For thousands of years Guyana has been the home of diverse cultural groups such as the Arawak, Carib and Wai Wai. They are often referred to as Amerindians. Their religious beliefs in the form of a complex mythology and symbolic language interpreted the important connection between humans and their natural environments.

Since the 1970s modern artists in Guyana have tapped these spiritual and mythical roots of traditional Amerindian culture and reinterpreted them in contemporary sculptures and paintings. Ancient symbols and styles merge with the modern art movements of expressionism and modernism. Traditional themes such as shamans (local religious leaders), spirits such as Cloud People and spiritually ambiguous amphibious animals all take on new forms. Many Guyanese artists gained international standing such as expatriate artist, Aubrey Williams and local artists such as Ronald Taylor and Oswald Hussein. Perhaps the most influential of the early artists was Philip Moore with his 1976 monument commemorating the successful slave revolt against the Dutch. Particularly distinctive in this movement are the highly polished woodcarvings in woods such as mahogany. After a decline in the 1990s Guyanese modern art is experiencing a revival; while a thriving tourist industry is also emerging.