhibited at the Uffizi in Florence.
