27th National Biennial of Visual Arts Opened

27th National Biennial of Visual Arts Opened
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 08/19/2013

“A total of 186 pieces make up the main exhibit of the 27th National Biennial of Visual Arts (BNAV), which will remain open to the public until November.“

The 27th National Biennial of Visual Arts will be open to the public daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and on Fridays until 10:00 pm, at the Museum of Modern Art of the Dominican Republic, located on Av. Pedro Henríquez Ureña, Plaza de la Cultura Juan Pablo Duarte.

The Ministry of Culture, the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) and the Organizing Committee, opened the 27th National Biennial of Visual Arts Santo Domingo 2013, which is dedicated to the illustrious and distinguished teacher of several generations of artists, Domingo Liz.

The welcoming remarks were delivered by María Elena Ditrén, Director of the Museum of Modern Art (MAM), who noted that the Biennale is the ideal space for the emergence of new talent, to cement the existing talents, and to honor and pay tribute to those who have contributed in a significant manner to the development process of the national arts.

She stated that “the richness and quality of the works on display are a sample overview of the status and level of the visual arts, and that the extensive number of entries are a reflection of the enthusiasm and passion for the Biennale.”

The keynote address was delivered by the Minister of Culture, José Antonio Rodríguez, who explained that “a government reflects the will of the people when the population adds to the actions that emanate from it and derives empowerment from them, and this Twenty Seventh Biennial of Visual Arts is a good example due to the massive, creative, dynamic and democratic participation.”

He added that “this Twenty Seventh Biennial, which is more open, more participatory, more just, demonstrates the experience, the sensitivity and the capabilities, but, above all, the knowledge that our artists have about a changing world that shows new forms of expression,… the expansion and fusion of the traditional techniques to continue seeking their own language,… to mark territory based on color, texture and shapes. During this event, the center stage is occupied by the motivation, assessment, worth and projection that seek to emphasize the development of the visual arts in the Dominican Republic.”

This year the Biennale is dedicated to the late Maestro Domingo Liz, who was declared National Award of Visual Arts 2012, by Decree 597-10, award received by Mercedes Morales Widow Liz and their children Tania and Pablo Liz, during the opening ceremony of this important cultural event.

Then, the Minister of Culture awarded the Biennial Grand Prix, the highest honor of the event, which includes a Diploma of Honor and an allocation of RD$500,000.00 pesos, to Joiri Alphonsina Minaya Feliz, for her video “Metonimia (Metonymy)” and her performance “Satisfecha (Satisfied).“

In addition, the winners of the eight equal awards, regardless of the categories, and which consist of a Diploma of Honor and an allocation of RD$250,000.00 each, were: Engel Stalin Leonardo Bello and Laura Michelle Castro Matos, for their installation ” Moderno Tropical (Modern Tropical);” Ariadna Margarita Canaán Rivas, for her installation “ La Casa de Piedras (The Stone House);” Luis Ernesto Arias Pérez, for his installation “Cibercity 3001;” and Citlally Miranda Pérez, for her photography, “Sesión con Salomé (Session with Salome) [triptych].“
In addition: Ángel González Urrelly, for his drawing “Deforestación: de la jungla a la botánica (Deforestation: from the jungle to botany) [diptych]”; Patricia Castillo (Patutus), for her installation “Vibraciones bajas (Low Vibrations);” Polibio Díaz Quiroz, for his video, “Manifesto;” and Julianny Zaira Ariza Volquez, for her installation “De la Serie ‘bien-estando’ (From the Series ‘well-being’)” #1.

Meanwhile, the honorable mentions, which were selected for the high quality of the pieces and for their implementation, went to: Jonnathan Sánchez, Miguel Ramírez, Natalia Ortega, Pascal Meccariello, José Cestero, José Pión, Darío Scapellato, Pancho Rodríguez, Eliazar Ortiz, Luis Hidalgo, and Dalton Gata García.

In its decision, the jury stated that this “National Biennial of Visual Arts highlights, above all, the commitment of the artists towards this exhibition. The exhibition, once again, reveals its importance, not only as a place to display the works, but also as a forum for determining the various artistic languages, the media used and, most importantly, the issues, the subjects that the community wants and should be treated from the art stand point.”

This year a total of 571 pieces participated in the event, from which the following were selected, by category: in Painting (56), Plastic Activities-Performance (8); Drawing (22); Sculpture (7); Video and Multimedia (14); Photography (32); Graphic Works (7); Pottery (1), and Installations (39).

The program continued with the symbolic cutting of the ribbon, which formally declared opened the 27th National Biennial of Visual Arts, followed by a tour of the four stories that make up the sample, and finally enjoyed the Retro Jazz concert, as a prelude to the academic events program and concerts that will be held every Friday during the exhibition.

The 27th National Biennial of Visual Arts will be open to the public daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and on Fridays until 10:00 pm, at the Museum of Modern Art of the Dominican Republic, located on Av. Pedro Henríquez Ureña, Plaza de la Cultura Juan Pablo Duarte.